America fought a war of conquest against Mexico, and with the acquisition of California in 1848 reignited the slave issue with vigor. The Compromise of 1850 was negotiated to keep the peace, but set the stage for the polarization of the nation over whether the country was to be free or slave.

By 1860 no longer bluffing, South Carolina seceded from the Union upon Lincoln's election, followed by ten other Southern States, thereby casting America into the abyss of Civil War. Emerging from the conflict, America accelerated as a global, industrial, powerhouse, while grappling with the social issues wrought by the war.

EQ #8

How did America's submission to the theory of Manifest Destiny accelerate the political conflict that would lead to its disunion?

EQ #9

How did the Civil War and Reconstruction constitute an economic, social, and political revolution in America?