USHC.2.CC & 2.E Sectionalism

How does this image foreshadow the Compromise of 1877?

• The image describes the goals of the Freedman’s bureau.
• The image shows Republican frustration with Reconstruction.
• The image shows the Democratic Party’s attempts to end Reconstruction.
• The image describes the ending of political control by blacks in Congress.
• The image predicts the victory of the Republican Party in the 1870 election.

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: How does this picture give hints about the Democratic Party wanting to end Reconstruction before the Compromise of 1877?

Correct Answer: The image shows the Democratic Party’s attempts to end Reconstruction.

Explanation: The Compromise of 1877 was an agreement that ended the Reconstruction era, which followed the American Civil War. This period involved rebuilding the South and integrating freed slaves into society as citizens with rights. The image showing the Democratic Party’s attempts to end Reconstruction hints that they were trying to regain control and stop the changes being made during Reconstruction. This foreshadows the Compromise, which ultimately led to the removal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending efforts to enforce the rights of freed slaves and leaving Southern states to govern themselves.

The era of Congressional ("Radical") Reconstruction can be seen as a failure because

• It prevented Southern states from holding elections.
• It punished all people in the Southern states equally.
• It resulted in the severing of ties with former European allies.
• It continued to allow former Confederates to hold most of the power.
• It did not adequately protect former slaves from having their rights violated.

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: Why was the period of Radical Reconstruction seen as unsuccessful?

Correct Answer: It did not adequately protect former slaves from having their rights violated.

Explanation: During Radical Reconstruction, the U.S. Congress aimed to rebuild the South and protect the rights of former slaves. However, many people in Southern states resisted these changes. Even though Congress tried to help former slaves become equal citizens, things like the Ku Klux Klan and unfair laws made life very hard for them. These problems showed that the government couldn't fully protect their rights, which is why this time period is sometimes seen as a failure.

Identify THREE statements that CORRECTLY describe the Election of 1876.

• Four states submitted two different electoral results
• Samuel Tilden lost the election.
• Brought an end to the Reconstruction Era
• Was the first Presidential election following the Civil War
• Result was decided by the Supreme Court

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: What are three true facts about the Presidential Election of 1876?

Correct Answer:

Four states submitted two different electoral results
Samuel Tilden lost the election.
Brought an end to the Reconstruction Era

Explanation: The Election of 1876 was highly controversial and complex. Four states, unable to decide on a single set of electoral votes, submitted two different results. Samuel Tilden, a Democrat, actually won more votes than his opponent, but he lost the election due to the decisions made about these disputed electoral votes. The resolution of this election effectively ended the Reconstruction Era. This resolution came through a compromise which led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, allowing Southern states to govern themselves and marking the end of efforts to enforce the rights of the newly freed slaves.

According to this map, which candidate for President received the most support in Southern states?

• Bell
• Breckinridge
• Douglas
• Lincoln

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: Which presidential candidate in 1860 was most popular in the Southern states?

Correct Answer: Breckinridge

Explanation: In the 1860 presidential election, John C. Breckinridge received the most support in the Southern states. Breckinridge was the candidate for the Southern Democratic Party, which had split from the main Democratic Party over issues like slavery. He was favored in the South because he supported the rights of states to allow slavery, which was a crucial issue for Southern states at that ti

Which statement about U.S. History is proven from studying this map?

• Slavery was not yet abolished.
• There were deep political divisions in 1860.
• The U.S. had not yet expanded to the west coast.
• Electoral votes are not as important as the popular vote.

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: What does this map show about the U.S. in 1860?

Correct Answer: There were deep political divisions in 1860.

Explanation: The map of the 1860 presidential election clearly shows how divided the U.S. was at that time. Abraham Lincoln won the election but wasn't even on the ballot in many Southern states because his anti-slavery views were strongly opposed there. Different candidates found support in different regions, reflecting strong disagreements across the country on important issues like slavery. This division eventually led to the outbreak of the Civil War.

This map represents a portion of the United States that existed following the passage of which of these laws?

• Compromise of 1877
• Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871
• Reconstruction Act of 1867
• Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: Which law came right before the way the U.S. looked on this map?

Correct Answer: Reconstruction Act of 1867

Explanation: The Reconstruction Act of 1867 set up the way the Southern states would be reorganized after the Civil War. This law divided the South into five military districts controlled by the U.S. army to help rebuild the government in those states. They were required to write new state constitutions, allow Black men to vote, and ratify the 14th Amendment to rejoin the United States. This map shows the South divided into military districts after the law was passed, reflecting the changes enforced during the Reconstruction Era.

"Black people are inferior to Caucasians. Blacks constitute a totally distinct group; they overshadow the country with the germ... of evil." - David Wilmot, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania, c. 1846 Based on this quote, why would Wilmot propose to keep slavery out of the new territory acquired through the Mexican-American War?

• He did not believe in the institution of slavery and wanted all humans to have equal rights.
• He wanted to keep slavery out of western states because enslaved peoples' religious practices could threaten the spread of Christianity.
• He did not want Southern politics to dominate new territories because he believed white laborers deserved to work without competition from slavery.
• He believed that enslaved people would form an alliance with Mexicans and try to take back over the territory acquired from the American victory in the Mexican-American War.

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: Why did David Wilmot want to stop slavery in the new land won after the Mexican-American War?

Correct Answer: He did not want Southern politics to dominate new territories because he believed white laborers deserved to work without competition from slavery.

Explanation: David Wilmot, a U.S. Representative, proposed the Wilmot Proviso in 1846 to ban slavery in new territories gained from Mexico after the Mexican-American War. Although Wilmot's quote shows that he held racist beliefs against Black people, his main motivation for this proposal was to protect white workers. He didn't want slavery to expand because he thought it would make it harder for white laborers to find work and feared that the South's pro-slavery politics would gain more influence in these new territories.

Done

How does this political cartoon satirically illustrate the secession movement?

• It demonstrates the secession movement led by Georgia as they take their shortcut to victory.
• It demonstrates the leadership of South Carolina in their efforts to break away from the economic oppression of the North.
• It demonstrates how South Carolina is leading southern states to expand the institution of slavery westward toward the coast.
• It demonstrates the reckless movement of secession by the southern states led by South Carolina toward the inevitable cliff of failure.

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: What does this cartoon show about the way South Carolina and other Southern states left the Union?

Correct Answer: It demonstrates the reckless movement of secession by the southern states led by South Carolina toward the inevitable cliff of failure.

Explanation: In the political cartoon, South Carolina is often shown leading the secession movement, symbolizing the first state to leave the Union. Other Southern states follow closely behind. The cartoon shows them marching or falling off a cliff, symbolizing how dangerous and reckless this decision was. It represents the belief that secession would lead to inevitable disaster, such as economic hardship or loss of unity, making the South weaker instead of stronger. The cartoonist uses humor to emphasize this point and criticize the leaders of secession.

Which of these statements is the most accurate explanation for why Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1868?

• Congress believed the Speaker of the House, Schuyler Colfax, should be President.
• There were many times in which Johnson clashed with Congress, not just one violation of federal law.
• Congress did not like the fact that Johnson was a Southern Republican and wanted him out of office.
• Johnson had done nothing wrong for almost three years, but when he accidentally broke the law, Congress wanted to punish him.

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: Why was President Andrew Johnson impeached in 1868?

Correct Answer: There were many times in which Johnson clashed with Congress, not just one violation of federal law.

Explanation: Andrew Johnson was impeached because he frequently disagreed with Congress over how to handle Reconstruction after the Civil War. Johnson, a Democrat, became president after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and wanted to be lenient toward the Southern states that had tried to break away. However, Congress, led mostly by Republicans, wanted to enforce strict rules. Johnson repeatedly vetoed laws passed by Congress, and they overrode his vetoes. The final issue that led to impeachment was Johnson's violation of the Tenure of Office Act when he tried to remove Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from office. This event highlighted their ongoing disputes, and Congress used it to start impeachment proceedings, although Johnson wasn't removed from office in the end.

Which of these was the main reason Andrew Johnson was not convicted after he was impeached?

• Senate Democrats blocked the vote from taking place.
• He resigned as President before the Senate could vote.
• The Civil War ended before the vote was scheduled to take place.
• Some Republicans did not want to upset the balance of government.

Answer explanation

Simplified Question: Why wasn't President Andrew Johnson removed from office after his impeachment?

Correct Answer: Some Republicans did not want to upset the balance of government.

Explanation: After the House of Representatives impeached Andrew Johnson, the Senate held a trial to decide if he should be removed from office. However, some Republican senators voted to keep him in office because they were worried that removing a sitting president could create a dangerous precedent and destabilize the government. They feared it might become too easy to remove future presidents just because of political disagreements, so Johnson remained in office, surviving by just one vote.