Write a brief history of the Civil War in the United States.

2. Write a brief history of the Civil War in the United States. Your answer should discuss the following:
a) Pre-war debates over the expansion of slavery
b) The Civil War, 1861-1865

The essay should be based on lecture notes, PowerPoints, and the relevant readings on the syllabus (from GML, Chs. 13-14 and VF, 275-79 fourth editio by Eric Foner). The documentary (Death and the Civil War, streaming on Netflix and YouTube) is optional. The essay should be approximately four pages.

The essay should have an introduction that briefly summarizes what you are going to write about for a) and b).

For a), discuss the series of debates and resulting compromises that temporarily maintained the balance of power between free and slave states. Why was the Kansas-Nebraska Act so controversial? Part a) must include some information from the document in VF, 275-79 (the Lincoln-Douglas debate).

For b), discuss at least two of the following: the events that led to the start of the war; how it was fought (what was modern about the war and what was old fashioned?); the experience of black troops; and what it was like to die in the war.

Conclude by briefly describing the outcome of the war.