CH-13-14 An Age of Expansionism, 1830-1861 – American Stories: A History of the United States : Exam Guide

This Document Contains Chapters 13 to 14 Chapter 13: An Age of Expansionism, 1830-1861 Multiple-Choice Questions 1) What was a significant characteristic of the Young America movement? a. a restrictive foreign policy b. territorial development over expansion c. narrowing and consolidation of the economy d. technological progress e. appraisal of American values Answer: d 2) Which novel was influenced by the ideals of Young America? a. The Scarlet Letter b. Moby Dick c. Uncle Tom's Cabin d. Pride and Prejudice e. Jane Eyre Answer: b 3) After the Mexican–American War, the Young America movement focused mainly on __________. a. economic growth and industrialization b. adding Canada and Alaska to the United States c. the abolition of slavery d. making the United States a world power e. spreading the gospel to foreign lands Answer: a 4) What did the idea of Manifest Destiny encourage? a. converting recent immigrants to Protestantism b. the establishment of the factory system c. the inclusion of women in the workforce d. territorial expansion e. the abolition of slavery Answer: d 5) Mexican territory in North America in 1821 included __________. a. Wyoming b. Oregon c. Idaho d. Oklahoma e. Nevada Answer: e 6) After Mexico declared its independence from Spain, it lured American settlers to Texas with offers of __________. a. more freedoms for women b. religious freedom c. cheap, fertile land d. money e. abolition of slavery Answer: c 7) Which battle occurred just days after Texas declared itself a republic? a. Battle of the Nueces b. Battle of Matamoros c. battle of the Alamo d. Battle of Veracruz e. siege of Mexico City Answer: c 8) Sam Houston, the first president of Texas, __________. a. fought to prevent the annexation of Texas b. was against annexation in any form c. was against annexation unless it included the Oklahoma territory d. was for annexation but only if it included the New Mexico territory e. was for annexation immediately after Texas declared independence Answer: e 9) Opposition to President Tyler's plan for the annexation of Texas primarily came from __________. a. northern antislavery Whigs b. southern agricultural interests c. New England merchants d. Great Britain e. railroad companies Answer: a 10) Which 1844 presidential candidate ran on a platform calling for the simultaneous annexation of Texas and Oregon? a. Henry Clay b. James K. Polk c. Martin Van Buren d. John Tyler e. James G. Birney Answer: b 11) What was an important premise of Manifest Destiny? a. God supports American expansion throughout all of North America. b. Lands to the west belong to the Native Americans. c. American expansion should only incorporate areas where American inhabitants are the majority. d. Canada and Mexico are not to be targets of American expansion. e. Diplomatic means should be used to acquire new territory. Answer: a 12) The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo __________. a. confirmed the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas b. required Mexico to pay the United States $15 million in cash for war damages c. guaranteed that slavery would not be allowed west of the Rio Grande d gave independence to California e. agreed that Mexican residents of the ceded areas would return to Mexico Answer: a 13) The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal to __________. a. annex all of Mexico as U.S. territory b. prohibit slavery in any territories acquired from Mexico c. grant voting rights to women in the western territories d. encourage increased immigration from Mexico to the Unites States e. give more southwestern territory to the Mexican government Answer: b 14) Which mode of transportation transformed the American economy during the 1840s and 1850s? a. the clipper ship b. the canal system c. the steamboat d. the covered wagon e. the railroad Answer: e 15) State and local governments aided the railroad by giving it __________. a. money and land b. the right to seize private property c. free labor to lay tracks d. legal immunity e. tax breaks and investment advice Answer: e 16) What was an essential feature of the factory system? a. all standardized parts manufactured in a single location b. the workforce being separated into different locations based on job type c. payment of cash wages d. each product being produced by one worker e. complex tasks that required training Answer: c 17) Elias Howe's invention of __________ in 1846 revolutionized the garment industry. a. the sewing machine b. overalls c. blue denim d. the zipper e. the iron to press clothing Answer: a 18) The greatest triumph of American technology in the mid-nineteenth century was in the area of __________. a. improvements in the transportation infrastructure b. new uses for vulcanized rubber c. improved farm implements d. sophisticated machine tools e. more efficient farming strategies Answer: d 19) In 1860, the main source of livelihood for individuals and the biggest contributor to the gross national product was __________. a. ranching b. gold mining c. farming d. the textile industry e. the transportation industry Answer: c 20) John Deere's steel plow allowed farmers to __________. a. plow up tough prairie soils b. purchase the less expensive steel plows c. plow loose soil in half the time of a cast-iron plow d. plow by hand without the aid of a farm animal e. plow more accurately than with a cast-iron plow Answer: a 21) Between the 1830s and 1840s, most of the immigrants to the United States came from __________. a. the Far East b. western Europe c. eastern Europe d. Latin America e. China Answer: b 22) The period of greatest immigration in proportion to the overall population in America was __________. a. 1790-1800 b. 1805-1815 c. 1845-1855 d. 1880-1890 e. 1910-1920 Answer: c 23) The majority of Irish immigrants settled in the __________. a. South b. Midwest c. Far West d. Northeast e. Gulf Coast region Answer: d 24) The majority of immigrants became __________. a. yeoman farmers b. small business owners c. wage workers in factories d. skilled craftsmen e. prospectors Answer: c 25) The Female Labor Reform Association campaigned for __________. a. more jobs for women b. more managerial positions for women c. higher pay for both men and women d. shorter work days for women e. an end to all forms of sexual harassment Answer: d 26) How were Young Americans different from the more traditional members of the Democratic Party? a. They were enthusiastic about commerce, industry, and speculation in the market. b. They were opposed to territorial expansion. c. They fiercely opposed the Mexican–American War. d. They worried about the materialism that accompanied the market economy. e. They embraced European themes in American literature. Answer: a 27) Why was there friction between the Mexican government and Anglo-American settlers in Texas? a. The Mexican government denied Anglo-American settlers the right to own land. b. The Mexican government did not grant women any rights. c. Many Anglo-American settlers refused to convert to Catholicism. d. Many Anglo-American settlers refused to practice any religion. e. Many Anglo-American settlers refused to pay taxes. Answer: c 28) Why was slavery a point of conflict between the Mexican government and Anglo-American settlers in Texas? a. The Mexican government required Anglo-American settlers to emancipate their slaves. b. The Mexican government required each Anglo-American settler to own at least four slaves. c. The Mexican government allowed white as well as black slavery. d. The Anglo-American settlers tried to enslave Mexican citizens. e. The Anglo-American settlers did not want slavery in the territory. Answer: a 29) How did the Jackson administration react when Texas became an independent republic in 1836? a. It tried to convince Texans to return to Mexican rule. b. It declared war on Mexico to defend Texas's revolt. c. It immediately annexed Texas. d. It formally recognized Texas as a sovereign republic. e. It refused to recognize Texas as a republic. Answer: d 30) John Tyler initiated the politics of Manifest Destiny __________. a. to win the support of his fellow Whigs b. to bring together the Whig and Democratic parties c. with the aid of Henry Clay d. to build a base for his re-election in 1844 e. in hopes of identifying himself with James Monroe Answer: d 31) The most extreme form of Manifest Destiny meant the United States would occupy all the land __________. a. from the east coast to the Rocky Mountains b. from the east coast to the west coast c. occupied today by the United States and Canada d. in the entire North American continent including all of Central America e. in the entire North American continent including the Caribbean islands Answer: c 32) What caused Mexico to break off diplomatic relations with the United States and prepare for war in 1845? a. The republic of Texas began claiming land south of the Rio Grande. b. The United States annexed Texas and claimed the land between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. c. The U.S. military began fighting for control over California harbors. d. The U.S. government refused to grant rights of citizenship to people of Mexican descent still living in Texas. e. President Polk criticized the Mexican government in a scathing public address. Answer: b 33) James Polk went to war with Mexico to __________. a. retaliate for the harsh Mexican treatment of Texans b. protect the southern border of the United States c. annex land in Texas, New Mexico, and California d. prevent a Mexican attempt to reacquire Texas e. distract Americans from other domestic issues Answer: c 34) Why did the Mexican–American war last much longer than expected? a. The Americans lacked the resources to attack in earnest. b. The Americans lost a string of important battles. c. Severe weather slowed the American advance. d. The Mexicans were better prepared to battle in the Mexican terrain. e. The Mexicans stubbornly refused to make peace despite military defeats. Answer: e 35) Some historians believe that the Americans did not annex all of Mexico because the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo already gave them what they wanted most, __________. a. U.S. citizenship for thousands of Mexicans living in the territory b. the grazing lands of the Southwest c. the fertile farming lands of New Mexico d. the harbors of California e. the deserts of Arizona Answer: d 36) Why did the war with Mexico provoke political dissension within the United States? a. Many northerners feared the spread of slavery to the newly acquired territories. b. Many southerners feared the economic competition from cotton growers in the newly acquired territories. c. Many people in the Midwest feared the economic competition from ranchers in the newly acquired territories. d. Many people on the east coast worried about the social effects of expansion. e. Many religious groups worried about the lawlessness that would exist in the sparsely populated new territories. Answer: a 37) Freight business did not immediately shift to the railroads because __________. a. companies distrusted the safety of the steam engine b. companies received financial incentives from the government to stay with canal routes c. canal boats were cheaper d. companies were not convinced of their reliability e. companies were fiercely loyal to the canal operators Answer: c 38) Which statement best characterizes the status of the railroad industry by the end of the 1850s? a. Railroads were struggling to remain active due to heavy financial losses. b. Business was booming and railroads had transformed the economy. c. Railroads had been largely replaced by canal transportation. d. The railroad industry was strongest in the southern states. e. The railroad industry was crippled by scandals and corruption. Answer: b 39) The growth of American industry in the 1830s and 1840s was influenced by the __________. a. lack of quality craftsmen b. development of mass production c. discovery of oil in Pennsylvania d. rejection of agricultural jobs by youth e. increase in immigrants from eastern Europe and Asia Answer: b 40) The major factor that pushed Irish immigrants to the United States in the 1840s and 1850s was the __________. a. oppression by the British government b. decline in the number of jobs in Ireland c. overpopulation of Ireland d. great potato famine e. persecution of Catholics Answer: d 41) Most German immigrants came to the United States to escape __________. a. European wars b. tough economic times c. catastrophic famine d. political oppression e. religious persecution Answer: b 42) German immigrants __________. a. suffered less prejudice than the Irish b. suffered more prejudice than the Irish c. could not be assimilated easily into American society d. possessed few agricultural or other skills e. were extremely rare Answer: a 43) The evidence that shows that economics was a major motivation for immigration was found in the __________. a. occupations of the immigrants b. kinds of labor needed in the United States c. peaks in immigration that correspond to times of economic prosperity d. wages paid to immigrants e. forms that immigrants filled out when they reached Ellis Island Answer: c 44) The arrival of large numbers of immigrants in the 1850s __________. a. was a positive development for American cities b. did not contribute measurably to city developments c. worsened the already serious problems of the cities d. increased the population of rural rather than urban areas e. prevented the development of America's first suburbs Answer: c 45) An important result of the changing character of labor in the 1830s and 1840s was __________. a. greater cooperation between employer and employee b. improvement in working conditions and wages c. the paternalistic employer-employee relationship d. more emphasis on skilled labor e. an upsurge of labor militancy Answer: e 46) Why were Irish immigrants unlikely to protest poor labor conditions? a. Labor protests were very unpopular at the time. b. They had low economic expectations and conservative attitudes. c. They were afraid of violent retribution from native-born Americans. d. The Catholic Church strictly forbade all forms of protest. e. They tended to find jobs with pleasant working conditions. Answer: b 47) Which statement best describes how rural people adapted to industrial wage labor? a. Most adjusted quickly because the high wages were worth the dangerous working conditions. b. They adjusted quickly and enjoyed the shorter days and easier work. c. They adjusted quickly because the factory schedule was similar to a farming schedule. d. They adjusted slowly and resisted factory discipline through tardiness, absenteeism, and drunkenness. e. Most adjusted slowly because labor unions worked to make the transition to full-time factory work a gradual one. Answer: d 48) According to historian Frederick Merk, the United States decided not to annex all of Mexico after its victory in the Mexican–American War due to __________. a. the military's inability capture Mexico City b. the administration's respect for Mexican culture and autonomy c. the general public's focus on Canada rather than Mexico d. the American government's inability to govern over a wide area e. a combination of racism and anti-colonialism Answer: e 49) Which statement best characterizes how the labor force changed during the 1800s? a. Male workers made the transition from being factory workers to being artisans. b. Male workers made the transition from being artisans to being factory workers. c. Married women were more likely than men to work in factories. d. Married women were more likely than unmarried women to work in factories. e. Immigrants were being replaced in factories by native-born Americans. Answer: b 50) Which statement best characterizes how the increase in immigration changed the U.S. economy in the mid-1800s? a. Immigration hindered economic growth because immigrants came in such large numbers that there were not enough resources for everyone. b. Immigration slowed down the Industrial Revolution because immigrants launched frequent and effective labor protests. c. Immigration boosted the economy because immigrants provided much of the capital that was needed for infrastructure and entrepreneurship. d. Immigration boosted the economy by providing the skilled labor that was desperately needed in the labor force. e. Immigration accelerated the Industrial Revolution by providing a large pool of cheap factory labor. Answer: e Essay Questions 51) What were the main ideas behind Manifest Destiny? How was it related to the Young America movement and the Puritan tradition? Answer: Manifest Destiny was a widely held belief in the United States during the 19th century that American settlers were destined to expand across North America. It was rooted in the idea of American exceptionalism, the belief that the United States had a unique mission to spread democracy and civilization. The Young America movement, which emerged in the mid-19th century, was closely related to Manifest Destiny. It emphasized territorial expansion, industrialization, and the spread of American values. Young America advocates saw expansion as a way to promote economic growth and political influence. The Puritan tradition also played a role in shaping Manifest Destiny. Puritans believed in a divine mission for America, viewing the land as a "city upon a hill" that would serve as an example of righteousness to the rest of the world. This sense of divine mission contributed to the belief in America's destiny to expand and spread its values. Overall, Manifest Destiny, the Young America movement, and the Puritan tradition were all interconnected ideologies that emphasized the expansion and promotion of American values, albeit in different historical contexts. 52) How did the annexation of Mexico differ from previous territorial acquisitions? How did the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo stimulate sectional controversies in the United States? Answer: The annexation of Mexico differed from previous territorial acquisitions in the United States in several ways. Firstly, the acquisition of Mexican territory through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 was the result of a war, the Mexican-American War, whereas previous acquisitions, such as the Louisiana Purchase, were achieved through negotiation and purchase. Additionally, the annexation of Mexican territory significantly expanded the size of the United States, adding vast territories in the Southwest, including present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War, stimulated sectional controversies in the United States primarily because of the issue of whether the new territories acquired from Mexico would allow slavery or not. This controversy stemmed from the ongoing debate between the North and South over the expansion of slavery into new territories. The treaty did not explicitly address the issue of slavery in the acquired territories, leading to fierce debates in Congress over whether slavery would be allowed in these new lands. This eventually contributed to the growing tensions between the North and South, ultimately leading to the American Civil War. 53) How did technological advances open the way for the creation of a national market? Answer: Technological advances played a crucial role in opening the way for the creation of a national market in the United States during the 19th century. These advances transformed transportation, communication, and manufacturing, making it easier and more efficient to produce goods, distribute them across long distances, and connect buyers and sellers across the country. 1. Transportation: The development of the steamboat and the railroad revolutionized transportation. Steamboats could navigate rivers and provide a faster and more reliable means of moving goods and people. Railroads, with their ability to transport goods over long distances quickly and cheaply, were instrumental in linking distant markets and regions. 2. Communication: The telegraph revolutionized communication by allowing messages to be sent quickly over long distances. This enabled businesses to coordinate activities across different locations and respond more rapidly to market conditions. 3. Manufacturing: Technological advances in manufacturing, such as the mechanization of production processes and the development of interchangeable parts, increased the efficiency and scale of production. This allowed manufacturers to produce goods more cheaply and in greater quantities, making them more accessible to a national market. 4. Infrastructure: The construction of infrastructure, such as roads, canals, and later, the interstate highway system, facilitated the movement of goods and people, further integrating regional markets into a national economy. 5. Market Information: Advances in printing and information dissemination helped create a more unified market by allowing businesses to advertise their products to a wider audience and consumers to be aware of a broader range of products available in the market. Overall, these technological advances made it easier for goods, services, and information to flow across the country, laying the foundation for the creation of a national market in the United States. Chapter 14: The Sectional Crisis, 1846-1861 Multiple-Choice Questions 1) In 1856, Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina almost beat Senator __________ of Massachusetts to death on the floor of the U.S. Senate. a. Thaddeus Stevens b. John C. Calhoun c. Charles Sumner d. Zachary Taylor e. William Graham Sumner Answer: c 2) The radical abolitionist __________ burned a copy of the Constitution to protest slavery. a. William Lloyd Garrison b. Abraham Lincoln c. Henry Clay d. David Wilmot e. Stephen Douglas Answer: a 3) The Wilmot Proviso proposed to ban slavery __________. a. in the northern states b. in the southern states c. in territory acquired from Mexico d. in any future U.S. territories e. from all U.S. lands Answer: c 4) When the House voted on the Wilmot Proviso, the vote was split along __________. a. party lines b. sectional lines c. religious lines d. socioeconomic lines e. gender lines Answer: b 5) According to the principle of popular sovereignty, __________ would determine whether a territory would have slavery. a. Congress b. territorial legislatures c. settlers d. the Supreme Court e. the House of Representatives Answer: c 6) The key organizer of the Compromise of 1850 was __________. a. John C. Calhoun b. Henry Clay c. Lewis Cass d. Zachary Taylor e. Roger B. Taney Answer: b 7) The Compromise of 1850 __________. a. temporarily restored sectional peace b. failed to pass Congress despite revisions c. prohibited slavery in the New Mexico territory d. made it easier for escaped slaves to hide in the West e. temporarily made California a slave state Answer: a 8) The first broad, sectional, antislavery party was the __________. a. Free-Soil Party b. Whig Party c. Republican Party d. Democratic Party e. Know-Nothing Party Answer: a 9) The most outrageous component of the Compromise of 1850 was the __________. a. admission of California as a free state b. opening of New Mexico and Utah territories to slavery under popular sovereignty c. reduction of Texas to its present boundaries d. enactment of the new Fugitive Slave Law e. prohibition of slavery in the District of Columbia Answer: d 10) The term "second-party system" describes __________. a. the splinter parties of the 1840s and 1850s b. the vigorous competition between Whigs and Democrats c. the creation of a new third political party d. the political party not in power in government e. a total shift in American politics Answer: b 11) In the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Stephen Douglas attempted to set up territorial government on the basis of __________. a. the Compromise of 1850 b. Free-Soil ideology c. congressional approval or disapproval of slavery d. presidential approval or disapproval of slavery e. popular sovereignty Answer: e 12) In order to gain southern support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Stephen Douglas had to add an amendment explicitly repealing the __________. a. Wilmot Proviso b. Missouri Compromise c. Compromise of 1850 d. Bill of Rights e. new Fugitive Slave Law Answer: b 13) The Ostend Manifesto was a memorandum that accused the Pierce administration of __________. a. accepting bribes from southern plantation owners b. conspiring with northerners to make the United States a "free-soil wasteland" c. wanting to punish the working class through taxation d. wanting to create a "Caribbean slave empire" by annexing Cuba e. discriminating against recent immigrants through unfair voting laws Answer: d 14) The political party known especially for its anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic philosophy was the __________. a. Free-Soil Party b. Whig Party c. Know-Nothing Party d. Democratic Party e. Liberty Party Answer: c 15) Nativists disliked Irish and German immigrants because so many of the immigrants were __________. a. communists b. illiterate c. Jewish d. Roman Catholic e. atheists Answer: d 16) A smaller conflict over slavery, which prefigured the American Civil War, was fought in which state during the late 1850s? a. Missouri b. Kansas c. South Carolina d. Tennessee e. Texas Answer: b 17) In the Pottawatomie Massacre, __________. a. John Brown and his followers killed five Native Americans in a land dispute b. a mob of angry settlers attacked and killed five escaped slaves c. an escaped slave killed a family of five white settlers d. John Brown killed eight abolitionists in Kansas e. John Brown and his followers killed five proslavery settlers in cold blood Answer: e 18) In the presidential election of 1856, the Republican Party's platform endorsed __________. a. popular sovereignty in the territories b. prohibiting slavery in the territories c. Fillmore, who opposed Buchanan d. secession from the United States e. Buchanan, who opposed Fillmore Answer: b 19) Between 1856 and 1860, the explosive tensions between __________ led to a growing sense that the two groups could no longer coexist in the same nation. a. blacks and whites b. northerners and southerners c. immigrants and native-born citizens d. farmers and factory owners e. southerners and former slaves Answer: b 20) Which famous writer wrote proslavery polemics? a. Edgar Allan Poe b. Henry David Thoreau c. Herman Melville d. James Russell Lowell e. Ralph Waldo Emerson Answer: a 21) In the 1850s, the most important example of literary abolitionism was __________. a. Uncle Tom's Cabin b. The Impending Crisis of the South c. Tom Sawyer d. Up from Slavery e. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Answer: a 22) In the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, __________. a. a slave owner sued for damages because he was beaten severely by an abolitionist b. a slave owner sued for damages because abolitionists helped his slaves c. a slave sued for damages because he was beaten severely by a white owner d. an escaped slave sued for his freedom because he was caught in a free territory e. a slave sued on the grounds that he had lived in a free state and so he should be a free man Answer: e 23) In his debates with Stephen Douglas during the 1858 Senate race, Abraham Lincoln's position on slavery was that he favored __________. a. abolishing slavery in all the states and territories b. restricting slavery to the states where it was most profitable c. restricting slavery to the states where the Constitution protected it d. using popular sovereignty to decide the slavery issue in new territories e. allowing slavery in newly acquired territories Answer: c 24) John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, involved __________. a. white and black men seizing a federal arsenal in an unsuccessful attempt to start an uprising against slavery b. a slave rebellion that resulted in the deaths of 18 whites and all of the slaves c. a group of white men raiding a southern abolitionist office and killing five white and black antislavery protestors d. white men and women seizing 18 slaves in order to forcibly emancipate them in Mexico e. a group of white and black abolitionists killing three slave owners and wounding five others Answer: a 25) Why was Abraham Lincoln chosen as the Republican presidential candidate for the 1860 election over front-runner Senator William H. Seward? a. Lincoln could carry his home state of Kentucky. b. Seward strongly supported nativism. c. Lincoln came from a prosperous, well-known family. d. Seward was seen as too radical. e. Abraham Lincoln pledged to end slavery. Answer: d 26) Why was it difficult for northern abolitionists to mount a legal attack against the institution of slavery in southern states? a. Southern states generally had much better lawyers than northern states. b. There was a serious lack of strong northern congressional leadership. c. The Constitution protected state laws that allowed slavery. d. Southern plantation owners donated heavily to northern political candidates. e. Slavery was overshadowed by issues people felt more strongly about. Answer: c 27) During the 1840s, what was true of most northerners? a. They disliked slavery and detested abolitionism. b. They were fierce and loyal abolitionists. c. They supported the institution of slavery. d. They were apathetic about the slavery issue. e. They felt that slavery was starting to spread to the North. Answer: a 28) The Free-Soil movement supported the exclusion of slavery from the territories because __________. a. it believed in racial justice b. it believed in the immorality of slavery c. it feared the outbreak of slave insurrections in the territories d. of racial prejudice and fear of labor competition from freed slaves e. most western land was unsuited for plantation agriculture Answer: d 29) Why did it take months to push the Compromise of 1850 through Congress? a. President Taylor opposed the compromise, and congressmen kept granting key concessions to rival parties. b. President Taylor was for the compromise, but congressmen kept granting key concessions to rival parties. c. The compromise was broken into too many small and ineffective measures. d. President Taylor died and was succeeded by Millard Fillmore, who opposed the compromise. e. President Taylor supported the compromise, but key senators kept proposing new compromises before a vote could be taken. Answer: e 30) As a result of the revised Fugitive Slave Law in the Compromise of 1850, it became __________. a. easier for escaped slaves to stay free b. easier to kidnap and enslave free African Americans c. easier for slaves to sue for their freedom d. easier for slaves to purchase their freedom e. more difficult for plantation owners to reclaim their escaped slaves Answer: b 31) How did Democrats differ from Whigs over annexation and slavery in new territories? a. Democrats endorsed expansion and a division of free and slave territories, while Whigs opposed annexation to avoid the slavery debate. b. Democrats opposed annexation to avoid the slavery debate, while Whigs endorsed expansion and a division of free and slave territories. c. Both Democrats and Whigs endorsed expansion, but Democrats wanted the new territories to allow slavery while the Whigs did not. d. Both Democrats and Whigs endorsed expansion, but Whigs wanted the new territories to allow slavery while the Democrats did not. e. Neither party endorsed expansion, but if it was inevitable, the Whigs encouraged the spread of slavery while the Democrats did not. Answer: a 32) Why did the Whig Party's candidate fail overwhelmingly in the 1852 presidential campaign? a. The Compromise of 1850 strengthened the political differences between Whigs and Democrats. b. The Whigs did not succeed in rallying public interest in a major political issue. c. The Whigs alienated immigrants by actively seeeking the nativist vote. d. The Whig platform did not address the economic problems facing the nation. e. The Whig nominee lost southern support by allying himself with the antislavery wing of the party. Answer: b 33) Why was the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 so vehemently opposed by northerners? a. It permitted slavery in all the states west of the Kansas and Nebraska territories. b. It permitted slavery in all the states east of the Kansas and Nebraska territories. c. It permitted slavery in an area where it had previously been prohibited. d. It made it much more difficult for escaped slaves to find freedom in the North. e. It abolished slavery in all the states west of the Kansas and Nebraska territories. Answer: c 34) What was an important result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act? a. It had catastrophic effects on sectional harmony. b. It revived support for an expansionist foreign policy. c. It strengthened the political power of the Whig Party. d. It had little effect on sectional tensions. e. It never got the congressional support it needed for passage. Answer: a 35) What best explains the rapid growth of the Republican Party in the 1850s? a. sympathy toward immigrants b. support of agricultural expansion c. position on slavery in the territories d. support of the Catholic Church e. support of progressive labor laws Answer: c 36) Why did popular sovereignty fail in the 1854 Kansas elections? a. voter apathy b. illegal voting by Missouri residents c. lack of enthusiasm from voters d. lack of compelling candidates e. extremists destroying polling centers Answer: b 37) The Republican Party's nominating convention for the presidential election revealed that it __________. a. received broad-based support throughout the nation b. was primarily a sectional party c. was a party of farmers and laborers d. was the party of southern planters e. struggled in its first years of existence Answer: b 38) How was the election of James Buchanan in 1856 viewed by southerners? a. with a temporary sense of relief b. as a long-term victory for the southern cause c. as a victory for Free-Soil supporters d. with a strong sense of dismay e. as evidence of the strength of the North's threat Answer: a 39) The growing division between North and South during the 1840s and 1850s __________. a. was primarily expressed in political terms b. was entirely expressed in legal, constitutional terms c. had little impact on the common man d. was increasingly seen in cultural and intellectual terms e. had reached an uneasy but peaceful stalemate by 1860 Answer: d 40) What was the intended message of southern literature during the 1840s and 1850s? a. Genteel southern civilization is superior to greedy northern culture. b. Southerners should reevaluate their dependency on slavery. c. Southerners should try to change their culture to be more like northerners. d. Southerners should maintain slavery but dismantle the plantation system. e. Southern morals should be more strictly based on the Protestant ethic. Answer: a 41) Why did Uncle Tom's Cabin have such an emotional impact Americans in the 1850s? a. It portrayed southerners as greedy, immoral barbarians. b. It portrayed northern abolitionists as heroic defenders of morality. c. It showed that slaves were just as evil as the slave owners. d. It portrayed slavery as a necessary evil that needed to be preserved. e. It portrayed slavery as a threat to the family and the Cult of Domesticity. Answer: e 42) In the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision, the court ruled that __________. a. an African American could not be a citizen of the United States b. Congress had the power to prohibit slavery in federal territories c. the Missouri Compromise was constitutional d. the Democratic platform was unconstitutional e. African Americans could sue through the court system Answer: a 43) In his debates with Stephen Douglas, Abraham Lincoln __________. a. suggested a new balance between slave and free territories b. took a position similar to Douglas on the issue of slavery c. suggested that not opposing slavery was the same as endorsing it d. differed with the Republican platform by supporting slavery in new territories e. avoided discussing the issue of slavery altogether Answer: c 44) John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry __________. a. increased southern fears of northern hostility b. was condemned by most northerners c. had little effect on sectional tensions d. united North and South in their condemnation of Brown e. has been exaggerated by historians Answer: a 45) The Republicans were successful in the election of 1860 because __________. a. they compromised on the issue of slavery b. they were able to win decisively in the North c. they won significant southern support d. Abraham Lincoln offered the potential for sectional harmony e. the Democrats dropped out of the race Answer: b 46) Southerners reacted to Lincoln's victory in the presidential election of 1860 by __________. a. celebrating the end of sectionalist tensions that plagued the nation b. feeling optimistic that Lincoln would preserve their interests c. redoubling their efforts to win the next congressional election d. resigning themselves to being permanent minorities in America e. launching a movement to secede from the Union Answer: e 47) Northern evangelicalism focused on __________, while southern evangelicalism focused on __________. a. self-discipline and social reform, personal piety b. personal piety, philanthropy c. the virtues of the family unit, helping the poor d. philanthropy, self-discipline e. conversion of the poor, personal piety Answer: a 48) How did the acquisition of Texas, New Mexico, and California cause conflict in the United States? a. The Constitution did not establish the status of slavery in future states, so whether or not those territories would allow slavery was hotly debated. b. The new territories were all north of the Missouri Compromise line, which threatened to disrupt the balance between slave and free states. c. The Missouri Compromise mandated that those territories should be free, but the economies of the territories were already completely dependent on slavery. d. Mexico kept claiming the territories even after they had been annexed to the United States. e. Citizens in those territories refused to pay taxes to a federal government that they did not support. Answer: a 49) What do most modern historians believe was the underlying cause of the breakup of the Union? a. religious leaders promising salvation or damnation to each side b. politicians and agitators stirring public opinion into a frenzy c. ideological differences over the morality and utility of slavery d. a clash of economic interests between agrarian and industrialized regions e. infighting within political parties Answer: c 50) Why did the Republican Party call for "free soil" in the territories rather than freedom for African Americans? a. Focusing on land rather than people would make it easier to pass legislation through Congress. b. The party knew that achieving its dream of liberating all African Americans was unrealistic, so it settled on the compromise of "free soil." c. The party was focusing on "free soil" as a first step in the eventual freedom of all African Americans. d. Putting the focus on the laws of the land rather than the freedoms of African Americans would prevent isolating the hard-line racists in the party. e. Abolitionism conflicted with the North's commitment to both white supremacy and the original constitutional compromise about slavery. Answer: e Essay Questions 51) Discuss the major elements of the Compromise of 1850 and how they were an attempt to balance the requirements of pro- and antislavery factions in the United States. Why did the compromise ultimately fail? Answer: 1. California as a Free State: California was admitted as a free state, upsetting the balance between free and slave states. 2. Territorial Status and Popular Sovereignty: New Mexico and Utah territories were organized under popular sovereignty, allowing residents to decide on slavery. 3. Texas Border and Debt: Texas surrendered its claims to New Mexico in exchange for the federal government assuming $10 million of Texas's debt. 4. Slave Trade in Washington, D.C.: The slave trade (but not slavery itself) was abolished in the District of Columbia. 5. Fugitive Slave Law: A stricter Fugitive Slave Law was enacted, requiring citizens to assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves. 6. Texas-New Mexico Boundary: The boundary between Texas and New Mexico was settled. Reasons for Failure: • Deepening sectionalism • Controversial Fugitive Slave Law • Failure to address root issue of slavery expansion • Rapid overshadowing by subsequent events leading to the Civil War 52) How did national political parties help to hold the Union together during the 1840s and early 1850s? What role did the failure of the two-party system play in the breakup of the Union? Answer: During the 1840s and early 1850s, national political parties played a crucial role in holding the Union together by providing a platform for debate and negotiation on key issues, particularly regarding slavery. The two major parties at the time, the Democratic Party and the Whig Party, helped to maintain a semblance of national unity by presenting competing but relatively moderate positions on slavery and other divisive issues. They acted as a buffer between the increasingly polarized North and South, providing a framework for compromise and political stability. The failure of the two-party system played a significant role in the breakup of the Union. As the issue of slavery became increasingly contentious, the existing parties struggled to maintain their unity. The Whig Party, in particular, began to fracture along sectional lines, with Northern and Southern Whigs holding irreconcilable views on slavery. This led to the emergence of new political parties, such as the Free Soil Party and the Know-Nothing Party, which further fragmented the political landscape. The inability of the existing parties to effectively address the issue of slavery and the emergence of new, more radical parties contributed to the breakdown of the two-party system. This lack of a unifying political force allowed for the rise of more extreme voices and ideologies, making compromise increasingly difficult. Ultimately, the failure of the two-party system to adapt to the changing political landscape played a significant role in the breakup of the Union and the onset of the Civil War. 53) How did the people of different geographic regions view each other during the 1850s? What events intensified their fears and resentments? How did their views of each other lead to the breakup of the Union? Answer: During the 1850s, people from different geographic regions in the United States viewed each other with increasing suspicion and hostility. This was primarily due to the issue of slavery, which had become the defining issue of the time. In the North, many people viewed the South as backward and immoral for its reliance on slavery. They saw slavery as a violation of basic human rights and believed that it had no place in a modern, democratic society. The publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852 further intensified Northern antipathy towards slavery by vividly depicting its horrors. Conversely, many people in the South viewed the North as arrogant and hypocritical. They resented what they saw as Northern interference in their way of life and believed that the North sought to impose its values and way of life on the South. The passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, which required Northerners to assist in the capture and return of escaped slaves, deepened Southern fears of Northern aggression. The views of people from different regions of the country were further polarized by events such as the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 and the Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court decision of 1857. These events heightened tensions between North and South and made compromise increasingly difficult. The views of people from different regions ultimately led to the breakup of the Union because they were unable to find common ground on the issue of slavery. The North was increasingly opposed to the expansion of slavery into new territories, while the South viewed any attempt to limit the spread of slavery as a threat to its way of life. This fundamental disagreement over slavery and its expansion eventually led to the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. Test Bank for American Stories: A History of the United States H. W. Brands, T. H. Breen, R. Hal Williams, Ariela J. Gross 9780205990801, 9780205960897, 9780205962020, 9780133794113