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Conference committee report on the Missouri Compromise, March 1, 1820; This is an image of the Missouri Compromise.

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I chose The Missouri Compromise because it was one of the first major attempts to keep a political balance between free and slave states. It temporarily eased tensions by maintaining an equal number of both sides in Congress, which helped avoid immediate conflict. Politically, it showed how divided the country had become over slavery’s expansion. Socially, it reinforced the idea that slavery was a permanent issue shaping American identity. Although it delayed war, it set a pattern for future arguments over slavery in new territories.

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Senator Henry Clay, 1/29/1850; This is an image of the second page of the Compromise of 1850.

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I decided on the Compromise of 1850, and it was significant because it tried to hold the Union together after new land was gained from the Mexican-American War. Politically, it balanced interests by admitting California as a free state while enforcing the harsh Fugitive Slave Act. This law caused social outrage in the North because it forced citizens to help return escaped enslaved people. Economically, it also kept trade and westward expansion stable for a time. However, it deepened distrust between North and South, showing compromise was no longer enough.

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U.S. Congress, May 30, 1854; This is an image of the piece that President Franklin Pierce signed into law "An Act to Organize the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas"

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I chose the Kansas-Nebraska Act was significant because it allowed popular sovereignty, meaning settlers could decide on slavery themselves. Politically, it overturned the Missouri Compromise and opened new areas to slavery, sparking violence known as “Bleeding Kansas.” The act split political parties and led to the creation of the Republican Party, which opposed slavery’s expansion. Socially, it proved that people were willing to fight and die over the issue of slavery. It pushed the nation even closer to civil war by showing that democracy couldn’t solve this moral conflict peacefully.

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Alexander Gardner, September 17, 1862; This is a photograph taken by Alexander Gardner, and was the first time an American battlefield had ever been photographed before the dead had been buried.

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I chose the Battle of Antietam was significant because it was the bloodiest single day in American history, forcing both sides to realize how devastating the war would be. Politically, it gave President Lincoln the confidence to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, changing the war’s purpose to include ending slavery. Socially, it inspired more African Americans to support the Union cause. Militarily, it stopped Lee’s advance into the North and gave the Union a needed morale boost. The high death toll also showed the impact of new technologies like rifled muskets and modern tactics.

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President Abraham Lincoln, January 3, 1863; This item is the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

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I selected the Emancipation Proclamation, and it was significant because it transformed the Civil War from a fight for unity into a fight for human freedom. Politically, it discouraged European nations from helping the Confederacy because they did not want to appear to support slavery. Socially, it gave hope to millions of enslaved people and allowed African Americans to join the Union army. Economically, it weakened the Southern economy by targeting its reliance on enslaved labor. It became one of the most powerful moral and political actions in U.S. history.

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Theodore Ditterline, 1863; A map of military action during the Battle of Gettysburg from July 1-3.

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The Battle of Gettysburg was significant because it marked a major turning point in the war. Politically, it boosted Northern confidence and support for Lincoln’s leadership. Militarily, it ended Lee’s attempt to invade the North and weakened the Confederate army permanently. Socially, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address later redefined the war’s meaning, focusing on equality and national unity. The Union’s victory helped ensure that democracy could survive such a deep internal conflict.

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The House Joint Resolution Proposing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, January 31, 1865; This is the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that abolished slavery.

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The Reconstruction Amendments were significant because they legally redefined freedom and equality in America. Politically, they expanded the Constitution to include civil rights for African Americans, making the federal government responsible for protecting those rights. Socially, they offered hope to freed people by granting citizenship, protection, and the right to vote. Economically, these amendments helped open opportunities for African Americans to work and own land, though progress was slow. Even though enforcement was weak in the South, these laws became the foundation for the later Civil Rights Movement.

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Waud, Alfred R., 1868; An engraving showing a man representing the Freedmen's Bureau standing between a group of white planters and emancipated slaves.

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The Freedmen’s Bureau was significant because it represented one of the first federal efforts to promote social welfare and equality. Socially, it helped former slaves build new lives by providing food, education, and healthcare. Politically, it showed the federal government’s attempt to rebuild the South and support African Americans’ rights. Economically, it offered job training and labor contracts, helping freed people transition into paid work. Even though it faced major resistance and funding problems, it laid the groundwork for future government support programs.

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Congress, 1865; South Carolina's constitution, which included the “Black Codes”

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The Black Codes were significant because they revealed how Southern states tried to keep racial control after slavery was abolished. Politically, they challenged federal authority by restricting African Americans’ rights and freedoms. Socially, they created anger and fear among freedmen and showed that racism would continue even without slavery. Economically, the laws forced many African Americans into low-wage labor and unfair contracts, similar to slavery. The Black Codes pushed Congress to pass stronger Reconstruction laws to protect civil rights.

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Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries, 1877; Photo as Rutherford B. Hayes is inaugurated as president on March 4, 1877, which was shortly after the compromise was passed.

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The Compromise of 1877 was significant because it ended Reconstruction and returned power to white Southern Democrats. Politically, it resolved a disputed presidential election but came at the cost of abandoning African Americans’ protection in the South. Socially, it allowed racial segregation and discrimination to rise under Jim Crow laws. Economically, it shifted national focus toward industrial growth rather than racial equality. This compromise marked the beginning of nearly a century of systemic racism in the South and showed the limits of federal reform.