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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Fort Scott National Historic Site: Bleeding Kansas

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the effects of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. In particular, the site details incidents from the period known as "Bleeding Kansas."
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Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Today in History: April 23: The Little Giant

For Students 9th - 10th
Contains a short biography on U.S. congressman, senator, and presidential candidate Stephen A. Douglas.
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Website
Lumen Learning

Lumen: Boundless: u.s. History: The Compromise of 1850

For Students 9th - 10th
Presents the events leading up to the passing of the Compromise of 1850, followed by a description of those events, the content of the Compromise, and its impact.
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Graphic
University of Oregon

University of Oregon: Mapping History: Kansas Nebraska Act: 1854

For Students 9th - 10th
Toggle back and forth on this interactive map to see how the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 completely negated the Missouri Compromise. Click on the map to see where slavery was permitted before 1854 and then after. Be sure to click on the...
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Graphic
University of Oregon

University of Oregon: Mapping History: Compromise of 1850: Status of Slavery

For Students 9th - 10th
An interactive map that clearly shows the change in the status of slavery in territories from the Missouri Compromise to the Compromise of 1850. Click on the map to see the status before and after the Compromise of 1850.
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Handout
Other

Famous Illinoisians With Civil War Ties: Stephen Douglas

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides biographical facts about Stephen Arnold Douglas in bulleted list format.
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Handout
PBS

Pbs: Core Values of American Constitutional Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A list of terms presented by PBS and Newshour of the values that make up the foundation of American constitutional democracy and the preservation of political and economic freedoms.
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: The Debate Over Slavery

For Teachers 5th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart contains information about the renewed debate over the spread of slavery after the Mexican War. It describes the Wilmot Proviso, popular sovereignty, the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive...
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Stephen A. Douglas

For Students 3rd - 8th
Here is some brief information on the "Little Giant", also known as Stephen Douglas, and his senatorial career. The information is divided into three short pages.
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Handout
Kansas Historical Society

Kansapedia: "Bleeding Kansas"

For Students 9th - 10th
When Kansas became a state it would change the balance of power, so there was fighting between the pro- and anti-slavery groups. This page offers an explanation of that piece of Kansas history, plus letters from two who supported Kansas'...
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Article
Siteseen

Siteseen: American Historama: Popular Sovereignty and Slavery

For Students 9th - 10th
Comprehensive resource explores the use of Popular Sovereignty in debates about the slavery extension issue in new territories.
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Article
Siteseen

Siteseen: Government and Constitution: Popular Sovereignty

For Students 9th - 10th
Summary of the idea of Popular Sovereignty, the belief that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.
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Article
Siteseen

Siteseen: American Historama: Kansas Nebraska Act

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides an overview and detailed facts about the Kansas-Nebraska Act that allowed settlers in the new territories to decide whether to have slavery.