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| | Tips in learning history: | | Tips in learning history: |
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| − | *Beware of over-reliance on authority. Unless we're talking about the Bible, authority is not always going to be correct. Every book contains mistakes or fails to explain a concept well, and it's beneficial to read many sources, because some authors will cover what others miss or explain a concept better. | + | *Beware of over-reliance on authority. Unless we're talking about the Bible, authority is not always going to be correct. Every book contains mistakes or fails to explain a concept well, and it's beneficial to read many sources, because some authors will cover what others miss or describe a concept better. |
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| | *Learn history in small pieces. I cannot grade all the papers in this course at one time, or even in one day. After about an hour or two, I burn out. But by grading in 45 minute periods each day, it is very enjoyable. The material is easier to digest. Could you eat one and only one meal each day? No, we eat three meals so the food is easier to digest that way. Same with learning history. 45 minutes each day for 5 days will be much easier than over 4 hours in one day. You'll retain the material much better if you spread it out. | | *Learn history in small pieces. I cannot grade all the papers in this course at one time, or even in one day. After about an hour or two, I burn out. But by grading in 45 minute periods each day, it is very enjoyable. The material is easier to digest. Could you eat one and only one meal each day? No, we eat three meals so the food is easier to digest that way. Same with learning history. 45 minutes each day for 5 days will be much easier than over 4 hours in one day. You'll retain the material much better if you spread it out. |
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| | The ''Dred Scott'' decision played a part in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Lincoln asked Douglas if a territory could exclude slavery under the decision. Douglas said that a territory could exclude slavery if it created laws which made it impossible to enforce slavery. This was consistent with his idea of "popular sovereignty", which eventually caused South to turn against Douglas. | | The ''Dred Scott'' decision played a part in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Lincoln asked Douglas if a territory could exclude slavery under the decision. Douglas said that a territory could exclude slavery if it created laws which made it impossible to enforce slavery. This was consistent with his idea of "popular sovereignty", which eventually caused South to turn against Douglas. |
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| − | Others resorted to violent means to end the disagreement over slavery. In 1859, John Brown <ref>(who previously killed 5 men in Kansas, see "Bleeding Kansas")</ref> led a raid on Harper's Ferry. Brown hoped that his actions would spark a slave rebellion in Virginia. But Brown was caught and tried and hanged. | + | Others resorted to violent means to end the disagreement over slavery. In 1859, John Brown <ref>John Brown had previously killed 5 men in Kansas, as explained in our section on "Bleeding Kansas."</ref> led a raid on Harper's Ferry. Brown hoped that his actions would spark a slave rebellion in Virginia. But Brown was caught and tried and hanged. |
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| | This is the toughest question of the entire course: Could the Civil War have been avoided? Historians just took a poll on the biggest presidential blunders. At the top of the list is the failure of President James Buchanan for keeping the Union together just prior to the Civil War. What do you think? | | This is the toughest question of the entire course: Could the Civil War have been avoided? Historians just took a poll on the biggest presidential blunders. At the top of the list is the failure of President James Buchanan for keeping the Union together just prior to the Civil War. What do you think? |