Home Free Printables Literacy 8th Grade Grade 8 Sectionalism & Causes of the Civil War — Reading Comprehension — Secession Preview — download the full PDF for print-quality output
Literacy 8th Grade Ages 13–14
Grade 8 Sectionalism & Causes of the Civil War — Reading Comprehension — Secession Free printable reading comprehension passage about secession. Students read the passage and answer questions to build understanding. For 8th Grade (ages 13–14).
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Grade 8 Sectionalism & Causes of the Civil War
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Secession LITERACY · 8TH GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. Between December 1860 and June 1861, eleven states declared that they were leaving the United States. Secession came in two waves: seven Deep South states left after Lincoln's election, and four more left only after Fort Sumter, when Lincoln called for troops. The declarations of causes that several states published named the protection of slavery explicitly, which is why historians treat later claims that the war was only about tariffs or states' rights as incomplete. Secessionists argued that the Union was a compact states had joined and could leave; Lincoln argued that no state had ever been sovereign outside the Union and that secession was therefore unlawful. Four slave states — Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri — stayed, and western Virginia broke away to become a separate state. Questions: 1 What were the two waves of secession, and what triggered each? 2 What did the published declarations of causes name? 3 What was Lincoln's constitutional argument? www.littleactivity.com 8th Grade · Literacy
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Secession LITERACY · 8TH GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. Between December 1860 and June 1861, eleven states declared that they were leaving the United States. Secession came in two waves: seven Deep South states left after Lincoln's election, and four more left only after Fort Sumter, when Lincoln called for troops. The declarations of causes that several states published named the protection of slavery explicitly, which is why historians treat later claims that the war was only about tariffs or states' rights as incomplete. Secessionists argued that the Union was a compact states had joined and could leave; Lincoln argued that no state had ever been sovereign outside the Union and that secession was therefore unlawful. Four slave states — Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri — stayed, and western Virginia broke away to become a separate state. Questions: 1 What were the two waves of secession, and what triggered each? 2 What did the published declarations of causes name? 3 What was Lincoln's constitutional argument? www.littleactivity.com 8th Grade · Literacy
Urban Communities LITERACY · 1ST GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. An urban community is a city. Cities have many people living close together in apartments and tall buildings. There are buses and trains because so many people need to travel. Shops, hospitals, and museums are close by. It is usually busy and noisy, and there is less open space than in the countryside. Questions: 1 What is an urban community? 2 Why do cities have buses and trains? 3 What is there less of in a city? www.littleactivity.com 1st Grade · Literacy
Suburban Communities LITERACY · 1ST GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. A suburb is a community near a city but not inside it. Suburbs usually have houses with yards, quieter streets, and more space than a city. Many people who live in a suburb drive or take a train into the city for work. Suburbs often have their own schools, parks, and shopping centres. They are less crowded than a city but busier than the countryside. Questions: 1 Where is a suburb? 2 How do many suburban people get to work? 3 How is a suburb different from a city? www.littleactivity.com 1st Grade · Literacy
Rural Communities LITERACY · 1ST GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. A rural community is in the countryside, where few people live close together. There is a lot of open land used for farms, forests, or ranches. Houses can be far apart, and one school may serve a large area. People often drive a long way to a shop or a doctor. Rural communities are quiet, and neighbours often know each other well. Questions: 1 Where is a rural community? 2 What is the open land used for? 3 Why do people drive long distances? www.littleactivity.com 1st Grade · Literacy
Community Workers and Their Roles LITERACY · 1ST GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. A role is the part someone plays in a group. In a community, each worker has a role, and the roles fit together like pieces of a puzzle. A baker's role is to make bread; a driver's role is to deliver it; a shopkeeper's role is to sell it. If one piece is missing, the others cannot finish their part. Understanding roles helps you know who to ask when you need something. Questions: 1 What is a role? 2 Give an example of three roles that fit together. 3 What happens if one role is missing? www.littleactivity.com 1st Grade · Literacy
Compass Rose LITERACY · 1ST GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. A compass rose is the little star shape on a map that shows direction. Its four main points are north, south, east, and west. On most maps north points to the top of the page. The in-between directions are northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest. If you know which way is north, you can work out every other direction. Questions: 1 What does a compass rose show? 2 What are the four main directions? 3 Which way does north usually point on a map? www.littleactivity.com 1st Grade · Literacy
Map Key & Symbols LITERACY · 1ST GRADE Name Date Read the passage, then answer the questions below. Mapmakers use small pictures called symbols so that a lot of information fits on one page. A key shows what each symbol means. A star often means a capital city, and a dot means a smaller town. Lines can mean roads, rivers, or borders, and their colour tells you which. Always read the key first so you do not guess wrong. Questions: 1 Why do mapmakers use symbols? 2 What does a star usually mean? 3 What should you read first? www.littleactivity.com 1st Grade · Literacy
