History 7041/2J June 2023

This exam paper explores America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877, focusing on The Origins of the American Civil War, c1845–1861. Section A analyzes Southern attitudes toward abolitionism in the 1850s, contrasting fears of anti-slavery sentiment sparked by Uncle Tom’s Cabin and critiques of slavery’s impact on the Southern economy. Section B examines key causes of sectional tensions, assessing the role of westward expansion (1845–1848) in intensifying North-South divisions and the Southern States’ responsibility for the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. The questions highlight sectional conflict, political compromise, and the rise of abolitionism.