US HISTORY TEST FRQS

What change led to increased democracy during the Age of Jackson?

The expansion of suffrage, as many states removed property requirements for voting, allowing more white men, especially from the working and middle classes, to participate in elections.

What was another change that increased democracy during this period?

The introduction of nominating conventions replaced the congressional caucus system, allowing party members instead of elite politicians to choose candidates.

What event during Jackson's presidency reflects his tyrannical behavior?

Jackson's implementation of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which ignored the Supreme Court ruling in Worcester v. Georgia and led to the forced relocation of Native tribes on the Trail of Tears.

What event during Jackson's presidency shows him as a champion of the common man?

Jackson's opposition to the Second Bank of the United States, where he vetoed its recharter, believing it favored wealthy elites and redirected funds to state banks.

What action during Jackson's presidency is viewed both as tyrannical and a champion of the common man?

The Spoils System, where Jackson appointed loyal supporters to government jobs, seen as corrupt by some but as democratizing government by others.

What led to the emergence of the new two-party system (Whigs)?

Opposition to Jackson's policies, particularly his use of executive power and the destruction of the Bank of the United States, led to the formation of the Whig Party.

What is one major difference between the Whigs and the Democrats?

Whigs supported a strong federal government for infrastructure and industry, while Democrats favored states' rights and limited federal intervention.

What was the Whig plan in the 1836 election and its outcome?

The Whigs ran multiple candidates to divide the vote and force a decision in the House of Representatives, but the strategy failed as Jackson's successor Martin Van Buren won.

What drove the call for social reforms during the Age of Reform?

The Second Great Awakening, emphasizing personal salvation and moral responsibility, inspired activists to address issues like slavery, women’s rights, and education.

What was a significant development in women's rights during the Age of Reform?

The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, where activists drafted the Declaration of Sentiments, demanding equal rights including suffrage.

What was another important development related to social reforms during this period?

The temperance movement aimed to reduce alcohol consumption, forming organizations like the American Temperance Society to address its social harms.

What was one reason to annex Texas?

Manifest Destiny, the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand westward.

What was one reason against the annexation of Texas?

The fear of expanding slavery and increasing sectional tensions.

What was the most immediate cause of the Mexican War and its controversy?

The U.S. annexation of Texas and the border dispute along the Rio Grande, seen by some as unjust aggression to expand slavery.

What was a major consequence of the Mexican War?

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which ceded vast territory to the U.S. and intensified debates over the expansion of slavery.