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Welcome to 1850… where the Senate floor is hotter than a July day in Georgia, and the nation’s unity is hanging by a thread (again). In this AI-powered simulation, students take on the role of political advisors to Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, or John C. Calhoun as Congress attempts to hammer out a deal that will stop the Union from unraveling.
Through dynamic, historically grounded dialogue, students wrestle with the same impossible questions that haunted Congress: How can new territories be added without breaking the fragile balance between free and slave states? What happens when population growth pushes the nation west faster than compromise can keep up? And most importantly, can anyone survive a Senate debate without a filibuster or a fainting spell?
It’s inquiry-based learning meets political drama, and for once, the chaos in Congress is productive.
Pre-Simulation Context Presentation - It provides the essential background on the Mexican-American War, territorial expansion, and the growing divisions over slavery. It’s your one-stop shop for catching students up on 1840s geography, politics, and drama before they jump into the simulation.
Complete Simulation Instructions & Student Prompts
A ready-to-use AI simulation where students advise 19th-century lawmakers, debate westward expansion, and test their negotiation skills without actually having to sit through a committee hearing.
Standards-Aligned Rubric (SSUSH8d)
Assess student understanding of how the Compromise of 1850 arose out of territorial expansion and population growth with a rubric clear enough to end grading gridlock.
Creative Extension Project: “A Nation on the Brink”
After the simulation, students craft a political cartoon that captures the tensions, stakes, and shaky optimism of the compromise. Because sometimes, history’s best lessons come from its close calls.
Welcome to 1850… where the Senate floor is hotter than a July day in Georgia, and the nation’s unity is hanging by a thread (again). In this AI-powered simulation, students take on the role of political advisors to Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, or John C. Calhoun as Congress attempts to hammer out a deal that will stop the Union from unraveling.
Through dynamic, historically grounded dialogue, students wrestle with the same impossible questions that haunted Congress: How can new territories be added without breaking the fragile balance between free and slave states? What happens when population growth pushes the nation west faster than compromise can keep up? And most importantly, can anyone survive a Senate debate without a filibuster or a fainting spell?
It’s inquiry-based learning meets political drama, and for once, the chaos in Congress is productive.
Pre-Simulation Context Presentation - It provides the essential background on the Mexican-American War, territorial expansion, and the growing divisions over slavery. It’s your one-stop shop for catching students up on 1840s geography, politics, and drama before they jump into the simulation.
Complete Simulation Instructions & Student Prompts
A ready-to-use AI simulation where students advise 19th-century lawmakers, debate westward expansion, and test their negotiation skills without actually having to sit through a committee hearing.
Standards-Aligned Rubric (SSUSH8d)
Assess student understanding of how the Compromise of 1850 arose out of territorial expansion and population growth with a rubric clear enough to end grading gridlock.
Creative Extension Project: “A Nation on the Brink”
After the simulation, students craft a political cartoon that captures the tensions, stakes, and shaky optimism of the compromise. Because sometimes, history’s best lessons come from its close calls.