Answer Key: A Nation on the Move (1800–1860)

Answer Key Chapter: A Nation on the Move: Westward Expansion, 1800–1860 1. As a result of the Adams-Onís Treaty, the United States gained which territory from Spain? A. Florida B. New Mexico C. California D. Nevada 2. The Long Expedition established a short-lived republic in Texas known as ________. A. the Lone Star Republic B. the Republic of Texas C. Columbiana D. the Republic of Fredonia 3. For what purposes did Thomas Jefferson send Lewis and Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory? What did he want them to accomplish? 4. A proposal to prohibit the importation of enslaved people to Missouri following its admission to the United States was made by ________. A. John C. Calhoun B. Henry Clay C. James Tallmadge D. John Quincy Adams 5. To balance votes in the Senate, ________ was admitted to the Union as a free state at the same time that Missouri was admitted as a slave state. A. Florida B. Maine C. New York D. Arkansas 6. Why did the Missouri Crisis trigger threats of disunion and war? Identify the positions of both southern slaveholders and northern opponents of the spread of slavery. 7. Texas won its independence from Mexico in ________. A. 1821 B. 1830 C. 1836 D. 1845 8. Texans defeated the army of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the battle of ________. A. the Alamo B. San Jacinto C. Nacogdoches D. Austin 9. How did Texas settlers’ view of Mexico and its people contribute to the history of Texas in the 1830s? 10. Which of the following was not a reason the United States was reluctant to annex Texas? A. The United States did not want to fight a war with Mexico. B. Annexing Texas would add more slave territory to the United States and anger abolitionists. C. Texans considered U.S. citizens inferior and did not want to be part of their country. D. Adding Texas would upset the balance between free and slave states in Congress. 11. According to treaties signed in 1818 and 1827, with which country did the United States jointly occupy Oregon? A. Great Britain B. Spain C. Mexico D. France 12. During the war between the United States and Mexico, revolts against U.S. control broke out in ________. A. Florida and Texas B. New Mexico and California C. California and Texas D. Florida and California 13. Why did White people in California dislike the Chinese so much? 14. The practice of allowing residents of territories to decide whether their land should be slave or free was called ________. A. the democratic process B. the Wilmot Proviso C. popular sovereignty D. the Free Soil solution 15. Which of the following was not a provision of the Compromise of 1850? A. California was admitted as a free state. B. Slavery was abolished in Washington, DC. C. A stronger fugitive slave law was passed. D. Residents of New Mexico and Utah were to decide for themselves whether their territories would be slave or free. 16. Describe the events leading up to the formation of the Free-Soil Party. Critical Thinking Questions 17. Consider the role of filibusters in American expansion. What are some arguments in favor of filibustering? What are some arguments against it? 18. What are the economic and political issues raised by having an imbalance between free and slave states? Why did the balance of free and slave states matter? 19. How did Anglo-American settlers in Texas see themselves? Did they adopt a Mexican identity because they were living in Mexican territory? Why or why not? 20. Consider the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American War from a Mexican perspective. What would you find objectionable about American actions, foreign policy, and attitudes in the 1840s? 21. Describe the place of Texas in the history of American westward expansion by comparing Texas’s early history to the Missouri Crisis in 1819–1820. What are the similarities and what are the differences? 22. Consider the arguments over the expansion of slavery made by both northerners and southerners in the aftermath of the U.S. victory over Mexico. Who had the more compelling case? Or did each side make equally significant arguments? Answer Key 1. A. Florida 2. D. the Republic of Fredonia 3. Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory primarily to find a practical route across the western half of the continent and to establish an American presence in the region. He wanted them to explore the newly acquired territory, study the geography, flora, and fauna, establish trade with Native American tribes, and gather information on the region's resources. 4. C. James Tallmadge 5. B. Maine 6. The Missouri Crisis triggered threats of disunion and war because it brought the issue of slavery to the forefront of national politics. Southern slaveholders feared that prohibiting slavery in Missouri would set a precedent for limiting slavery in other states, potentially threatening their way of life. Northern opponents of the spread of slavery saw the Missouri Crisis as an opportunity to restrict the expansion of slavery into new territories and preserve the balance of power in Congress between free and slave states. 7. C. 1836 8. B. San Jacinto 9. Texas settlers viewed Mexico and its people with distrust and resentment due to cultural and political differences, perceived mistreatment by Mexican authorities, and conflicts over land and governance. This contributed to tensions and ultimately to the Texas Revolution. 10. C. Texans considered U.S. citizens inferior and did not want to be part of their country. 11. A. Great Britain 12. B. New Mexico and California 13. White people in California disliked the Chinese because they viewed them as economic competitors who were willing to work for lower wages, as well as culturally and racially different. 14. C. popular sovereignty 15. B. Slavery was abolished in Washington, DC. 16. The Free-Soil Party was formed in response to the debate over the expansion of slavery into the western territories. It opposed the extension of slavery into new states and territories, advocating for free soil and free labor. The party attracted anti-slavery Democrats, Whigs, and abolitionists who were disillusioned with the major political parties' positions on slavery. 17. Arguments in favor of filibustering include the belief in American exceptionalism and the desire to spread democracy and civilization. Some proponents saw filibustering as a way to acquire territory and resources for economic and strategic purposes. However, arguments against filibustering emphasize the violation of international law, the potential for conflict and war, and the exploitation of weaker nations for imperialistic goals. 18. The imbalance between free and slave states raised economic and political issues related to representation in Congress, the expansion of slavery into new territories, and the maintenance of a delicate sectional balance. The balance of free and slave states mattered because it determined the political power of each region and influenced national policies on issues such as tariffs, internal improvements, and the expansion of slavery. 19. Anglo-American settlers in Texas primarily saw themselves as independent pioneers and entrepreneurs seeking economic opportunities and land. While some adopted a Mexican identity for pragmatic reasons or out of respect for Mexican laws and customs, many maintained their American identity and sought to establish Texas as an independent republic. 20. From a Mexican perspective, American actions in the annexation of Texas and the MexicanAmerican War were seen as aggressive and expansionist. Mexicans objected to the violation of their sovereignty, the annexation of territory they considered part of Mexico, and the mistreatment of Mexican citizens in the newly acquired territories. They viewed American foreign policy and attitudes as imperialistic and unjust. 21. Both Texas's early history and the Missouri Crisis illustrate the tensions over the expansion of slavery and westward expansion in American history. Both situations involved debates over the admission of new states and the balance of power between free and slave states. However, Texas's annexation and independence from Mexico also raised issues of international diplomacy and territorial sovereignty that differed from the internal debates over slavery in the United States. 22. Both northerners and southerners made significant arguments over the expansion of slavery after the U.S. victory over Mexico. Northerners argued against the spread of slavery into new territories, citing moral objections to slavery and concerns about economic competition with slave labor. Southerners argued for the extension of slavery into new territories, emphasizing states' rights, property rights, and the economic benefits of slavery. The compelling nature of each side's arguments depended on one's perspective and values regarding slavery, race, and the role of government in regulating labor and property rights.