Ch 7 Multiple Choice

During its years as a Mexican territory, the economy of California centered on sheep ranching

False

Texas broke away from Spanish rule and declared itself an independent republic before the Mexican war for independence

False

Under the missions that controlled the northern frontier of new Spain native Americans had considerable independence

False

During the standoff at the Alamo, the new Texas government formally declared independence from Mexico

True

The Santa Fe trail was the major trade route connecting New Mexico and Independence Missouri

True

The forts built by the Spanish in the Mexican borderlands prior to Mexican Independence were now as presidios

True

President Polk forced the war to a conclusion when he sent ships to Veracruz, from where soldiers marched west and captured a. Mexico City. b. the Gulf of Mexico. c. Monterrey. d. the Bear Flag Republic.

a. Mexico City.

Among other documents supporting his proposal for the annexation of Texas, President John Tyler gave Congress a letter by Secretary of State John C. Calhoun that contained a. a fierce defense of slavery. b. arguments in favor of immigration. c. a threat of war with Mexico. d. sharp criticism of annexation.

a. a fierce defense of slavery.

Native Americans on the Great Plains feared that the increasing flow of American settlers across their hunting grounds would disrupt the wanderings of the a. buffalo herds. b. nomadic tribes. c. wild horses. d. overlanders.

a. buffalo herds.

The Mexican government gave large grants of Texas land to 26 ____________________, meaning "agents" or "contractors," who promised to fill the land with a certain number of settlers. a. empresarios b. vaqueros c. Tejanos d. rancheros

a. empresarios

Early travelers emigrating to the West feared attacks by Native American warriors, but in fact Native Americans a. often gave them food and useful information. b. killed 426 settlers between 1840 and 1860. c. were concerned that settlers would hunt the buffalo. d. signed a treaty guaranteeing them safe passage.

a. often gave them food and useful information.

Built in the Sacramento Valley on 50,000 acres granted by Juan Bautista Alvarado, the Mexican governor of California, Sutter's Fort was a. often the first stopping point for settlers reaching California. b. an important trading post for Americans manufactured goods. c. intended to extend Mexican control across the northern frontier. d. an enormous cattle ranch controlled by a white elite.

a. often the first stopping point for settlers reaching California.

Which of the east-to-west routes carved out by mountain men was most popular with emigrants? a. the Oregon Trail b. the Mormon Trail c. the Santa Fe Trail d. the California Trail

a. the Oregon Trail

In which year did Texas join the Union? a. 1836 b. 1845 c. 1848 d. 1860

b. 1845

In the 1844 presidential race, winning candidate James K. Polk promised to a. annex Texas, Oregon, and Louisiana. b. annex Texas and Oregon and buy California from Mexico. c. buy Texas and California from Mexico. d. annex Texas, Oregon, and California and buy New Mexico from Mexico

b. annex Texas and Oregon and buy California from Mexico.

Under the National Colonization Act, Mexico gave 26 empresarios large grants of Texas land in exchange for a promise to a. help Mexican settlers farm the land. b. fill the land with a number of settlers. c. remove the Native Americans. d. pay a specified rent to Mexico.

b. fill the land with a number of settlers.

In the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ceded about 500,000 square miles of territory to the United States, and the United States agreed to a. accept the Nueces River as Texas's southern border. b. pay Mexico $15 million. c. accept administrative control of Mexico City. d. pay debts owed to Mexican citizens.

b. pay Mexico $15 million.

For the far northern territories of California, New Mexico, and Texas, Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821 was followed by a. economic growth. b. political chaos. c. territorial expansion. d. Native American rebellions.

b. political chaos.

In 1834 the Mexican government secularized its missions, or transferred them from a. Mexican to Native American control. b. religious to civil control. c. Mexican to U.S. control. d. religious to Native American control.

b. religious to civil control.

Early pioneers who settled on land that they did not own became known as a. leasers. b. squatters. c. nomads. d. missionaries.

b. squatters

When Santa Anna's forces arrived at San Antonio in February 1836, they found over 180 Texas rebels holding an abandoned mission called a. Goliad. b. the Alamo. c. San Jacinto. d. Fredonia.

b. the Alamo.

Mexico's far northern territories of California, New Mexico, and Texas enjoyed considerable political independence primarily because a. Comanche and other Native Americans controlled the region. b. they were located a great distance from the capital in Mexico City. c. they did not provide Mexico with significant tax revenues. d. Mexico's leaders hoped to avoid conflict with the United States.

b. they were located a great distance from the capital in Mexico City.

After Mexican independence, American influence in the borderlands a. increased. b. was limited to California. c. gradually faded. d. disappeared.

b. was limited to California.

In 1830 Mexico closed its borders to any further immigration by a. Texans. b. ranchers. c. Americans. d. Spaniards.

c. Americans.

First used in 1845, the term "Manifest Destiny" referred to the idea that God had given the continent to Americans and that a. God expected them to bring Christianity to Native Americans. b. it was their destiny to become the greatest nation on the Earth. c. God wanted them to settle the western lands. d. it was their duty to protect the environment.

c. God wanted them to settle the western lands.

The Battle of ____________________ in April 1836 marked the end of Texas's War for Independence. a. San Antonio b. Goliad c. San Jacinto d. the Alamo

c. San Jacinto

In order to implement President Polk's three-pronged military strategy against Mexico, the United States needed to expand its a. shipbuilding industry. b. negotiations with Britain. c. army. d. territory.

c. army.

In the 1830s, inventions such as the mechanical reaper and a plow with sharp-edged steel blades that cut cleanly through sod allowed settlers in the Midwest to a. run their farms profitably without relying on slaves. b. buy additional land from the federal government. c. clear land and harvest more grain with far less labor. d. establish east-to-west trails to reach the Pacific coast.

c. clear land and harvest more grain with far less labor.

Midwestern agriculture received a boost from both the plow and the ____________________, patented by Cyrus McCormick in 1834. a. six-row planter b. mechanical hay baler c. mechanical reaper d. combine

c. mechanical reaper

After Mexican independence, California's ____________________ owned sprawling tracts of land and dominated California society. a. mestizos b. vaqueros c. rancheros d. Tejanos

c. rancheros

After achieving independence from Spain, Mexico invited Americans and other foreigners to settle in Texas because a. Mexican citizens believed farmland in Texas was not suitable. b. Mexico wanted to promote better relations with other countries. c. Spanish policy had barred Americans from settling in Texas. d. Mexico could not persuade its own people to move to the frontier.

d. Mexico could not persuade its own people to move to the frontier.

In an effort to win popular support for a war with Mexico, President James K. Polk ordered troops led by General Zachary Taylor to cross the a. 49th parallel. b. Rio Grande. c. territory west of Missouri. d. Nueces River.

d. Nueces River.

In 1851 hoping to ensure peace with the Native Americans on the Great Plains, the federal government negotiated the a. ownership of the Mormon Trail. b. Treaty of the Oregon Territory. c. settlement of the Pacific Coast. d. Treaty of Fort Laramie.

d. Treaty of Fort Laramie.

The first convention of Texas settlers, held in the town of San Felipe in 1832, asked Mexico to reopen Texas to immigration and to loosen the taxes on a. shipping. b. cattle. c. land holdings. d. imports.

d. imports.

The purpose of the early Spanish missions in New Spain was to a. control the region's valuable mining and agricultural resources. b. prepare Native Americans for eventual independence from Spain. c. prevent Russia from expanding its settlements in North America. d. spread the Christian faith and Spanish culture to Native Americans.

d. spread the Christian faith and Spanish culture to Native Americans.

Mexico closed its borders to further immigration by Americans in 1830, a move that angered settlers in Texas because a. their lands would now be subject to Mexico's taxes. b. they did not considered themselves to be Mexican. c. they were accustomed to importing American goods. d. their settlements could not grow without immigration.

d. their settlements could not grow without immigration.