riddle - separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff screen sift, sieve, strain - separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; sift the flour
Causes of the Civil War: Slavery and Control of the Government. Throughout the first half of the 19th century, Southern politicians sought to defend slavery by retaining control of the federal government.
Causes of the Civil War: The Collapse of the Two-Party System. The tensions between North and South were mirrored in a growing schism in the nation's political parties. Following the compromise of 1850 and the crisis in Kansas, the nation's two major parties, the Whigs and Democrats, began to fracture along regional lines.