Chapter Fourteen
The Sectional Crisis
Multiple Choice
1. In 1856, which antislavery Senator was almost beaten to death on the floor of the U.S.
Senate by Representative Preston Brooks?
A) Thaddeus Stevens
B) John C. Calhoun
C) Charles Sumner
D) Zachary Taylor
E) William Graham Sumner
Answer: C
Rationale:
Charles Sumner, an antislavery Senator from Massachusetts, was indeed assaulted by
Representative Preston Brooks of South Carolina on the floor of the U.S. Senate in 1856.
This violent incident highlighted the deep divisions over slavery in the United States.
2. When did the “irrepressible conflict” over slavery in the territories begin?
A) the late 1840s
B) the mid–1860s
C) the early 1830s
D) the late 1700s
E) the late 1850s
Answer: A
Rationale:
The "irrepressible conflict" over slavery in the territories began in the late 1840s with the
debate over the expansion of slavery into newly acquired territories such as those gained from
the Mexican-American War.
3. In what area did the Wilmot Proviso propose 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
Rationale:
The Wilmot Proviso proposed to ban slavery in territory acquired from Mexico as a result of
the Mexican-American War, aiming to prevent the spread of slavery into these newly
acquired lands.
4. In the first House vote on the Wilmot Proviso, party lines crumbled and the vote split
________.
A) along party lines
B) along sectional lines
C) along religious lines
D) along socioeconomic lines
E) along gender lines
Answer: B
Rationale:
The first House vote on the Wilmot Proviso saw the vote split along sectional lines, with
Northern representatives generally supporting the proviso and Southern representatives
opposing it, highlighting the growing sectional divide over the issue of slavery.
5. Under the Compromise of 1850, who would determine whether a territory would have
slavery, per the principle of squatter sovereignty, or popular sovereignty as it was later called?
A) Congress
B) territorial legislatures
C) the state’s constitutional convention
D) the Supreme Court
E) the House of Representatives
Answer: B
Rationale:
According to the Compromise of 1850, the principle of popular sovereignty allowed
territorial legislatures to determine whether slavery would be allowed in a territory, giving the
settlers the right to decide the issue for themselves.
6. The founding of which party was the first significant effort to create a broadly based
sectional party addressing itself to voters’ concerns about the extension of slavery?
A) Free-Soil Party
B) Whig Party
C) Republican Party
D) Democratic Party
E) Know-Nothing Party
Answer: A
Rationale:
The Free-Soil Party, founded in 1848, was the first significant effort to create a broadly based
sectional party addressing concerns about the extension of slavery into new territories.
7. Who was the “great pacificator” who established the Compromise of 1850?
A) John C. Calhoun
B) Henry Clay
C) Lewis Cass
D) Zachary Taylor
E) Roger B. Taney
Answer: B
Rationale:
Henry Clay, known as the "great pacificator," played a key role in establishing the
Compromise of 1850 by crafting a series of legislative measures aimed at addressing the
sectional tensions over slavery.
8. Which of the following was true about the Compromise of 1850?
A) It temporarily restored sectional peace.
B) It failed to pass Congress despite revisions.
C) It prohibited slavery in the New Mexico territory.
D) It made it easier for escaped slaves to hide in the West.
E) It temporarily made California a slave state.
Answer: A
Rationale:
The Compromise of 1850 temporarily restored sectional peace by addressing several key
issues related to slavery and territorial expansion, although its provisions were ultimately
unable to resolve the underlying tensions.
9. Which part of the Compromise of 1850 was most opposed by Northerners?
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
Rationale:
The part of the Compromise of 1850 most opposed by Northerners was the enactment of the
new Fugitive Slave Law, which required citizens to assist in the capture and return of escaped
slaves, leading to widespread resentment in the North.
10. What does the term “second party system” refer to?
A) the two-party system of American politics from about 1790
B) the party system from about 1830 to 1850
C) the creation of a new third political party in the 1940s
D) the political party not in power in government
E) a total shift in American politics
Answer: B
Rationale:
The term "second party system" refers to the party system in American politics from about
1830 to 1850, characterized by the dominance of the Democratic and Whig Parties and the
emergence of major political issues such as the expansion of slavery.
11. In 1854, Stephen Douglas proposed a bill that would set up territorial governments in
Kansas and Nebraska 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
Rationale:
Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, which advocated for popular
sovereignty, allowing settlers in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for
themselves whether to permit slavery, thus overturning the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
12. What law did Stephen Douglas need to repeal in order to gain southern support for the
Kansas-Nebraska Act?
A) the Wilmot Proviso
B) the Missouri Compromise
C) the Compromise of 1850
D) the Bill of Rights
E) the new Fugitive Slave Law
Answer: B
Rationale:
Stephen Douglas needed to repeal the Missouri Compromise in order to gain southern
support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act, as the act proposed organizing the Kansas and
Nebraska territories under the principle of popular sovereignty, which allowed for the
possibility of slavery in areas previously designated as free by the Missouri Compromise.
13. What did the Ostend Manifesto of 1854 accuse the Pierce administration of doing?
A) accepting bribes from southern plantation owners
B) conspiring with Northerners to make the U.S. 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
Rationale:
The Ostend Manifesto accused the Pierce administration of wanting to create a "Caribbean
slave empire" by annexing Cuba, which would have expanded slavery and potentially
threatened the balance of power between free and slave states in the United States.
14. Which political party wanted to extend the period of naturalization in order to weaken
immigrant voter strength?
A) Free-Soil party
B) Whig party
C) Know-Nothing party
D) Democratic party
E) Liberty party
Answer: C
Rationale:
The Know-Nothing party sought to extend the period of naturalization in order to weaken
immigrant voter strength and limit the political influence of immigrants, particularly Irish and
German Catholics.
15. What was the main reason that many native-born Americans disliked Irish and German
immigrants?
A) because they were mostly communists
B) because they were mostly illiterate
C) because they were mostly Jewish
D) because they were mostly Roman Catholic
E) because they were mostly atheists
Answer: D
Rationale:
Many native-born Americans disliked Irish and German immigrants primarily because they
were mostly Roman Catholic, which fueled nativist sentiments and discrimination against
them.
16. A small-scale civil war over slavery broke out in the late 1850s between rival regimes of
which state?
A) Missouri
B) Kansas
C) South Carolina
D) Tennessee
E) Texas
Answer: B
Rationale:
A small-scale civil war over slavery broke out in the late 1850s between rival regimes in the
territory of Kansas, as proslavery and antislavery settlers clashed over the issue of whether
Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state.
17. What action took place after proslavery adherents raided Lawrence, the free-state capital
of Kansas, in 1856?
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
Rationale:
After proslavery adherents raided Lawrence, the free-state capital of Kansas, in 1856, John
Brown and his followers retaliated by killing five proslavery settlers in cold blood, escalating
the violence and tensions in the region.
18. During the presidential election of 1856, what did the Republican Party platform call for?
A) popular sovereignty in the territories
B) prohibition of slavery in the territories
C) election of Fillmore, who opposed Buchanan
D) secession from the United States
E) election of Buchanan, who opposed Fillmore
Answer: B
Rationale:
During the presidential election of 1856, the Republican Party platform called for the
prohibition of slavery in the territories, reflecting the party's antislavery stance and opposition
to the spread of slavery into new territories.
19. The tension between ________ became nearly insurmountable in the years between the
elections of 1856 and 1860.
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
Rationale:
The tension between Northerners and Southerners became nearly insurmountable in the years
between the elections of 1856 and 1860 due to escalating conflicts over slavery, territorial
expansion, and states' rights, ultimately leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.
20. Which notable Southern author wrote proslavery polemics?
A) Edgar Allan Poe
B) Henry David Thoreau
C) Herman Melville
D) James Russell Lowell
E) Ralph Waldo Emerson
Answer: A
Rationale:
Edgar Allan Poe, a notable Southern author, wrote proslavery polemics in defense of the
institution of slavery, reflecting the ideological divisions and tensions prevalent in antebellum
America.
21. Harriet Beecher Stowe published her abolitionist novel ______ in 1852, and it was
enormously successful.
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
Rationale:
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" was published in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe and became a
significant catalyst for the abolitionist cause. It portrayed the harsh realities of slavery and its
impact on individuals, making it a highly influential novel in the fight against slavery.
22. What issue brought the case of Dred Scott v. Sanford to the Supreme Court?
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
Rationale:
Dred Scott v. Sanford came to the Supreme Court because Dred Scott, a slave, sued for his
freedom on the basis that he had lived in a free state and should therefore be considered free.
23. How did Abraham Lincoln argue about slavery in his debates with Stephen Douglas
during the 1858 Senate race?
A) He favored abolishing slavery in all the states and territories.
B) He favored restricting slavery to the states where it was most profitable.
C) He favored restricting slavery to the states where the Constitution protected it.
D) He favored using popular sovereignty to decide the slavery issue in new territories.
E) He favored allowing slavery in newly acquired territories.
Answer: C
Rationale:
Abraham Lincoln argued against the expansion of slavery into new territories, favoring
restricting slavery to the states where the Constitution protected it, as he emphasized the need
to respect the legal rights of states where slavery was established.
24. What happened in 1859 in Harpers Ferry, Virginia?
A) The federal arsenal was attacked in an unsuccessful attempt to start an uprising against
slavery.
B) A slave rebellion resulted in the deaths of eighteen participants.
C) A group of white men raided a southern abolitionist office and killed five white and black
anti-slavery protestors.
D) White men and women seized eighteen slaves in order to forcibly emancipate them in
Mexico.
E) A group of white and black abolitionists killed three slave owners and wounded five
others.
Answer: A
Rationale:
In 1859, John Brown led a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in an attempt
to initiate a slave rebellion and start an uprising against slavery.
25. Which of the following men was NOT a presidential candidate in the 1860 election?
A) John Bell
B) John Breckinridge
C) Stephen Douglas
D) Millard Fillmore
E) Abraham Lincoln
Answer: D
Rationale:
Millard Fillmore was not a presidential candidate in the 1860 election. The other options—
John Bell, John Breckinridge, Stephen Douglas, and Abraham Lincoln—all ran for the
presidency in 1860.
26. Why was it difficult for northern abolitionists to develop a practical program that would
eliminate the institution of slavery throughout the country?
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) The issue of slavery was overshadowed by more pressing problems.
Answer: C
Rationale:
The Constitution protected state laws that allowed slavery, making it difficult for northern
abolitionists to develop a practical program to eliminate slavery throughout the country
without violating constitutional rights.
27. What was true of most Northerners during the 1840s?
A) They disliked slavery, but opposed abolition.
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
Rationale:
During the 1840s, most Northerners disliked slavery but opposed abolition, as they were
concerned about the economic and social implications of immediate emancipation.
28. Why did the Free-Soil movement support the exclusion of slavery from the territories?
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) It feared labor competition from slaves.
E) Most western land was unsuited for plantation agriculture.
Answer: D
Rationale:
The Free-Soil movement supported the exclusion of slavery from the territories because it
feared labor competition from slaves, as free laborers were concerned about competing with
slave labor in the western territories.
29. What made the Compromise of 1850 so difficult to pass?
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: A
Rationale:
The Compromise of 1850 was difficult to pass because President Taylor opposed it, and
congressmen kept granting key concessions to rival parties, leading to significant political
maneuvering and negotiation.
30. What was one of the effects of the new Fugitive Slave Law that was passed as part of the
Compromise of 1850?
A) It became easier for escaped slaves to stay free.
B) It became easier to kidnap and enslave free African Americans.
C) It became easier for slaves to sue for their freedom.
D) It became easier for slaves to purchase their freedom.
E) It became more difficult for plantation owners to reclaim their escaped slaves.
Answer: B
Rationale:
One of the effects of the new Fugitive Slave Law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850
was that it became easier to kidnap and enslave free African Americans, as it provided
stronger legal mechanisms for the capture and return of alleged fugitive slaves.
31. What were the different stands Democrats and Whigs took on annexation and slavery in
new territories?
A) Democrats endorsed expansion and both free and slave states, while Whigs opposed
annexation to avoid the slavery debate.
B) Democrats opposed annexation to avoid the slavery debate, while Whigs endorsed
expansion and both free and slave states.
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
Rationale:
Democrats supported expansion and the admission of both free and slave states to maintain
balance and support Manifest Destiny. Whigs, on the other hand, often opposed annexation to
avoid the contentious slavery debate.
32. Which does NOT help explain why Whig Party candidate General Winfield Scott was
crushed in the 1852 presidential campaign?
A) The Compromise of 1850 weakened 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 nativists by actively seeking the immigrant vote.
D) The Whig nominee lost northern support by allying himself with the antislavery wing of
the party.
E) The Whig nominee lost southern support by allying himself with the antislavery wing of
the party.
Answer: D
Rationale:
General Winfield Scott's alliance with the antislavery wing of the Whig Party would likely
have garnered support in the North rather than lost it, making this option an exception among
the factors contributing to his loss.
33. What made Northerners so opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854?
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
Rationale:
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 permitted slavery in an area where it had previously been
prohibited, which angered Northerners who saw it as a betrayal of the Missouri
Compromise's principles.
34. What ultimately resulted from the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act?
A) It shattered 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
Rationale:
The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act shattered sectional harmony, leading to increased
tensions between North and South, particularly over the issue of slavery in new territories.
35. How did the Republican Party manage to gain so much support in the 1850s?
A) It was sympathetic toward immigrants.
B) It supported agricultural expansion.
C) It wanted to prohibit slavery in the territories.
D) It supported the Catholic Church.
E) It supported progressive labor laws.
Answer: C
Rationale:
The Republican Party gained support in the 1850s by advocating for the prohibition of
slavery in the territories, which resonated with many Northerners who were opposed to the
expansion of slavery.
36. Why did the doctrine of popular sovereignty fail in the 1854 Kansas territorial
government elections?
A) voter apathy
B) illegal voting by Missouri residents
C) a lack of enthusiasm from voters
D) a lack of compelling candidates
E) extremists’ destruction of polling centers
Answer: B
Rationale:
The doctrine of popular sovereignty failed in the 1854 Kansas territorial government
elections due to illegal voting by Missouri residents, who crossed the border to influence the
outcome in favor of slavery.
37. What was revealed by the Republican Party’s nominating convention for the 1856
presidential election?
A) The party received broad-based support throughout the nation.
B) It was primarily a sectional party.
C) The party was made up of farmers and laborers.
D) The party was made of southern planters.
E) The party had to struggle in its first years of existence.
Answer: B
Rationale:
The Republican Party's nominating convention for the 1856 presidential election revealed
that it was primarily a sectional party, drawing its support mainly from the Northern states.
38. In the South, how was James Buchanan’s winning of the 1856 presidential election
viewed?
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
Rationale:
In the South, James Buchanan's winning of the 1856 presidential election was viewed with a
temporary sense of relief, as he was perceived as a moderate Democrat who would maintain
the status quo on the slavery issue.
39. What was true about the sectional quarrel between North and South during the 1840s and
early 1850s?
A) It was primarily expressed in political terms.
B) It was entirely expressed in legal, constitutional terms.
C) It had little impact on the common man.
D) It was increasingly seen in cultural and intellectual terms.
E) It had reached an uneasy but peaceful stalemate by 1860.
Answer: D
Rationale:
The sectional quarrel between North and South during the 1840s and early 1850s was
increasingly seen in cultural and intellectual terms, with debates over the morality of slavery
and the nature of American society dominating public discourse.
40. Which was the intended message of southern literature during the 1840s and 1850s?
A) Genteel southern civilization was 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
Rationale:
The intended message of southern literature during the 1840s and 1850s was that genteel
southern civilization was superior to greedy northern culture, reflecting the growing regional
tensions and differences in values between North and South.
41. Most of the emotional impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin came from what?
A) its portrayal of Southerners as greedy, immoral barbarians
B) its portrayal of northern abolitionists as heroic defenders of morality
C) its evidence that slaves were just as evil as the slave owners
D) its portrayal of slavery as a necessary evil that needed to be preserved
E) its portrayal of slavery as a threat to the family and the cult of domesticity
Answer: E
Rationale:
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" had a significant emotional impact due to its portrayal of slavery as a
threat to the family and the cult of domesticity, emphasizing the human suffering and familial
disruptions caused by the institution of slavery.
42. In the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision, which of the following was the one thing the
Supreme Court did NOT rule?
A) An African American could not be a citizen of the United States.
B) Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in federal territories.
C) The Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.
D) The Democratic platform was unconstitutional.
E) Slaves could not pursue justice through the court system.
Answer: D
Rationale:
In the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision, the Supreme Court did not rule on the constitutionality
of the Democratic platform; rather, it focused on issues related to citizenship, congressional
power, and the Missouri Compromise.
43. What was Abraham Lincoln’s position on slavery in his debates with Stephen Douglas?
A) He suggested a new balance between slave and free territories.
B) He took a position similar to Douglas on the issue of slavery.
C) He suggested that not opposing slavery was the same as endorsing it.
D) He differed with the Republican platform by supporting slavery in new territories.
E) He avoided discussing the issue of slavery altogether.
Answer: C
Rationale:
Abraham Lincoln's position on slavery in his debates with Stephen Douglas was that not
opposing slavery was equivalent to endorsing it, highlighting his moral opposition to the
institution of slavery.
44. What was the impact of John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry?
A) It increased southern fears of northern hostility.
B) It was condemned by most Northerners.
C) It had little effect on sectional tensions.
D) It united North and South in their condemnation of Brown.
E) It has been exaggerated by historians.
Answer: A
Rationale:
John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry increased southern fears of northern hostility, as it was
seen as evidence of radical abolitionist activity and heightened tensions between North and
South.
45. What ultimately led to the Republican success in the election of 1860?
A) Republicans compromised on the issue of slavery.
B) Republicans were able to win decisively in the North.
C) Republicans won significant southern support.
D) Abraham Lincoln offered the potential for sectional harmony.
E) The Democrats dropped out of the race.
Answer: B
Rationale:
The Republican success in the election of 1860 was primarily due to their ability to win
decisively in the North, where they had strong anti-slavery support, allowing them to secure
enough electoral votes to win the presidency.
46. How did Southerners react to Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860?
A) They celebrated the end of sectionalist tensions that plagued the nation.
B) They were optimistic that Lincoln would preserve their interests.
C) They redoubled their efforts to win the next congressional election.
D) They resigned themselves to being permanent minorities in America.
E) They launched a movement to secede from the Union.
Answer: E
Rationale:
Southerners reacted to Lincoln's victory in the presidential election of 1860 by launching a
movement to secede from the Union, fearing that his presidency would threaten their
interests, particularly regarding slavery.
47. What was the difference between northern and southern evangelicalism in the mid-1800s?
A) Northern evangelicalism focused on self-discipline and social reform; southern
evangelicalism focused on personal piety.
B) Northern evangelicalism focused on personal piety; southern evangelicalism focused on
philanthropy.
C) Northern evangelicalism focused on the virtues of the family unit; southern evangelicalism
focused on helping the poor.
D) Northern evangelicalism focused on philanthropy; southern evangelicalism focused on
self-discipline.
E) Northern evangelicalism focused on conversion of the poor; southern evangelicalism
focused on personal piety.
Answer: A
Rationale:
The difference between northern and southern evangelicalism in the mid-1800s was that
northern evangelicalism focused on self-discipline and social reform, while southern
evangelicalism focused more on personal piety and religious practices.
48. Why 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.
Answer: A
Rationale:
The acquisition of Texas, New Mexico, and California caused conflict because the
Constitution did not clearly address the issue of slavery in these new territories. This led to
intense debates and disagreements over whether slavery would be allowed in these regions,
contributing to sectional tensions and ultimately the outbreak of the Civil War.
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
Rationale:
Most modern historians believe that the underlying cause of the breakup of the Union was
ideological differences over the morality and utility of slavery. These differences between the
North and South regarding the institution of slavery were deep-seated and ultimately
irreconcilable, leading to secession and the Civil War.
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 freedom 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
Rationale:
The Republican Party called for "free soil" in the territories rather than freedom for African
Americans because abolitionism conflicted with the North's commitment to both white
supremacy and the original constitutional compromise about slavery. By focusing on land
rather than directly challenging the institution of slavery, the party aimed to maintain unity
among its supporters while still opposing the expansion of slavery into new territories.
Essay
1. 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: The major elements of the Compromise of 1850 included the admission of
California as a free state, the formation of territorial governments in the remaining Mexican
Cession territory with the absence of restrictions on slavery (popular sovereignty), the
settlement of the Texas-New Mexico boundary dispute with Texas receiving financial
compensation, the abolition of the slave trade (but not slavery itself) in Washington D.C., and
the enactment of a stricter Fugitive Slave Law. These measures aimed to appease both proand antislavery factions by offering concessions to each side. However, the compromise
ultimately failed because it did not resolve the fundamental issue of slavery's expansion into
new territories, leading to increased sectional tensions.
2. 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: National political parties helped hold the Union together during the 1840s and early
1850s by providing a platform for compromise and negotiation between different regions.
Parties such as the Democrats and Whigs, despite their ideological differences, maintained a
degree of national cohesion. However, the failure of the two-party system, particularly the
disintegration of the Whig Party due to internal divisions over slavery, contributed to the
breakup of the Union. The emergence of new parties like the Republican Party, which had a
strong antislavery stance, further polarized the nation along sectional lines, undermining
efforts to maintain unity.
3. How did the people of each section increasingly view each other during the 1850s? What
events intensified their fears and resentments? How did this lead to the breakup of the Union?
Answer: During the 1850s, people in each section of the United States increasingly viewed
each other with suspicion and hostility. The North viewed the South as backward and
oppressive due to its reliance on slavery, while the South saw the North as threatening its way
of life and economic interests. Events such as the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Bleeding Kansas,
and the Dred Scott decision intensified these fears and resentments by exacerbating tensions
over the expansion of slavery and the rights of slaveholders. This growing animosity
eventually led to the breakup of the Union as efforts to find compromise and maintain
national unity failed, culminating in the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the
Civil War.
Test Bank for The American Story
Robert A. Divine, T. H. Breen, R. Hal Williams, Ariela J. Gross, H. W. Brands
9780205900688
