American History: A Survey (Brinkley), 13th Edition

Chapter 13: THE IMPENDING CRISIS

Study Questions

1
What was Manifest Destiny? What forces created this concept?
2
What was the "empire of liberty"? How was it to be achieved, and what doubts were raised as to its desirability?
3
How did Texas become available for annexation? What prevented its immediate annexation?
4
What was the history of American interest in Oregon?
5
What were the characteristics of western immigrants? What problems did they face? How were these overcome?
6
How did Polk's campaign catch the spirit of the time? What effect did Clay's position on Texas have on his campaign in the presidential election?
7
What were the goals of President Polk? How did he resolve the Oregon question?
8
What tensions emerged in the Southwest that threatened to lead the United States into a war with Mexico?
9
How did American interest in California develop?
10
On what grounds did Polk ask Congress to declare war on Mexico?
11
On what grounds was Polk's call for war criticized?
12
What was Polk's plan for the conduct of the war?
13
What were the objectives of the American offensives in the war?
14
What was the Wilmot Proviso? What brought about its introduction, and what arguments were advanced in its favor?
15
What were the South's arguments against the Wilmot Proviso? On what points did they differ from the arguments of the North?
16
How did the gold rush change the cultural composition of California?
17
What problems faced President Zachary Taylor when he took office?
18
What was the Compromise of 1850? How was it passed?
19
Who were the "younger" politicians who emerged after 1850? How did they differ from the leaders they replaced?
20
How did the Compromise of 1850 differ from the Missouri Compromise?
21
How did the political parties react to the Compromise of 1850?
22
How did the sections of the country react to the Compromise of 1850?
23
What was the "Young America" movement? What national sentiment did it reflect? Who were its spokespersons? What did it accomplish?
24
How did the issue of a transcontinental railroad help to reopen the sectional controversy? Explain.
25
How did the North react to the Kansas-Nebraska Act? The South? What effect did it have on the Whigs? The Democrats?
26
Who were the Republicans? What caused their formation? Which groups composed this party, and what was the party's platform?
27
What problems were faced in the attempt to organize a legitimate government in Kansas? Why did these problems arise? How was it that Kansas became a battleground for the sectional controversy?
28
Explain the maneuvering by pro-slavery and antislavery forces to gain control of the Kansas government. What did both sides come to believe that Kansas symbolized for the nation?
29
What types of society did northerners wish to create? How did "free soil" and "free labor" fit into their plans? Why did they feel that the South was holding them back?
30
How did the "free soil" ideology manifest itself in the Republican Party? What diverse views did it unite?
31
What were the elements of the South's pro-slavery response? Who were its major spokespersons?
32
How did southerners attempt to silence their opponents?
33
What effect did the depression of 1857 have on political divisions in America? How did it increase the tension between the North and the South? What did both sides see as the significance of this economic decline?
34
What were the origins of the Dred Scott case? What issues were involved, and what decision did the Court hand down? How did the reaction to this case add to sectional tensions?
35
How did President James Buchanan respond to the Kansas question? What were his reasons, and what was the outcome? What does this tell you about the possibility of compromise on the issue of slavery in the territories?
36
Why did the Lincoln-Douglas debates take place, and why did they draw so much attention? How did Lincoln and Douglas differ on their solution to the question of slavery in the territories?
37
What were the goals of John Brown's raid, and why did it have such an impact on the South?
38
What caused the split between northern and southern Democrats in 1860, and what was the result of this division?
39
What was the Republican platform in 1860? To what specific political groups were the Republicans trying to appeal, and how did this platform propose to appeal to them?
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