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As you prepare, think about these questions:

What was the central issue that caused the divide?

Who were the main groups of people on each side?

How did this division get worse over time?

What were the consequences of this polarization?

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As you prepare, think about these questions:

What was the central issue that caused the divide?

Who were the main groups of people on each side?

How did this division get worse over time?

What were the consequences of this polarization?

# data[].attributes.body
As you prepare, think about these questions:

What was the central issue that caused the divide?

Who were the main groups of people on each side?

How did this division get worse over time?

What were the consequences of this polarization?

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The debate over slavery is one of the most significant examples of political polarization in U.S. history. Over decades, the North and South became deeply divided on the issue, leading to a complete breakdown of political compromise.

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The economic and social systems of the North and South were fundamentally different, with the South's economy heavily dependent on enslaved labor.

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As the country expanded westward, the question of whether new states would be "free" or "slave" became a central political battle. Events like the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which allowed settlers to decide on the issue of slavery, led to violence and further inflamed tensions.

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The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, who was seen as anti-slavery, was the final straw for many Southern states. They felt their way of life was under attack and, unwilling to compromise, chose to secede from the Union, leading to the Civil War. This is an extreme example of how polarization can lead to the complete collapse of a political system.

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While the Civil Rights Movement was a fight for equality, it also caused a significant political realignment and deepening of the partisan divide.

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The movement's push for desegregation and voting rights for African Americans challenged long-held social and political traditions, particularly in the South.

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The Democratic Party, historically dominant in the South, began to embrace civil rights legislation. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 under Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson caused many conservative Southern Democrats to shift their allegiance to the Republican Party.

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This shift, known as the "Southern Strategy," led to the creation of more ideologically pure political parties. The Republican Party became more consistently conservative, and the Democratic Party became more consistently liberal. This made it harder for the two parties to find common ground, as their core beliefs and voter bases became more and more distinct.

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The way we get our news has changed dramatically, and many historians and political scientists believe this has worsened political polarization.

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The fragmentation of media, from a few major networks to hundreds of cable channels and online news sources, has allowed people to choose media outlets that confirm their existing beliefs.

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Instead of getting news from a variety of sources, people can now live in "echo chambers" or "filter bubbles" where they are only exposed to information and opinions that they already agree with. This makes it harder to understand or even empathize with people who hold different viewpoints.

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The constant demand for content has led to a focus on controversy and conflict. Arguments, drama, and personal attacks often get more attention than thoughtful debate or policy details. This can make politics seem more like a zero-sum game, where one side has to lose for the other to win.