A. Explain (suggested length of 23 paragraphs) the reasons for the rise of partisan politics in the Early Republic (i.e., major conflicts and concerns, development of the First Party System).

B. Discuss the development of the Second Party System (suggested length of 23 paragraphs) by doing the following:

1. Compare the platforms of the Whig and Democratic parties.

Note: You may include both similarities and differences of the two parties.

2. Describe the leaders and constituents that defined each party.

3. Explain how the Second Party System contributed to increased democratization of American politics.

C. Discuss the major movements and events that led to the Civil War (suggested length of 23 paragraphs) by doing the following:

1. Explain the pro-slavery and abolitionist arguments of the antebellum period.

2. Describe the role of westward expansion in increasing sectional tensions.

3. Evaluate how three major events (e.g., significant legislation, territorial conflicts, court cases, political debates) contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.

D. Provide acknowledgement of source information, using in-text citations and references, for quoted, paraphrased, or summarized content.

1. Include the following information when providing source references:

  author

  date

  title

  location of information (e.g., publisher, journal, or website URL)