Analytical Essay Prompt & Rubric:
In a well-written, well-organized, 1750-2000-word essay (approximately 7-8 pages), answer the following question:
Looking at the time period of 1820- 1860, describe how expansionism and sectionalism in the antebellum United States divided the nation and led to the Civil War.
(To assist with writing your assignment look at such major events as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 as being of the first manifestations of growing sectionalism; the impact of Manifest Destiny ideology on American attitudes towards expansionism; the rise of aggressive expansionism in the Democratic Party and the rise of the Free Soil movement, as they relate to Texas and Oregon in particular; the origins of the Mexican War; the immediate impact of the Mexican War on the question of slavery in the territories; the failure of the Compromise of 1850 to settle the question of slavery in the territories; the Kansas-Nebraska controversy and the breakdown of the two-party system; the Dred Scott decision and the irreconcilable views of north and south towards slavery; and the sectional nature of the Republican Party and Southern attitudes towards it. Many of these issues are discussed in the textbook in chapters 11 through 14. Also to be noted you do not have to touch on all of these topics, but look at least 5 of this major events mentioned above).
Additional instructions for the assignment:
Essays must be double-spaced and written in 12-point Times New Roman font.
Consult the rubric provided to you by your instructor for detailed information on how this essay will be evaluated and graded.
Only use those materials approved for use in this class (i.e., the class textbook). Books and articles are permitted. Any books or articles used for this assignment have to have an author. Use at least 3 different sources for this assignment. Please refrain from using random online sources, ESPECIALLY WIKIPEDIA.
Be sure you cite your sources in your essay when appropriate.
Include a Works Cite Page.