history chapter 14
Roger B. Taney
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court when Dred Scott decision was made
Martin Van Buren
(1837-1841) Advocated lower tariffs and free trade, and by doing so maintained support of the south for the Democratic party. He succeeded in setting up a system of bonds for the national debt.
Zachary Taylor
(1849-1850), Whig president who was a Southern slave holder, and war hero (Mexican-American War). Won the 1848 election. Surprisingly did not address the issue of slavery at all on his platform. He died during his term and his Vice President was Millard Fillmore.
Millard Fillmore
13th President/supported compromise of 1850
Stephen Douglas
A moderate, who introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 and popularized the idea of popular sovereignty.
1. The Wilmot Proviso: a. would prohibit slavery in any lands acquired from Mexico b. passed both houses of Congress c. was opposed in Congress by Abraham Lincoln d. would extend the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific e. was clearly unconstitutional
ANS: A
12. What was the impact of President Taylor's death? a. It strengthened the chance for compromise over slavery in 1850. b. It put pro-slavery Franklin Pierce in the White House. c. It put anti-slavery William H. Seward in the White House. d. It prevented California from gaining admission into the Union. e. It brought great relief to the nation, because he had started the current sectional crisis.
ANS: A
15. Why did the new Fugitive Slave Act outrage abolitionists? a. It offered a strong temptation to kidnap free blacks in northern free states. b. It required the licensing of slave catchers. c. It guaranteed fugitive slaves a jury trial. d. It allowed northern states to become slave states. e. It reintroduced the legal international slave trade.
ANS: A
20. Stephen Douglas's proposed Kansas-Nebraska Act: a. might allow slavery in Kansas and Nebraska b. strengthened the Missouri Compromise c. showed his enthusiastic support of slavery d. strengthened his presidential prospects e. would promote construction of a transcontinental rail line along a southern route
ANS: A
28. In 1856, the Republicans: a. declared their opposition to slavery b. nominated William Seward for president c. stood for states' rights d. strongly condemned the nativist platform of the American party e. campaigned vigorously all over the country
ANS: A
37. Abraham Lincoln: a. opposed the further spread of slavery b. supported black equality c. would abolish slavery wherever it existed d. was a military hero e. was born in 1810
ANS: A
44. All of the following were presidential nominees in 1860 EXCEPT: a. William Seward d. John Breckinridge b. John Bell e. Stephen Douglas c. Abraham Lincoln
ANS: A
6. The 1848 presidential election: a. was won by Zachary Taylor b. was won by Lewis Cass c. was won by Van Buren d. was decided in the House of Representatives e. broke up the Whig party
ANS: A
9. In late 1849, Zachary Taylor proposed: a. California's immediate entry as a free state b. war against the Mormons in Utah c. extension of slavery to the Pacific d. abolition of slavery in Washington, D.C. e. giving Texas back to Mexico
ANS: A
16. Why did Uncle Tom's Cabin outrage slave owners? a. It was authored by Harriet Tubman. b. It showed how the brutal realities of slavery harmed everyone associated with it. c. It convinced many poor southern whites to oppose slavery. d. It started the Civil War. e. It was an objective description of life under slavery.
ANS: B
19. What position did both the Democrats and Whigs support in the 1852 presidential election? a. a ban on the expansion of slavery into the territories b. support of the Compromise of 1850 c. women's suffrage d. repeal of the Fugitive Slave Act e. use of the popular vote rather than Electoral College to determine the election's winner
ANS: B
25. How did passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act impact the settlement of Kansas? a. The vagaries left about the status of slavery discouraged settlement. b. Popular sovereignty encouraged violence-prone supporters and opponents of slavery to flood Kansas. c. It ensured that Kansas would be admitted into the Union as a free state with a population deeply committed to abolition. d. It made Kansas a slave state with a majority population of slaveholders. e. This is a trick question. The act had no impact on settlement of Kansas.
ANS: B
3. The idea of popular sovereignty: a. solved the controversy over slavery's extension b. would allow people in the territories to decide whether or not to permit slavery c. guaranteed slavery would spread westward d. allowed Oregon to enter the Union as a slave state e. was adopted by the Whigs in the 1848 election
ANS: B
30. A major reason the Democrat James Buchanan won the 1856 election was that: a. the Republicans were mired in political scandal b. the Democrats were the only remaining national party c. the northern Whigs threw their support to the Democrats d. slavery and sectional divisions were not an issue in the election e. the Republicans did not have a candidate to run against him
ANS: B
38. The Lincoln-Douglas debates: a. saw Douglas abandon popular sovereignty b. bolstered Lincoln's presidential prospects in 1860 c. clinched Lincoln's election to the U.S. Senate d. saw Lincoln state his belief in racial equality e. saw Lincoln endorse the Dred Scott ruling
ANS: B
40. John Brown targeted Harpers Ferry, Virginia, because: a. it had a large slave population b. it was the site of a federal arsenal c. it was an important railroad center d. many abolitionists lived in the area e. it had banks with large deposits
ANS: B
45. Lincoln won the election of 1860 by: a. appealing to fear b. sweeping the free states c. carrying the biggest states in both North and South d. massive voter fraud e. changing his position on slavery
ANS: B
48. The Crittenden Compromise proposed to: a. outlaw slavery in the United States after 1865 b. guarantee continuance of slavery in the states where it then existed c. guarantee that all new territories would be open to slavery d. give slaves full representation rather than allow them to count for only three fifths of a person e. provide a federal slave code for the western territories
ANS: B
10. President Zachary Taylor wanted to admit California as a state immediately because he: a. was anti-slavery and California had voted on a free-state constitution b. was pro-slavery and California had voted on a slave-state constitution c. wished to bypass the divisive issue of slavery in the territories d. was afraid Mexico would make new claims on the area since gold had been discovered there e. was persuaded to do so by his overwhelmingly northern cabinet
ANS: C
11. During the great congressional debate over the Compromise of 1850: a. John Calhoun endorsed all of Henry Clay's proposals b. President Taylor died c. Henry Clay pushed for the compromise and national harmony d. Jefferson Davis emerged as a voice of moderation e. Daniel Webster made an impassioned argument for secession
ANS: C
17. Author Harriet Beecher Stowe's background was indicative of the abolitionist movement's: a. weak moral compass b. symbolic support of the Fugitive Slave Act c. powerful religious underpinnings d. willingness to accept slavery in some modified form e. gradually weakening strength
ANS: C
2. John C. Calhoun believed that the Wilmot Proviso: a. would help keep the Union together b. protected the interests of slaveholders c. violated property rights d. blamed the South for the Mexican-American War e. would never pass Congress
ANS: C
22. Passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act was a victory for: a. abolitionists b. immigrant groups in America c. the concept of popular sovereignty d. southerners who wanted a transcontinental railroad to run west from New Orleans e. the preservation of the Union
ANS: C
23. Why did the Whig party collapse? a. It no longer had sufficient numbers of people voting for it. b. It opposed slavery. c. The strain of the Kansas-Nebraska Act pushed northern and southern members toward joining different parties. d. The Republican party defeated the major Whig candidates in the 1852 election. e. Its economic policies were perceived as too socialist.
ANS: C
33. The Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision: a. gave Dred Scott his freedom b. was applauded by the Republicans c. implied that the Missouri Compromise had been unconstitutional d. guaranteed the future admission of slave states e. recognized that free blacks were U.S. citizens
ANS: C
34. Why did Kansas's Lecompton Constitution become so controversial? a. It banned slavery even though an overwhelming majority of residents supported it. b. It banned slavery but provided an exception to existing resident slave owners. c. It allowed slavery even though a majority of residents opposed it. d. It allowed each county in Kansas to vote on the legality of slavery. e. It advocated for Kansas independence rather than statehood.
ANS: C
39. John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry was intended to: a. start a civil war b. unify the Republican party c. provoke slave insurrections d. prove John Brown was God's agent e. provoke a fight with the U.S. Army
ANS: C
4. All of the following might have joined the Free-Soil party EXCEPT: a. supporters of the Wilmot Proviso d. Liberty party members b. admirers of Martin Van Buren e. "conscience Whigs" c. "cotton Whigs"
ANS: C
46. The states of the Confederate States of America seceded after Lincoln's election because: a. Lincoln promised to abolish slavery immediately after taking office b. Lincoln was pushing for an invasion of the South c. the southern secessionists were convinced that Lincoln would move against slavery despite his assurances otherwise d. the southern secessionists planned to invade the North and impose slavery on the entire Union e. the southern secessionists believed that Jefferson Davis had won the 1860 election but was denied the office through fraud
ANS: C
13. Given the bitterness of the congressional debate, why was Stephen Douglas successful in getting the Compromise of 1850 passed? a. He dropped the question of the slave trade in the District of Columbia. b. He could depend on a sympathy vote from supporters of deceased President Taylor. c. His support for popular sovereignty allowed many abolitionist senators to vote with him. d. He split the issues into separate bills. e. He was in better health and was more charismatic than Clay.
ANS: D
21. Why did so many northerners, including the so-called Independent Democrats, oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act? a. They opposed the admission of both territories as states. b. The act repealed the fugitive slave law. c. The act would bring about immediate abolition. d. The act repealed the Missouri Compromise. e. They opposed the law because it did not embrace "popular sovereignty."
ANS: D
24. The Republican party reflected a combination of all of the following groups EXCEPT: a. northern Whigs d. cotton Whigs b. anti-slavery Democrats e. abolitionists c. Free-Soilers
ANS: D
29. In the 1856 election, the Democrats supported all of the following EXCEPT: a. the Kansas-Nebraska Act b. vigorous enforcement of the fugitive slave law c. religious liberty d. the reinstitution of the Missouri Compromise e. no congressional interference with slavery in the states or territories
ANS: D
31. On what legal basis did Dred Scott sue for his freedom? a. He had married a free woman. b. The physical abuse he suffered was illegal. c. He argued that slavery was unconstitutional. d. He claimed that living for extended periods in areas where slavery was forbidden made him free. e. His father was a free man.
ANS: D
32. What did the Supreme Court rule in Dred Scott v. Sandford? a. Slaves who were taken to free states would be considered free. b. Slaves who were taken to free territories would be considered free. c. The Missouri Compromise was still legally binding. d. Blacks did not have citizenship and therefore lacked legal standing. e. State bans on slavery did not violate the property rights of masters.
ANS: D
35. Why did President Buchanan support the Lecompton Constitution? a. He opposed the spread of slavery, and the constitution banned it from Kansas. b. He was born in Lecompton and always supported his hometown. c. He was politically dependent on northern congressmen, who also supported the constitution. d. He was dependent on southern congressmen, who also supported the constitution. e. He had no strong position, but his advisers insisted he support it.
ANS: D
41. John Brown's raid: a. ended bloodlessly b. succeeded c. was of minor importance d. set off a panic throughout the slaveholding South e. was condemned by abolitionists
ANS: D
43. The Republican party platform supported all of the following in 1860 EXCEPT: a. a transcontinental railroad b. a higher protective tariff c. no further extension of slavery d. John Brown's raid e. free farms on federal lands out west
ANS: D
47. In response to secession, President Buchanan: a. said he supported it b. declared martial law c. abandoned Fort Sumter d. did practically nothing e. let Lincoln take office ahead of schedule
ANS: D
5. The Free-Soil party stance on slavery: a. was endorsed by John C. Calhoun b. attracted Abraham Lincoln into their ranks c. led to the political downfall of Henry Clay d. infuriated John C. Calhoun e. opposed the Wilmot Proviso
ANS: D
7. Which of the following is NOT true of Zachary Taylor? a. He owned more than one hundred slaves. b. He was a Mexican War hero. c. He opposed the extension of slavery into the new western territories. d. The "conscience Whigs" were his strongest supporters. e. He opposed the idea of secession.
ANS: D
14. The Compromise of 1850: a. gave Texas more territory d. ended slavery in Washington, D.C. b. admitted Utah as a slave state e. strengthened the fugitive slave law c. postponed California statehood
ANS: E
18. The election of 1852: a. saw both major parties denounce the Compromise of 1850 b. resulted in a second term for Millard Fillmore c. saw the disappearance of the Free-Soil party d. was dominated by the current economic depression e. was won by Franklin Pierce
ANS: E
26. All of the following statements about John Brown are true EXCEPT: a. He was the father of 20 children. b. He and his followers were responsible for the Pottawatomie Massacre. c. He believed blacks deserved both liberty and full social equality. d. He led an unsuccessful raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. e. He was fanatically committed to fight to protect the institution of slavery.
ANS: E
27. Preston Brooks's caning of Charles Sumner: a. took place in Kansas b. ended Brooks's career in Congress c. showed that both North and South rejected political extremists d. was totally without motive or provocation e. made Brooks a hero in much of the South
ANS: E
36. The Panic of 1857: a. was the worst depression in American history b. ended sectional bickering c. started the Civil War d. was triggered by the violence in Kansas e. strengthened southern confidence in its cotton economy
ANS: E
42. As the election of 1860 approached, the Democratic party: a. renominated Buchanan b. was silent on the issue of slavery c. condemned the Kansas-Nebraska Act d. was dominated by southern extremists e. broke up into northern and southern wings
ANS: E
8. The discovery of gold in California did all of the following EXCEPT: a. spur a massive migration of gold seekers b. hasten the demise of the Indians c. encourage American dreams of a Pacific empire d. result in an infusion of gold into the U.S. economy that led to a prolonged period of national prosperity e. create a population with an equal balance of men and women
ANS: E
10. The proposed Lecompton Constitution would make Kansas a free state.
ANS: F
12. During his senatorial run against Douglas, Lincoln stated his belief in racial equality.
ANS: F
13. Stephen Douglas was one of the most extreme pro-slavery and states' rights advocates in the Democratic party.
ANS: F
15. The Republican platform in 1860 promised to end slavery in the southern states.
ANS: F
16. The states of the Deep South did not secede from the Union until Lincoln took office.
ANS: F
2. The Free-Soil party opposed the ideas of the Wilmot Proviso.
ANS: F
9. James Buchanan's great experience in public service helped him become one of the most successful presidents.
ANS: F
1. Congress never passed the Wilmot Proviso.
ANS: T
11. In 1857, the majority of the population in Kansas was anti-slavery.
ANS: T
14. Through his execution, John Brown became a martyr for the anti-slavery cause.
ANS: T
3. By 1850, more than 90 percent of California's population was male.
ANS: T
4. In the mining frontier of the Far West, women often enjoyed greater opportunities than back east.
ANS: T
5. As a result of the Compromise of 1850, California entered the Union as a free state.
ANS: T
6. The author of Uncle Tom's Cabin was Harriet Beecher Stowe.
ANS: T
7. The Republican party was created in 1854 by the merger of several anti-slavery groups.
ANS: T
8. The Pottawatomie Massacre was part of the conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in Kansas.
ANS: T
John Brown
Abolitionist who was hanged after leading an unsuccessful raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (1800-1858)
Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederate States of America
John Bell
Presidential candidate of the Constitutional Union Party. He drew votes away from the Democrats, helping Lincoln win.
John C. Calhoun
South Carolina Senator - advocate for state's rights, limited government, and nullification
Preston Brooks
Was a Congressman from South Carolina, notorious for brutally assaulting senator Charles Sumner on the floor of the United States Senate.
