Kansas-Nebraska Act Webquest

The Kansas-Nebraska Act

     The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Congress on May 30, 1854.  This act applied the concept of popular sovereignty when it came to deciding on whether or not to all slavery within the borders of Kansas and Nebraska. The Act essentially repealled the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which prohibited slavery north of latitude 36°30´.

     The Kansas-Nebraska Act infuriated many Northerners who considered the Missouri Compromise to be a long-standing binding agreement. In the pro-slavery South it was strongly supported.  Violence soon erupted.  The territory earned the nickname "bleeding Kansas" as the death toll rose.

Your Task

You have a few tasks to complete in order to become a Kansas-Nebraska Act Expert.  Please follow the steps below so you can earn your stars and stripes.

1.  You will complete a handout about The Kansas-Nebraska Act (see process page for the link to the handout)

2.  You will complete a mini-project about The Kansas-Nebraska Act (see evaluation page)

3. You will answer the essential question on a google doc. 

4.  You will turn in your handout, mini-project, and answer to the essential questions to the Google Classroom

1.  You'll need to go to classroom and open the doc that is entitled Kansas-Nebraska Act Webquest  (you'll need to make your own copy of this doc so you can edit and turn it in.)

     -  Please type ALL your answers on this doc.

     -  Feel free to change the font or font color.  Just make sure I can read it.

2.  Once you have completed the Webquest handout, please begin working on your mini-project (go to the evaluation page).

Mini-Project

Please choose choose one of the below projects to complete.  You will get a hardcopy of this project as well.  On the back is the rubric, make sure you turn that rubric in when you are ready to have your project graded.

1.  Postcards

• Create 3 postcards from three different people who would have been from this time period and involved in the Kansas-Nebraska Act (politician, settlers, etc…)
• The template for this is attached to the assignment in google classroom.
• Requirements:
  • Front should have a color picture (and go along with the back)
  • Back should have at least ONE good descriptive paragraph written in the point of view of the people you have chosen.
  • Watch your spelling, grammar, and punctuation 

2.  Comic Strip 

• This template is in google classroom
• Requirements:
  • On template:  6 cartoon frames chronicling the events of The Kansas-Nebraska ActOn an on-line program:  At least 6 things of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and a descriptive sentence for each thing.
    • Each frame should have a sentence description and be in color
  • Watch your spelling, grammar, and punctuation 

3.  Newspaper

• Template is in google classroom assignment. 
• Requirements:
  • 1 main article about The Kansas-Nebraska Act (5-7 sentences) w/ picture
  • 1 minor article about another interesting piece of information from the K-N Act
  • 2 advertisements or creative items
  • Should be in color
  • Watch your spelling, grammar, and punctuation 

4.  Poem or Song

• Create your poem or song on google docs and turn it into google classroom.
• Requirements:
  • At least 3 stanzas and a refrain
  • Add a picture to this to make it colorful (must be in color)
  • Watch your spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Essential Question

Now that you have completed the Webquest and your project... go to your docs and copy down the questions below:

What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act?  Why did popular sovereignty fail with this Act?

Now, ANSWER the questions in google docs and turn it all in. 

Congratulations!

You have now successfully completed this Webquest!