US History ACP Lap 3 Quiz

What does the US Constitution say to support slavery? Oppose slavery?

Oppose: “We the People of the United States…”

Supports/Oppose: “Importation of slaves is outlawed after 1808”

Supports: “population will be determined by adding freepeople & 3/5 of all other persons”

—if a person held in service escapes to another state, they will not be free, but will be given back to the owner

What is the relationship between States’ Rights and slavery in the US?

Some states began to outlaw slavery, while the South worked to protect & expand it

Relate the Northwest Ordinance and the Missouri Compromise.

Northwest Ordinance (1787) banned slavery north of the Ohio River and established rules for admitting new, equal states

MO Compromise (1820) drew the 36^o30’ line to divide free & slave states

Manifest Destiny

God-given right of the US to extend from coast to coast

Dox: List several arguments for and against Manifest Destiny.

For: more land & resources for small farmers, liberty, spreading democracy & civilization, fewer neighbors who will attack
Against: taking others’ land, resources, culture, & basic human rights

Contrast the actions of Stephen Austin and Sam Houston.

Austin: tried to attract US citizens to settle in Texas in 1821

Houston: led the Texas Revolution against the Mexican gov in 1835, won independence at San Jacinto, became 1st president of the Republic of Texas

When Americans first moved into Texas, what was expected of them? Problems?

Expected to follow Mexican law (specifically no slaves)

Problems: settlers wanted to keep slaves, led to Sam Houston leading the Texas Revolution

How was the Republic of Texas created and why was it short-lived?

won independence in San Jacinto

Short-lived bc wanted to join the US right away but annexation was delayed over slavery balance issues & border disputes with Mexico

What 2 problems slowed Texas’ annexation/application for statehood?

Texas wanted to be a slave state, which would throw off the political balance b/w free & slave states in Congress

Texas wanted Rio Grande as border, but Mexico disagreed & Congress wanted to know what they were buying before risking war

Causes: Diplomatically, what did Polk try in order to gain California?

give Mexico $30 million

Causes: What happened when US troops were ordered to the Rio Grande? Why?

they crossed Mexico’s border without knowing because there was no established border separating Texas & Mexico

Course: New strategy/tech? Where fought? How did the US win the Mexican War?

flying artillery

fought in Mexican territory

Won bc the US captured Mexico City

Results: How did the US benefit from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (3)?

gained California, got a discount (only pay $15 million instead of $30 mil), got the border we wanted (Rio Grande)

After the war, what did the Wilmot Proviso try to do?

a bill in 1846 that tried to make all territory gained in the Mexican Cession free of slavery

Why did the Wilmot Proviso fail to pass into law (Congressional math)?

“balance” killed the bill

Southern states in the Senate had enough votes to block & kill the bill so they wouldn’t lose equal voting power to the North

Why would some voters support the Wilmot Proviso? Oppose it?

Support: to keep all new territory gained in the Mexican Cession free of slavery

Oppose: to protect their political balance in Congress

Why was California the 1st area of the Mexican Cession ready for statehood?

California Gold Rush caused 90,000 people to move to CA (met the population requirement)

Where was gold 1st found in CA and how did most people “strike it rich”?

Sutter’s Mill, Sacramento River

merchants made reliable profits selling overpriced supplies to miners, who rarely found much gold

What did Northerners support (2) in the Comp of 1850? Southerners (2)?

North: CA admitted as free state, no slave trade in DC
South: Fugitive Slave Law (illegal to help runaways), popular sovereignty in Utah & New Mexico, Congress won’t interfere where slavery exists

What is popular sovereignty and where was this allowed after 1850?

is a policy where voters living in a territory decide for themselves whether to allow or ban slavery

allowed in Utah and New Mexico

Who led Southern opposition to the Compromise? Concern?

John C. Calhoun

Concern: admitting CA as a free state gives free states control of the Senate, Northern majority could interfere with or abolish slavery

What was the Fugitive Slave Law and why did many Northerners object to it?

law that required free states to return runaway slaves

Objected bc it forced them to act as slave catchers against their conscience, denied accused runaways basic legal rights like jury trials, & brought slavery directly onto Northern soil

How did Manifest Destiny/ the addition of new states help cause the Civil War?

create division b/w Southerners & Northerners

slaves angry