American History Midterm

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might give more power to the supporters of slavery.

Texas was annexed to the United States as a result of

President Tyler's desire to help his troubled administration.

Arrange in chronological order the United States' acquisition of Oregon, Texas, and California

Texas, Oregon, California



In the 1840s, the view that God had ordained the growth of an American nation stretching across North American was called

Manifest Destiny.

In the Oregon treaty with Britain in 1846, the northern boundary of the United States was established to the Pacific Ocean along the line of


One reason that the British government decided to compromise on the Oregon Country border was

the fear of war with the United States.

In his quest for California, President James K. Polk

first advocated buying the area from Mexico.

President Polk's claim that "American blood (had been shed) on the American soil" referred to news of an armed clash between Mexican and American troops near

the Rio Grande.

When the war with Mexico began, President James K. Polk

hoped to fight a limited war, ending with the conquest of California.

The terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ending the Mexican War included


Those people most opposed to President James K. Polk's expansionist program were the

antislavery forces.



The largest single addition to American territory was

the Mexican Cession.

The first Old World Europeans to come to California were


The United States' victory in the Mexican War resulted in

renewed controversy over the issue of extending slavery into the territories, a possible split in the Whig and Democrat parties over slavery, the cession by Mexico of an enormous amount of land to the United States, a rush of settlers to the new American territory in California

The Wilmot Proviso, if adopted, would have

prohibited slavery in any territory acquired in the Mexican War.

The debate over slavery in the Mexican Cession

threatened to split national politics along North-South lines.

According to the principle of "popular sovereignty", the question of slavery in the territories would be determined by

the vote of the people in any given territory.

The public liked popular sovereignty because it

fit in the democratic tradition of self-determination.

The event that brought turmoil to the administration of Zachary Taylor was the

discovery of gold in California.

Harriet Tubman gained fame

by helping slaves escape to Canada.


to be decided by popular sovereignty.


the new Fugitive Slave Law.

The Fugitive Slave Law included all of the following provisions except

the requirement that fugitive slaves be returned from Canada.

Stephen A. Douglas proposed that the question of slavery in the Kansas-Nebraska territory be decided by

popular sovereignty.

Stephen A. Douglas's plans for deciding the slavery question in the Kansas-Nebraska scheme required the appeal of the

Missouri Compromise.


underestimating the depth of northern opposition to the spread of slavery.

Confederate batteries (artillery) fired on Fort Sumter when it was learned that

Lincoln had sent supplies to the fort.


the South attacked Fort Sumter.


more talented military leaders.

The greatest weakness of the South during the Civil War was its


The South believed that the British would come to its aid because

Britain was dependent on Southern cotton.



As a result of the Civil War, the Northern economy

emerged more prosperous than ever before.

States that joined the Confederacy after the firing on Fort Sumter included

Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas

Border States that remained loyal to the Union included

Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, Delaware

Northern advantages at the outset of the Civil War included

control of the seas, more banks, factories, railroads, and people

President Lincoln's loose interpretation of civil liberties during the Civil War

resulted in the suspension of the privilege of habeas corpus, led to the arrest of several critical newspaper editors, and was defended by him as necessary to save the Union

To help pay for the Civil War, both the North and South

raised taxes, printed paper currency, and sold bonds

Arrange the following in chronological order: the Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee's surrender at Appomattox, the Battle of Antietam

the Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee's surrender at Appomattox

The Union's defeat in battle of Bull Run in 1861 was better than a victory because


George B. McClellan is best described as


The two major battles of the Civil War fought on the Union soil were

Gettysburg and Antietam.

The North's "victory" at Antietam allowed President Lincoln to

issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Slavery was legally abolished in the United States by the

Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.

The Emancipation Proclamation had the effect of

strengthening the moral cause and diplomatic position of the Union.

When it was issued in 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared free only those slaves in

states still in rebellion against the United States.

The Battle of Gettysburg was significant because

Union victory meant that the Southern cause was doomed.

The Civil War resulted in

expanded federal powers of taxation, the end of nullification and secession, the creation of the first federal social welfare agency, and the end of slavery.

The main reason the Republicans lost the 1856 elections was

Southern threats that a Republican victory would be a declaration of war.

In ruling on the Dred Scott case, the United States Supreme Court hoped the issue of slavery

would lay to rest.

The decision rendered in the Dred Scott case was applauded by

proslavery southerners.

Arrange in chronological order: Dred Scott Decision, Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Kansas Nebraska Act, Harpers Ferry Raid

Kansas Nebraska Act, Dred Scott Case, Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Harpers Ferry Raid


that Congress never had the power to prohibit slavery.

John Brown's intent with his raid on Harpers Ferry was

to forment a slave rebellion.

The South concluded after John Brown's raid that

the North was dominated by "Brown-loving" Republicans.

A.Abraham Lincoln B.Stephen Douglas
C. John Breckenridge D. John Bell
1.Extend slavery into the territories
2.Ban slavery from the territories
3.Preserve the Union by compromise
4. Enforce popular sovereignty

A2, B4, C1, D3

The people in South Carolina reacted to Abraham Lincoln's win in the 1860 election by

rejoicing because it gave them an excuse to secede.

"Lame Duck" President James Buchanan believed about southern states seceding from the Union

that the Constitution did not authorize him to force them to stay in the Union.

The main reasons the secessionists supported leaving the Union were

they believed the north would not oppose their departure, they were dismayed by the success of the republican party, the political balance seemed to be tipping against them, and they were tired of abolitionists attacks.

The four main points the Supreme Court ruled in the Dred Scott case in 1857 were

Dred Scott was not a citizen, he couldn't legally sue in federal court, Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, and Congress had no power to ban slavery from a territory.

Before his nomination in 1860, Abraham Lincoln held, or attempted to become

a state legislator, U.S. congressman from Illinois, and a failed candidate for the U.S. Senate.

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