Do No Quiz: Understanding the Gadsden Purchase

What was the primary purpose of the Gadsden Purchase of 1853?

• To establish a new state in the Southwest

• To acquire land from Mexico for a southern transcontinental railroad route

• To resolve a border dispute between Texas and New Mexico

• To expand American farming territory in the Southwest

How did the Gadsden Purchase affect the boundary between the United States and Mexico?

• It moved the border northward, giving Mexico more territory

• It extended the U.S. border eastward into present-day Texas

• It added approximately 29,670 square miles to the southern portions of present-day Arizona and New Mexico

• It established the Rio Grande as the official border between the two nations

Which U.S. diplomat negotiated the Gadsden Purchase with Mexico?

• John C. Frémont

• James Gadsden

• Stephen Douglas

• John C. Calhoun

How much did the United States pay Mexico for the land acquired in the Gadsden Purchase?

• $5 million

• $18 million

• $10 million

• $15 million

Which Mexican leader agreed to sell the territory that became the Gadsden Purchase?

• Benito Juárez

• Porfirio Díaz

• Antonio López de Santa Anna

• Agustín de Iturbide

How did the Gadsden Purchase relate to the sectional tensions between the North and South in the 1850s?

• It was supported by Northern states because it expanded free territory

• It was connected to Southern interests in building a transcontinental railroad through slave-holding territories

• It was opposed by Southern states because it threatened to expand free soil territory

• It had no connection to sectional tensions and was purely a commercial agreement

Which present-day U.S. states were most directly affected by the territory acquired in the Gadsden Purchase?

• California and Nevada

• Texas and Oklahoma

• Arizona and New Mexico

• Colorado and Utah

How did the Gadsden Purchase differ from the earlier Mexican Cession of 1848?

• The Gadsden Purchase was a military conquest, while the Mexican Cession was a negotiated purchase

• The Gadsden Purchase was a smaller, negotiated land deal focused on a specific economic goal, while the Mexican Cession was a large transfer of land following the Mexican-American War

• The Gadsden Purchase gave land back to Mexico, while the Mexican Cession took land from Mexico

• The Gadsden Purchase involved Canada, while the Mexican Cession only involved Mexico

Why was a southern route preferred for a transcontinental railroad, which led to the Gadsden Purchase?

• The southern route passed through fewer Native American territories

• The southern route had flatter terrain and fewer mountain obstacles compared to northern routes

• The southern route was shorter in total distance than any northern route

• The southern route had already been partially constructed before the purchase

How did the Gadsden Purchase represent the concept of Manifest Destiny in American history?

• It showed that the U.S. was willing to use military force to expand its borders

• It demonstrated that the U.S. believed its expansion should stop at the Rio Grande

• It reflected the American belief in continued westward expansion and the drive to connect the nation through infrastructure like railroads

• It proved that the U.S. was focused only on acquiring land for agricultural purposes