Learning Objectives: Develop Historical Thinking Skills

Learning Objectives Develop Historical Thinking Skills Interpret

Learning objectives: Develop historical thinking skills. Interpret sources. Strengthen organization and communication skills.

Assignment Directions: Complete the prompts below based on the assigned lesson and the primary source you picked from the available sources. For each of the 4 prompts, write at least 1 paragraph. (Do not use outside sources.)

1) Provide a summary of the historical context (background) that is relevant to the source you picked. Use the information provided in the lesson and the information about the source to craft your summary. Be sure to use your own words. (Note that rearranging the order of words or changing a word here or there does not make a sentence one’s own. See Avoiding Plagiarism for more detail.)

2) Who wrote the source, when, where, and why?

3) Analyze the source. What did the author say? How does the historical context help you to critique or better understand what the source is saying? Consider the source’s perspective.

4) Draw conclusions: What information can we learn by looking at the primary source within historical context? (Keep in mind that we are only using one primary source – one piece of a much larger puzzle – so keep the conclusions limited to what we can learn from analyzing the source within context.)

Sources to choose from: Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery…in response to the Missouri Compromise: James Monroe on Slave Trade: smtID=3&psid=202 John Ross to President Martin Van Buren on Trail of Tears: Cherokee Petition protesting removal: GELO Assignment Prigg v. Pennsylvania, on North’s liberty laws versus federal Fugitive Slave law: South Carolina’s Declaration of Secession, excerpts:

Paper For Above instruction

The selected primary source for this analysis is the South Carolina Declaration of Secession, a document addressing the state's withdrawal from the Union in 1860. The context of this source is rooted in the escalating tensions between Northern and Southern states over the issues of states’ rights, slavery, and economic disagreements. By 1860, these disagreements had reached a breaking point, culminating in South Carolina’s decision to secede, primarily citing the perceived infringement upon states’ rights by federal laws and the expansion of slavery. This political climate was shaped by longstanding conflicts over the institution of slavery, which was integral to the Southern economy and social structure, contrasting sharply with the abolitionist movements gaining momentum in the North. The secession was thus both a political act and a protest against federal policies that Southern leaders believed threatened their economic interests and their way of life.

The South Carolina Declaration of Secession was authored by representatives of the state's government, signed in December 1860. Its authors were primarily politicians and leaders of the secessionist movement who aimed to justify the state's departure from the Union. The document explicitly states grievances against the federal government, particularly criticizing laws such as the tariffs and the election of Abraham Lincoln, which they believed threatened slavery and Southern sovereignty. The declaration reflects the perspective that secession was a necessary response to protect their rights and uphold their social and economic order. It articulates the view that states had the constitutional right to withdraw from the Union if they believed their interests were being betrayed.

Analyzing this source within its historical context illuminates the profound ideological divide between the North and South. The document’s emphasis on states’ rights and the perceived legality of secession demonstrates how constitutional arguments were employed to justify radical political action. It also highlights the Southern perspective that slavery was a protected and essential institution, and any federal interference was unacceptable. Understanding the broader sectional conflicts and the importance of slavery in Southern society enhances our comprehension of the language and assertions in the document. It clarifies that secession was not only about political sovereignty but also about safeguarding slavery and economic interests, which were under threat from rising abolitionist influence and federal policies.

From analyzing the South Carolina Declaration of Secession within its historical context, we learn that the roots of the Civil War lay in entrenched sectional differences and differing interpretations of constitutional rights. The document reveals that secession was driven by a desire to preserve slavery and oppose federal laws perceived as unfavorable, illustrating the deep ideological divides that ultimately led to widespread conflict. It underscores the complexity of the issues involved, showing that economic interests, social structures, and political ideologies all played crucial roles in shaping the course of American history. This primary source therefore provides vital insight into the motivations behind one of the most pivotal actions in United States history — the secession of Southern states and the onset of the Civil War.

References

• Carpenter, N. (2011). South Carolina Secession Declaration. In The Civil War: An Illustrated History (pp. 220-221). Smithsonian Books.
• Foner, E. (2010). The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery. W. W. Norton & Company.
• McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
• McCullough, D. (2010). Separation: The History of the American Civil War. Simon & Schuster.
• Stephens, A. H. (1861). Cornerstone Address. Georgia State Capitol.
• Woodworth, S. (2014). American Civil War: A Concise History. Oxford University Press.
• Litwack, L. (1998). North of Slavery: The Negro in the Free States, 1790-1860. University of Chicago Press.
• Foner, E. (1995). Free Soil, Free Labor, Free men: The Ideology of the Republican Party Before the Civil War. Oxford University Press.
• McPherson, J. M. (1997). Tried by War: Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief. Oxford University Press.
• McDaniel, B. (2016). The Secession Crisis in South Carolina. University of South Carolina Press.