Arrange these events in their proper time order:
I. Abraham Lincoln introduces the spot resolutions in Congress.
II. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican War.
III. The Oregon Treaty is approved.
IV. Texas is annexed by the U.S.
(A) I, II, III, IV
(B) IV, III, I, II
(C) III, IV, I, II
(D) IV, I, III, II
(E) III, I, II, III
Answer:
(B) IV, I, III, II
Explanation:
IV. Texas is annexed by the U.S. (1845);
III. The Oregon Treaty is approved. (1846);
I. Abraham Lincoln introduces the spot resolutions in
Congress. (1847).
II. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican
War. (1848).
Cartoon mocking Irish-Americans
Which of the following political parties of the 1840s and 1850s was strongly antiimmigrant and limited its membership to Anglo-Saxon Protestants?
(A) Free Soil
(B) Whig
(C) Republican
(D) Know-Nothing
(E) Liberty
Answer:
(D) Know-Nothing
Explanation: The Know-Nothings, strongly anti-German and
anti-Irish, received their nickname from the practice of
members to say "I know nothing" about their group if nonmembers asked them about it. They joined former Whigs in
1854 to form the American Party. Their platform in the 1856
presidential election included lengthening the period for
naturalization to 21 years, restricting public school teacher
positions and public offices to Protestants and mandating
daily Bible readings in public schools.
1860 political cartoon about the KansasNebraska Act
Uncle Sam: "Right! Columbia, give it to him, for
he deserves it; give it to Steven till he cries..."
Columbia: "You have been a bad boy, Steve,
ever since you had anything to do with that
Nebraska Bill and have made a great deal of
trouble in the family, and now I'll pay you for it"
Douglas: "No! Please let me free and I'll never
do it again!"
Which of the following statements about the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act is not accurate?
(A) it repealed the Missouri Compromise's restriction on slavery north of the 36°30' line
(B) it was proposed by Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas
(C) its passage helped reduce tension in the Kansas region between pro- and antislavery forces
(D) it was based on the concept of popular sovereignty, which stated that a territory's
voters should decide on slavery's fate
(E) opponents of the bill helped form the Republican Party
(C) its passage helped reduce tension in the Kansas region
between pro- and anti-slavery forces
Explanation: The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed residents of the
Kansas and Nebraska territories to select or reject slavery, thus
overturning the restriction on slavery's expansion in the 1820
Missouri Compromise. Proposed by Stephen Douglas, it led to
the first set of Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1854, the creation of
the Republican Party by opponents, and an increase in violence
in Kansas as pro- and anti-slavery forces poured into the region.
Which of the following statements about the
American economy in the 1850s is/are true?
I. The market for northeast manufacturers expanded
both domestically and internationally.
II. The California gold rush added as much as $50
million a year in gold to the economy each year.
III. As the plantation system spread, the U.S. supplied
most of the world's cotton.
IV. Western agriculture experienced growth with the
expansion of railroads and the opening of European
markets.
V. Protective tariffs climbed steeply during the
decade to reach their highest levels since the nation's
founding.
(A) I, II, and IV only
(B) I, II, and III only
(C) I, III, IV and V only
(D) I, II, III, and IV only
(E) all of the statements are true
Answer:
(D) I, II, III, and IV only
Explanation: The 1850s witnessed tremendous growth in the
American economy. Foreign and domestic markets expanded for
both manufactured goods and agricultural products with the
spread of railroads and the introduction of clipper ships to
Europe. By 1860, the U.S. supplied 7/8 of the world's cotton as
the plantation system, while morally reprehensible, was
economically productive. The gold rush added capital to the
economy and spurred western migration. Tariffs, however,
which had been a huge issue of contention between the protariff North and anti-tariff South during earlier decades, declined
to their lowest level since their implementation in the Federalist
Era.
Civil War railroadbased cannons
Which two battles, occurring in the same week of 1863, proved to be significant
victories for Union forces in the western and eastern theaters of the Civil War?
(A) Petersburg and Atlanta
(B) Bull Run and Antietam
(C) Vicksburg and Gettysburg
(D) Chickamauga and Gettysburg
(E) Ft. Henry and Fredericksburg
(C) Vicksburg and Gettysburg
Explanation: In July 1863 the Union achieved
victories at both Vicksburg, Mississippi and
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Confederate city on
the Mississippi River fell to Gen. Grant's forces
after a long siege and Robert E. Lee's Confederate
army retreated from Gettysburg after making its
farthest advance north.
Abraham Lincoln faced a number of difficult
problems during his presidency. Which of the
following was not one of them?
(A) criticism from members of his Cabinet
(B) a commanding general, George McClellan,
who was reluctant to commit large numbers of
troops when engaging the enemy
(C) an emotionally unstable wife who allowed
spiritualists to conduct seances in the White
House following the death of their son
(D) opposition in Congress to proposed tariff
legislation
(E) pressure from abolitonist newspaper
publishers who criticized his moral and military
leadership
(D) opposition in Congress to proposed tariff legislation
Explanation: Lincoln's Cabinet was comprised of several men who
thought they were better suited to be president than he was. Secretary
of War Edwin Stanton wrote former President James Buchanan in
1861: "The imbecility of this Administration, culminated in that
catastrophe (Bull Run), and irretrievable misfortune and national
disgrace never to be forgotten are to be added to the ruin of all peaceful
pursuits and national bankruptcy, as the result of Mr. Lincoln's `running
the machine' for five months." McClellan frequently refused Lincoln's
urging to attack and once complained that the army's horses were tired,
causing Lincoln to ask: "I have just read your dispatch about soretongued and fatigued horses. Will you pardon me for asking what the
horses of your army have done since the battle of Antietam that fatigues
anything? " Mary Todd Lincoln became increasingly unstable following
the death of their son Willie. Newspapers frequently criticized Lincoln
for not adopting a harsher attitude towards the South. The secession of
Southern states removed much of the political opposition to
Republicans in Congress and tariffs passed easily during the Civil War.
Which of the following domestic developments in the North did not occur during the
Civil War?
(A) the Homestead Act provided 160 acres of land virtually free to any citizen willing to
occupy it for five years
(B) the Morrill Land Grant Act helped the financing of public colleges
(C) the National Bank Act created a national banking system
(D) Treasury notes known as greenbacks were issued and fluctuated in value in
relation to the success of Union armies
(E) the transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory, Utah
(E) the transcontinental railroad was completed at
Promontory, Utah
Explanation: The Union Pacific and Central Pacific
Railroad construction crews met at Promontory, Utah
in 1869. All of the other events occurred between
1861 and 1865.
President Lincoln, while wanting to issue the Emancipation Proclamation in the
summer of 1862, also wanted it to be issued following a victory so it did not
appear to be a move of desperation. While not a clear-cut victory, which of the
following particularly brutal 1862 battles provided Lincoln with an opportunity
to issue the Proclamation which took effect on January 1, 1863.
(A) Antietam (Sharpsburg)
(B) Atlanta
(C) Chattanooga
(D) Petersburg
(E) Second battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
(A) Antietam (Sharpsburg)
Explanation: At Antietam Creek in Maryland, Gen. George
McClellan engaged Gen. Robert E. Lee in a battle resulting in
more casualties (23,000) than all previous American wars
combined. Lee retreated to Virginia and Lincoln followed
shortly after with his issuance of the Emancipation
Proclamation.
Which of the following is the most accurate description of General Grant's tactics in his
battles against General Lee?
(A) capturing Richmond in a single dramatic strike against Lee's troops
(B) keeping steady pressure on Lee even while sustaining huge losses
(C) patiently waiting for Gen. Sherman to arrive in Virginia following his victories in
Georgia
(D) avoiding engagement with Lee's forces whenever possible
(E) Grant and Lee never faced each other in battle
(B) keeping steady pressure on Lee even while
sustaining huge losses
Explanation: Gen. Grant absorbed huge losses in his
forces in several encounters with Lee in Virginia, yet he
refused to retreat. When critics suggested Pres. Lincoln
remove Grant, he responded " 'I can't spare this man;
he fights."
The New York City riots in the
summer of 1863, which
necessitated Union troops to be
called out to quell the disturbance,
were primarily caused by
(A) the decision to use AfricanAmerican troops
(B) the Union policy of
conscription
(C) the issuance of the
Emancipation Proclamation
(D) Lincoln's suspension of the
writ of habeas corpus
(E) frustration with the slow
progress of the Civil War
(B) the Union policy of conscription
Explanation: The signing of the Enrollment Act in 1863 which
drafted Northern men into the Union army and Pres. Lincoln's
call for 300,000 more troops led to widespread rioting in July
1863 in New York City. The draft bill was particularly resented
by the working poor, as a $300 commutation fee could excuse
a man from being drafted. Roaming gangs, often composed of
Irish immigrants, terrorized blacks, burned down a black
orphanage and church, and caused death and destruction.
Troops were sent to put down the uprising and remained in
New York City for several weeks.
In which of the following
speeches did President
Lincoln promise "with malice
toward none, with charity
for all"?
(A) Cooper Union
(B) First Inaugural
(C) signing ceremony of the
Emancipation Proclamation
(D) Gettysburg Address
(E) Second Inaugural
(E) Second Inaugural
Explanation: After a difficult summer of little military progress and doubts about
his ability to win re-election in 1864, Lincoln scored a major victory over George
McClellan in the November election. Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address in
March 1864 was perhaps his finest speech. Rather than adopting a vindictive or
boastful tone, Lincoln humbly reached out to the nearly-defeated South, while
at the same time labeling slavery for the evil that it was. The brief address
concludes with:
Yet, if God wills that it (the Civil War) continue, until all the wealth piled by the
bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and
until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn
with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the
judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether"
With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God
gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up
the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his
widow, and his orphan--to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and
lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.
One of the most influential of the
abolitionist agitators of the antebellum
period published a newspaper, The
Liberator, and wrote on the issue of slavery
"I will be as harsh as truth, and
uncompromising as justice... I am in
earnest, I will not equivocate, I will not
excuse, I will not retreat a single inch, and I
will be heard."
(A) Lewis Tappan
(B) John Brown
(C) Elijah P. Lovejoy
(D) William Lloyd Garrison
(E) Frederick Douglass
(D) William Lloyd Garrison
Explanation:,Garrison published the Liberator
beginning in 1831. He was a consistent and
ferocious opponent of any compromise with
slavery. The last issue was produced in 1866
when he declared "The object for which the
Liberator was commenced—the extermination
of chattel slavery—having been gloriously
consummated."
Which of the following statements about manifest
destiny are accurate?
I. Journalist John O'Sullivan first used the term in
an essay in 1845 in which he encouraged the U.S.
to annex Texas.
II. It referred to specific territories that President
James K. Polk intended to add to the U.S.
III. Its philosophical base included the concept of
American exceptionalism.
IV. It is usually associated with the era from 18651900.
V. Its concepts were generally opposed by Whigs
such as Henry Clay and Abraham Lincoln who
favored development of America's economy.
(A) I and V only
(B) II, III, and IV only
(C) I, III, and V only
(D) III, IV, and V only
(E) I, IV, and V only
(C) I, III, and V only
Explanation: First referred to in principle by
O'Sullivan in 1839, manifest destiny was first
identified in his 1845 essay "Annexation."
While not referring to specific territories, it
did rely on the spirit of American
exceptionalism. It is usually associated with
the years from 1812-1860. It was favored by
Democrats such as Polk but usually opposed
by Whigs who encouraged bolstering
America's internal economy.
During the first half of the
nineteenth century, which of
the following was true of
cotton's impact?
(A) the internal slave trade
declined in importance
(B) the importation of slaves
from other countries increased
dramatically
(C) the price of slaves
decreased
(D) Southern agriculture
became more diversified
(E) the demand for slaves
increased
(E) the demand for slaves increased
Explanation:
The cotton culture of the South proved to be immensely profitable in the
first half of the 1800s. Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin in 1793
enabled farmers to greatly increase their acreage. At the same time,
demand for cotton around the world grew tremendously. In 1800, the
U.S. exported 37 million pounds of cotton. In 1850, it exported 1 billion
pounds of cotton.
Four of the following statements about the
Emancipation Proclamation are true. Which
one is not?
(A) it did not apply to slaves in the border
states
(B) it changed the goals of the North in the
Civil War from being just about preserving the
Union to also include ending slavery
(C) it was viewed with ridicule by
Confederate President Jefferson Davis who in
response declared that all blacks living in the
North were now slaves
(D) slaves throughout the South were set
free when it went into effect on January 1st,
1863
(E) it had a diplomatic impact, as England
and France would now be supporting a slave
power if they aided the Confederacy
(D) slaves throughout the South were set free when it went into effect on
January 1st, 1863
Explanation:
In fact, very few slaves were actually freed immediately by the Emancipation
Proclamation. But it had a powerful motivational force to blacks both in the
North and South and to abolitionists who had long vowed to fight to end
slavery. Lincoln's Proclamation, issued after the inconclusive battle of Antietam
in September 1862, changed the basis of the Civil War by now including the
elimination of slavery as one of the North's goals. It also neutralized European
nations who were tempted to aid the Confederacy, for to do so would put them
on the side of slavery. Lincoln omitted the border states which had remained in
the Union but kept slavery.
Why did non-slaveholding southerners support the slave system?
(A) some hoped to be slaveholders
(B) they readily accepted the racist assumptions of slavery
(C) they feared what freed slaves might do
(D) as long as slaves were in the social order, poor whites were not at the bottom
of the social pyramid
(E) all of the above
(E) all of the above
Slaveholders were at the peak of Southern society, both economically
and socially. The inferiority of blacks was assumed almost universally.
There had long been fear of slave uprisings. Finally, the position of slaves
at the bottom of Southern society gave a sense of status to poor whites.
Which of the following characterizes
General Sherman's reason for pursuing
a policy of mass destruction as he
moved his army through the state of
Georgia in 1864?
(A) the South had pursued similar
tactics near Gettysburg in 1863
(B) President Lincoln had ordered
him to use these tactics
(C) he had lost complete control of
discipline in his troops
(D) he wanted to break the South's
will to fight
(E) he was a sadistic and cruel
person
(D) he wanted to break the South's will to fight
Explanation:
Sherman's 300-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah cut a
wide swath of destruction through Georgia and earned him
hatred throughout the South. The "scorched earth" policy
he adopted resulted in burned cotton, killed livestock,
"Sherman's Neckties" (railroad rails heated and twisted
around trees), and demoralized Southerners.
Which of the following statements about the use of black troops during the Civil War is not
true?
(A) both the Union and the Confederacy utilized black troops, though the South only did so
in the last desperate days of the war
(B) many white Union soldiers resented the concept of blacks being paid the same as
whites
(C) when Union troops approached slave regions in the South, slaves often ran to join the
Union lines
(D) black soldiers fought heroically when given the chance, particularly at the battle of Fort
Wagner in 1863
(E) in his first inaugural address in 1861, President Lincoln promised abolitionists that allblack regiments would be used to defeat the Confederacy
(E) in his first inaugural address in 1861, President Lincoln
promised abolitionists that all-black regiments would be used
to defeat the Confederacy
Explanation:
While under pressure from abolitionist groups and free blacks in
the north to take a more aggressive stance against slavery by
arming black troops, Lincoln did not take this step until after the
Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1st, 1863.
Lincoln feared that alienating the border states might drive them
into supporting the Confederacy. All of the other statements are
true.