A Nation Divided: Causes of the Civil War

CASE BRIEF: Historians still debate which cause of the Civil War mattered most: economics, states' rights, or slavery itself.

TASK: Rank primary-source causes of the Civil War using secession documents and political speeches, then defend your ranking.

EVIDENCE: South Carolina's Declaration of Secession excerpt - Lincoln's House Divided speech excerpt - A map comparing free and slave state economies

ANALYZE: Which cause does each source emphasize? Do the secession documents support or complicate the "states' rights" explanation? What does each side leave out?

BUILD A CLAIM: Rank the causes of the Civil War in order of importance and justify your top choice with direct evidence.

RUBRIC: Ranks and defends at least 3 causes - Quotes secession documents directly - Distinguishes stated reasons from underlying reasons