Pre-Civil War America Vocabulary Q

What was the "Spoils System" in American politics?

• A system where government jobs were given to political party supporters

• A system of taxation on imported goods

• A method for dividing newly acquired territories

• A voting system that allowed only property owners to vote

The "Trail of Tears" refers to:

• A route followed by gold miners during the California Gold Rush

• The forced relocation of Native American tribes from the Southeast to territories west of the Mississippi River

• A series of battles during the Mexican-American War

• The path taken by escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad

The Missouri Compromise of 1820:

• Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain balance in the Senate

• Granted Missouri the right to determine its own slavery laws

• Created the state of Alaska

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854:

• Created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska as new countries

• Extended the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific Ocean

• Repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed settlers to decide the slavery issue through popular sovereignty

• Banned slavery in all western territories

What does the term "popular sovereignty" refer to in the context of pre-Civil War America?

• The right of all adult males to vote in elections

• The principle that political power ultimately belongs to the penguins

• The idea that settlers in a territory should decide whether to allow slavery

• The direct election of senators by the people

In the Dred Scott v. Sanford case of 1857, the Supreme Court ruled that:

• Slavery was unconstitutional in all U.S. territories

• Slaves who escaped to free states were automatically free

• African Americans could not be U.S. citizens and Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories

• States could not enforce the Fugitive Slave Act

How did Eli Whitney's cotton gin impact the South?

• It made cotton production less profitable

• It reduced the need for enslaved labor on plantations

• It dramatically increased cotton production and strengthened the institution of slavery

• It helped diversify the Southern economy away from agriculture

The economy of Southern states prior to the Civil War was primarily based on:

• Manufacturing and industry

• Agricultural exports, especially cotton

• Mining and natural resources

• International trade and shipping

Which best describes the economy of Northern states prior to the Civil War?

• Primarily based on plantation agriculture and cash crops

• Focused on manufacturing, commerce, and diverse agriculture

• Dependent on foreign trade with Europe

• Centered around mining and resource extraction

The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, was significant because it:

• Connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River

• Provided a water route between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean

• Allowed Southern cotton to reach Northern textile mills more efficiently

• Created a direct shipping route between New York and England