Unit 5: A Divided Nation
Students learn about the compromises used to settle the slavery issue as Americans moved westward and see how the country moved toward war over the issue. Chapters 11.3, 13.2 & 3, and 16.
Wednesday, December 11: What do you need to do to complete your industrial revolution newspaper project by Friday?
Students worked with partners to peer edit their paragraphs and work on their project.
Thursday, December 12: Bell Ringer - When did the US buy the Louisiana Purchase?
Students learned how Congress solved the issue of Missouri wanting to become a slave state and upsetting the balance between free and slave states in the US Senate. The Missouri Compromise added Maine as a free state along with Missouri, a slave state, and drew a line across the rest of the Louisiana Territory which prevent slavery from spreading north of 36 30.
Friday, December 13: Bell Ringer - What did you like, what didn't you like, what could I change to make better on the Industrial Revolution project?
Students were given time to assemble and turn-in their Industrial Revolution newspaper projects.
Monday, December 16: Bell Ringer - How did the US Congress solve the issue of admitting Missouri as a slave state?
Students jig-sawed documents about the Texan war for independence from Mexico to try to understand why Texans wanted to declare their independence.
Tuesday, December 17: Bell Ringer - Who were the empresarios?
Students finished discussing Texas independence and watched two sections of Ken Burns: The West - Empire Upon the Trails, Tejas and We go to Conquer, about Texas.
Wednesday, December 18: Bell Ringer - Why did Texans declare independence from Mexico in 1836?
Students learned about President James K. Polk's plan to annex Texas and Oregon and complete Manifest Destiny by gaining New Mexico and California Territories from Mexico. When Mexico refused to discuss selling the territories, Polk found a way to win them in war.
Thursday, December 19: Bell Ringer - What is manifest destiny?
Students discussed the outcome of the US-Mexican war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and gaining the Mexican Cession.
Friday, December 20: Bell Ringer - What was the question the US had to answer in the new territories?
Students took their weekly quiz. Then they learned about the Compromise of 1850 and Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Thursday, January 2: Bell Ringer - How did the Compromise of 1850 solve the issue of slavery in the Mexican Cession?
Students compared the Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and Kansas-Nebraska Act to see how they dealt with the issue of slavery and the impact they had on the growing rift between North and South. Students learn about Bleeding Kansas and the caning of Senator Sumner. They will see how the dispute between the North and South over slavery begins to escalate beyond the point where compromises will solve the differences. Students watch two sections from Ken Burns: The West - Death Runs Riot, Introduction and Free Soil.
Friday, January 3: Bell Ringer - What happened in Kansas in 1856?
Students started an in-class activity looking at the background, arguments, and decision in the Scott v. Sandford (1857) Supreme Court Case.
Monday, January 6: Bell Ringer - Who was Dred Scott??
Students finished the in-class activity about the Dred Scott Decision.
Tuesday, January 7: Bell Ringer - Who won the case Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)?
Students learned about the formation of the Republican Party. They began to reenact the 1858 Illinois Senate debates between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.
Wednesday, January 8: Bell Ringer - How did Lincoln describe the existence of slavery in America during the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858?
Students continued reenacting the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Thursday, January 9: Bell Ringer - What are Lincoln and Douglas's beliefs about equality for blacks and whites?
Students finished reenacting the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Friday, January 10: Bell Ringer - Who won the U.S. Senate election of 1858 in Illinois?
Students took their weekly quiz and then they learned about the Presidential election of 1860
Students worked with partners to peer edit their paragraphs and work on their project.
Thursday, December 12: Bell Ringer - When did the US buy the Louisiana Purchase?
Students learned how Congress solved the issue of Missouri wanting to become a slave state and upsetting the balance between free and slave states in the US Senate. The Missouri Compromise added Maine as a free state along with Missouri, a slave state, and drew a line across the rest of the Louisiana Territory which prevent slavery from spreading north of 36 30.
Friday, December 13: Bell Ringer - What did you like, what didn't you like, what could I change to make better on the Industrial Revolution project?
Students were given time to assemble and turn-in their Industrial Revolution newspaper projects.
Monday, December 16: Bell Ringer - How did the US Congress solve the issue of admitting Missouri as a slave state?
Students jig-sawed documents about the Texan war for independence from Mexico to try to understand why Texans wanted to declare their independence.
Tuesday, December 17: Bell Ringer - Who were the empresarios?
Students finished discussing Texas independence and watched two sections of Ken Burns: The West - Empire Upon the Trails, Tejas and We go to Conquer, about Texas.
Wednesday, December 18: Bell Ringer - Why did Texans declare independence from Mexico in 1836?
Students learned about President James K. Polk's plan to annex Texas and Oregon and complete Manifest Destiny by gaining New Mexico and California Territories from Mexico. When Mexico refused to discuss selling the territories, Polk found a way to win them in war.
Thursday, December 19: Bell Ringer - What is manifest destiny?
Students discussed the outcome of the US-Mexican war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and gaining the Mexican Cession.
Friday, December 20: Bell Ringer - What was the question the US had to answer in the new territories?
Students took their weekly quiz. Then they learned about the Compromise of 1850 and Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Thursday, January 2: Bell Ringer - How did the Compromise of 1850 solve the issue of slavery in the Mexican Cession?
Students compared the Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and Kansas-Nebraska Act to see how they dealt with the issue of slavery and the impact they had on the growing rift between North and South. Students learn about Bleeding Kansas and the caning of Senator Sumner. They will see how the dispute between the North and South over slavery begins to escalate beyond the point where compromises will solve the differences. Students watch two sections from Ken Burns: The West - Death Runs Riot, Introduction and Free Soil.
Friday, January 3: Bell Ringer - What happened in Kansas in 1856?
Students started an in-class activity looking at the background, arguments, and decision in the Scott v. Sandford (1857) Supreme Court Case.
Monday, January 6: Bell Ringer - Who was Dred Scott??
Students finished the in-class activity about the Dred Scott Decision.
Tuesday, January 7: Bell Ringer - Who won the case Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)?
Students learned about the formation of the Republican Party. They began to reenact the 1858 Illinois Senate debates between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.
Wednesday, January 8: Bell Ringer - How did Lincoln describe the existence of slavery in America during the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858?
Students continued reenacting the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Thursday, January 9: Bell Ringer - What are Lincoln and Douglas's beliefs about equality for blacks and whites?
Students finished reenacting the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Friday, January 10: Bell Ringer - Who won the U.S. Senate election of 1858 in Illinois?
Students took their weekly quiz and then they learned about the Presidential election of 1860