Unit 2 - Free Response Essay
Questions
A.P. US History
Andrew Jackson’s election as President marked the beginning
of a new age in American political history. Assess the validity of
this generalization.
• 1st Term 1828-1832
– “Kitchen Cabinet”
• The “Age of the Common Man”
#2-
– Expansion of voting rights to non
property holders
• Election of 1824
– Jackson wins popular vote,
losses electoral
– Corrupt Bargain
• Election of 1828
– “Mudslinging”
– Character Debate (Jackson v.
J.Q. Adams)
– Establishment of the Democratic
Party
– The Spoils System
– Indian Removal Act
– Favored “Small Government” but
Not Afraid to use the Power of
the Presidency
– Nullification Crisis
• Tariff of 1828
• Force Act 1832
• 2nd Term 1832-1836
– The Bank Crisis
• Panic of 1837
– Emergence of the Whig Party
• Election of 1836
– Martin Van Buren hand picked
successor
#3-
Early U.S. foreign policy was primarily a defensive reaction to
perceived or actual threats from Europe. Assess the validity of this
generalization with reference to U.S. foreign policy on TWO major
issues during the period from 1789-1825
• French Revolution 1789 &
Napoleonic Wars 1789-1799 /
1800-1815
– American Neutrality challenged
(Washington, Adams, Jefferson,
Madison)
– XYZ Affair / Alien & Sedition Acts
– Creation of the American Navy
(Adams)
– Quasi War (1794)
– Louisiana Purchase (1803)
– Embargo Act 1807 & NonIntercourse Acts 1808
• The War of 1812
– Impressment of American Ships
& Sailors
– Federalists Opposed War /
Republicans Demanded War
“War Hawks’
• The War of 1812 Continued…
– Tecumseh & Native American
“Threat” in the West
– 1814 Washington Burns
– Treaty of Ghent (Ended War,
didn’t address impressment or
trading rights)
– Battle of New Orleans 1814
• The Monroe Doctrine (1823)
– Caused by successful revolutions
in Latin America between 18041825
– Written by J.Q. Adams but
attributed to James Monroe
– Stated that the Western
Hemisphere (North / South
America) was off limits to
European colonization
#4-
•
•
Manifest Destiny = Americans had a God
given right to the Western Territory to the
Pacific Ocean
Constitutionality of the purchase
Lewis & Clark Expedition
Missouri Compromise Line = Land for
expansion of slavery
Indian Removal Act (1830)
–
–
–
•
•
All Native American tribes east of the
Mississippi will be relocated
Worchester v. Georgia
Trail of Tears (1838)
The Texas Revolt (1836)
–
–
–
–
Land Grants (Emprasarios) for Catholicism
/ Citizenship in Mexico
Slavery brought into territory
Battle of the Alamo (1836)
Republic of Texas until 1845 when
annexed by the United States
Oregon Country
–
–
The Louisiana Purchase (1803)
–
–
–
•
Although Americans perceived Manifest Destiny as a benevolent
movement, it was in fact an aggressive imperialism pursued at the
expense of others. Assess the validity of this statement with specific
reference to American expansionism in the 1840’s.
•
“54 40 or Fight”= American northwestern
border should be extended to the latitude
deep in Canadian territory
Oregon Treaty 1846 = Signed with Great
Britain / established a more reasonable
border (Obtains OR, WA, ID, WY, MT)
The Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
–
–
–
–
–
Disputed border lines between Mexico
(Nueces) and U.S. (Rio Grande)
U.S. / Mexican Army sent to guard the Rio
Grande
Matamoros Skirmish – “American Blood…
spilt on American Soil”
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Case of California
#5-
•
Analyze the ways in which supporters of slavery in the
nineteenth century used legal, religious, and economic
arguments to defend the institution of slavery.
Southern Paternalism
– Belief that slavery benefited everyone
– Slaves could not care for themselves,
therefore white owners had to be
responsible for them
•
•
The Southern Economy
– Centered on agriculture (Cotton &
Tobacco)
– 75% of worlds cotton from American
South (1850) = Global Impact
– Transition from slave to free labor would •
not be worth the initial impact it would
cast on the economy.
•
The “Religious” Argument
– Biblical interpretation
– Bible lacked a clear and concise
admonition against slavery, the institution
was surely deemed appropriate.
– Precedence Argument = forced servitude
was acceptable.
– “Saving Souls” Through Christianity
Protection of “Property” under the
Constitution
– Slaves were considered property –
Supreme Court Supports this idea
with the “Dred Scott Decision”
– Focusing their argument on the rights
of slave-holders to transfer their
"property" (in other words, their
slaves), to the new territories,
Avoiding Civil War
– Constitutional Convention 1787
– Missouri Compromise 1821
– Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the
Compromise of 1850