Study Guide
Expansion and Build-Up to the Civil War
1. Which state experienced a Gold Rush in 1849?
2. Why were abolitionists opposed to slavery?
3. What is “Manifest Destiny”?
4. What influenced westward movement?
5. How did the Mexican government convince Americans to settle in Texas?
6. Americans in Texas revolted against what government?
7. Which battle in the Mexican-American War symbolized the commitment to Texas’ independence, as all the
Texan defenders were killed?
8. Why were Northerners uneasy about Texas joining the United States?
9. What was the main obstacle to the annexation of Texas?
10. What event and idea dominated the presidency of James K. Polk?
11. Which territory was gained from the Mexican Cession?
12. Which territory became a free state under the provisions of the Compromise of 1850?
13. What were the terms of the Compromise of 1850?
14. Which part of the Compromise of 1850 angered Northerners the most?
15. What novel was published in 1852 that depicted slavery as an evil institution?
16. Why was Harriet Tubman known as the “Moses” of her people?
17. Who wrote the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
18. What is popular sovereignty?
19. Which individual is most closely associated with the concept of popular sovereignty?
20. Which piece of legislation enacted the principle of popular sovereignty?
21. The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed which piece of legislation?
22. What was the impact of the Kansas-Nebraska Act?
23. How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act resolve the issue of slavery in those areas?
24. What was the civil war that erupted in Kansas known as?
25. Which abolitionist became famous for his violent actions in the Kansas civil war?
26. Which political party was destroyed in 1854 as a result of the slavery issue?
27. Which political party was formed in 1854 as a result of the slavery issue?
28. The Know-Nothing Party was devoted to fear and hatred towards which groups of people?
29. What is nativism?
30. Which political party formed in 1854 opposed the expansion of slavery in the West?
31. Which event led to the formation of the Republican Party?
32. What led to national recognition for Abraham Lincoln, and set him up to be the Republican candidate for
president in 1860?
33. How did the Supreme Court rule in the Dred Scott decision?
34. What was John Brown’s primary purpose in attacking Harper’s Ferry?
35. Why did the events at Harper’s Ferry cause tension between the North and the South?
36. What impact did the Election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 have on the South?
37. What was the primary cause of the initial wave of southern secession from the Union?
38. Historical Significance:
Manifest Destiny
Compromise of 1850
John Brown
The Mexican War
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Southern Secession