1). What were the main beliefs of transcendentalism, and how did American writers incorporate them into their work?

2). How did the abolitionists' proposals and methods differ from those of earlier antislavery movements? Who were some of the most important and influencial abolitionists? Why did their proposals, ideas, and methods arouse such hostility in the South and in the North?

3). By 1860, what different groups made up the South's increasingly complex society? How did these groups interact in the political arena? Why in 1860 did white southerners remain committed to the institution of slavery and its expansion?

4). What was "Manifest Destiny" as a set of ideas? Did it cause historical events or was it merely a description of events? What were those events?

5). Why did President Polk go to war with Mexico? Why did the war become so divisive in Congress and the country?