US Military History Exam 1 Quiz Question

Why did we need an army during the “30 year peace”?

For the forceful removal of natives

Whose in charge of the trail of tears?

The US army

What was the biggest problem the newly formed United States of America had in terms of its military?

The ability to pay its veterans of the Revolution and facing their insurrection.

Which arm of the military is most useful/sees most action in the early stages of siege?

Artillery

The landward attack on Yorktown was fundamentally enabled by:

The French Navy driving off the British Navy so they couldn’t relieve the siege

How best can we characterize the role of African Americans in the American Revolution?

They served in large numbers and quite effectively with the American forces, while their service for the British was often just another form of menial labor slavery

After the initial assault, what was general Cornwallis his opinion about his own situation?

He knew all was lost and recommended to his superior in New York that they not bother reinforcing him.

Which famous American let the initial charge at the siege of Yorktown?

Alexander Hamilton

In the American revolution, who is the actual veteran who knows how to do modern warfare?

The Comte de Rochambeau

Once the initial to read outs were captured, what was the next order of business to continue the siege? (American revolution)

Dig new trenches to set up artillery to shell the main fortifications

The war in America from 1744 to 1748, also known as the War of the 1740s, pitted

Spain and France against the British

Men serving in the militia came from society’s

lower-class

The most important response to the dangerous military realities in the new frontier was

the creation of a militia system in each colony

Militia service had the problem of

the movement of men evading wartime service

During the French and Indian War, why did the British recruit white frontiersmen over Indians?

They saw the Indians as non-essential

Why did Indians prefer to trade with the English over the French?

The English had better manufactured goods

The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, marked the

surrender of French colonies to the English that had been attained through military force

When Europeans arrived in the New World, many Indian tribes recognized them as

potential allies

Why was it a great difficulty for England to win the American Revolution?

England had to occupy vast expanses of territory, a task beyond its military resources

Why did the British enforce the Navigation Acts?

to regulate colonial trade for the mother country’s benefit

In order to gain support from France or Spain, the Americans needed to:

openly declare independence, rather than reconciliation, as a goal against England

Why did the Americans emerge as a better fighting force after time spent at Valley Forge?

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben introduced them to a training system for standardization

What transpired at Lexington and Concord?

irate militiamen hemmed in the redcoats and fired at them from concealed positions, causing them to retreat

Why was the Proclamation Line seen favorably by Indian tribes?

it removed fears of illegal land purchases and encroachments by whites

How did the Ottawa chief, Pontiac, represent a new type of Indian leader in 1763?

he lead a coalition of tribes against whites in the Old Northwest

To combat the British more effectively, the Americans:

created the Continental Army

Successfully winning which conflict made Andrew Jackson a hero and later propelled him on to the Presidency?

the Creek War

By fighting England for a second time in the War of 1812, the United States

preserved its independence and gained new respect in the international arena.

Why were the Americans defeated at the Battle of Queenston Heights?

They were counterattacked after militia reinforcements refused to cross the Niagara River into a foreign country

General Winfield Scott’s training camp proved that,

under competent officers, citizen-soldiers could become quality troops without years of rigorous instruction.

Why was the Battle of the Thames in Upper Canada (Ontario) such a success?

The Americans had killed Tecumseh and captured most of British General Proctor’s army.

Why was the Battle of Bladensburg in Maryland a strategic victory for the British?

The victory opened way to the capital, where the British burned down the White House and the Capitol.

What Constitutional Amendment gave the states’ militia authority to protect them from invasion or domestic violence?

The Second Amendment

In 1812, the U.S. declared war on England, who had provoked the U.S. into war by

capturing and attacking its trade ships, and providing aid and arms to the Indians of the Canadian region

Why did Jay’s Treaty between the Americans and British, lead to the Quasi-War?

The treaty prevented war with England, making the Americans look like they were establishing an Anglo-American alliance.

During the Quasi-War, in anticipation of a French invasion, Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts.  Why was it instrumental in helping the U.S. defend itself?

It helped suppress internal opposition, created a 10,000-man Provisional Army to be raised in the event of war, and empowered the President to accept volunteer companies.

What were some problems that the Navy had in converting from sailing to steamships? 

engines were bulky, paddlewheels exposed their vulnerability, and sufficient room for broadside guns was difficult

What did a a U.S. Naval squadron consist of in the 1810s-20s?

one or two frigates, and a large number of smaller but quicker vessels

What features of the first half of the 19th century did armies in the Western world embrace?

it gave rise to dramatic increases in mobility and firepower

Why did the Army find it burdensome enforcing the trade and intercourse laws in Indian country?

upholding its laws made the Army unpopular with greedy settlers, traders, and whiskey vendors

The innovation that created thicker armor for the defense of ships, was also its setback.  Why?

the same innovation allowed for the creation of stronger guns capable of firing larger projectiles at a greater velocity

Why was the expedition of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark, from 1804-1806, so important to the U.S.?

the venture was the first federally aided expedition leading to the developing of the West

The unofficial alliance between the Navy and American commercial interests, between 1790 and 1860, produced what?

a mass of wealth that helped transform the U.S. into one of the world’s foremost economic powers

Which of the military’s technologies did Republicans consider as the nation’s sword and its shield?

ships would be the nation’s sword, and new fortifications would be its shield

Why was the battle at Fort Donelson a great victory for the Union?

it crippled Confederate logistics

Why was the North’s war-making resources greater than the Confederacy’s?

the Union could draw upon a large white population, enlist black troops and immigrants

The Civil War began with the major battles at:

Bull Run and Wilson’s Creek

By the end of 1861, the North could claim that its successes and failures had been:

holding the border states and benefitting from its sea power; and losing every battle fought to the Confederacy

Commanding Union General Winfield Scott proposed a plan to impose a naval blockade at the sea, control the flow of the Mississippi River, and send ground troops into the heartland of the Confederacy.  What was his masterplan called?

the Anaconda Plan

In what way was General Lee an opposite leader from the Union’s Commander, General McClellan?

he took risks and was dedicated to winning a battle through annihilation

In 1862, to command three simultaneous offensives, President Lincoln replaced all of his commanding generals except:

Commanding General Ulysses S. Grant

Which state is recognized as being formed during the Civil War, under the command of General George B. McClellan?

West Virginia

What battle did the South finally suffer its first defeat?

the Battle of Mill Springs

The President’s initial military strategy was a failure, because it did not bring Mexico to terms.  What measure did the President take in his new strategy?

to capture Veracruz and send an expedition from there into Mexico City

Why were the Mexicans confident that they could win the war?

they believed that the Northern states would not aid the South in war, slaves would rebel, Indians would seek revenge for removal, and logistical support would be impossible in Mexico.

In 1844, charges of imperialism were averted by the Democratic party, by implying that Oregon and Texas had once belonged to the U.S.  This idea captured the spirit of “Manifest Destiny,” a buzzword, linked to Presidential hopeful:

James K. Polk

Why did the President take it upon himself to coordinate the war effort?

he distrusted his commanding officers, and wished to circumvent their authority and successes

Why did the U.S. declare war on Mexico, on May 13, 1846?

The U.S. claimed that Mexico had initiated violent acts against troops stationed near the frontier.

Why was the President angry after hearing of the signing of an armistice that captured Monterrey, Mexico?

he believed that if Taylor had persevered, captured Ampudia’s army, and pushed further into the country, it would have probably ended the war

The President of the U.S. oversaw manpower mobilization.  What were his three key options? (Mexican War)

call out the common militia, increase the regular Army, and mobilize the volunteer militia

The Mexican-American War began over contested territory for:

Texas

Which of these is not a reason General Meade withheld black soldiers from charging the crater?

Actually he didn’t: he sent them in first

Why did congress pass the first income tax in 1861?

to help fund the extended war effort

Why was Thanksgiving dinner for the Union soldiers so significant?

The meal was a sign of support from norther citizens, and gave them a morale boost

Why did the South have trouble constructing a Navy during the Civil War?

the transportation system could not deliver materials to remote locations

Although the Emancipation Proclamation was feared to create much more resistance against the Union, it actually served as an effective means of weaponry through:

destabilizing the South’s economy and social system

How did the most well-known battle of the Civil War, Gettysburg, begin?

Confederate forces seizing shoes were confronted by a Yankee unit

How was Halleck’s assignment to the newly created position of Chief of Staff, beneficial to General Grant?

it relieved Grant of the burden to personally correspond with his department commanders

On March 3, 1863, Congress adopted a Conscription Act, which

gave Constitutional authority to the government to establish a bureaucracy for administering and enforcing the draft

On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law, freeing all slaves.  What authority did he base his decision on?

he based it on his war powers as commander in chief

How was the Battle of the Wilderness different from previous battles of the Civil War?

the battle lasted five weeks

What was an argument, used by the anti-militarists in Congress int eh 1860s and 70s, to NOT modernize the army and especially navy?

anything you built was outmoded in a few years

What was the main logic of why the U.S. did not need a navy to speak of n the 1860s-80s? (This was known as the 'constitutionalist' stance)

we were widely separated from any other naval powers

What did the incident if the USS Virginius demonstrate

That the U.S. had a feeble navy

Under Sec. of the Navy Benjamin Tracy, what was the fundamentally new stance that the U.S. adopted.

we need overseas naval bases

What was happening with the Indian Wars during the Civil War

They intensified as soldiers were brutal to the Indians

What happened to State militias in the South after the C.W.?

they were disbanded for fear of insurrection

Which of the following went in the favor of the U.S. Army in the Indian Wars

winter campaigning