WorksheetsUS- A Divided Nation
Total questions: 60
Worksheet time: 1hrs 11mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Which of the following political parties was formed in 1848 for the purpose of banning slavery in western territories?
a)
Democrat
b)
Free Soil
c)
Whig
d)
Republican
2.
What compromise did Henry Clay propose for admitting Missouri to the Union?
a)
admit Missouri as a free state and allow slavery in all other new states from that time forward
b)
admit Missouri as a free state and Main as a slave state
c)
admit Missouri as a slave state and ban slavery in all other new states from that time forward
d)
admit Missouri as a slave state and Main as a free state
3.
Which statement summarizes the effects of the Missouri Compromise?
a)
It had little effect on the balance of slave and free states.
b)
It helped ensure a balance of slave and free states for almost 30 years.
c)
It triggered a sharp rise in the number of free states shortly after 1848
d)
It ensured a decrease in the number of slave states.
4.
Which of the following is an example of popular sovereignty?
a)
In 1837, Michigan becomes a free state because it is north of Missouri.
b)
In 1836, Arkansas becomes a slave state because it is south of Missouri.
c)
In 1849, California voters approve a state constitution that bans slavery.
d)
In 1846, the House of Representatives bans slavery in territories won from Mexico.
5.
What led to the violence in Kansas in 1855?
a)
the repeal of the Compromise of 1850
b)
the election of Abraham Lincoln as President
c)
the verdict in Dred Scott v. Sanford
d)
the rivalry between proslavery and antislavery settlers
6.
What effect did Uncle Tom's Cabin have on public opinion?
a)
Northerners, in general, became more sympathetic toward slave owners.
b)
Northerners, in general, became more opposed to slavery.
c)
Southerners, in general, began to see slavery as a moral evil.
d)
Americans, in general, lost interest in the issue of slavery.
7.
What was the goal of the Free Soil Party?
a)
to extend slavery in the western territories
b)
to give settlers free land in western territories
c)
to ban slavery in the western territories
d)
to help runaway slaves reach freedmo
8.
To what areas did the Missouri Compromise apply?
a)
lands in the Mexican Cession
b)
lands in the Louisiana Purchase
c)
lands east of Missouri to the Atlantic Ocean
d)
lands from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean
9.
Which statement best expresses the reaction of many northerners to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?
a)
"We don't respect this law, and we won't obey it."
b)
"This law justly protects the rights of property owners."
c)
"We disagree with this law, even though it does not affect us directly."
d)
"We agree with our southern neighbors that this is a fair law."
10.
Why did conflict arise in 1848 in western territories over the issue of slavery?
a)
Northern congressmen wanted California to enter the Union as a free state.
b)
Western states wanted to overturn a law that banned slavery.
c)
the Senate passed a law banning slavery in states where it was currently legal.
d)
The legality of slavery had to be decided in lands added from the Mexican Cession.
11.
Debates over which of the following caused violence to erupt on the Senate floor?
a)
the Dred Scott decision
b)
the Compromise of 1850
c)
the Missouri Compromise
d)
the Kansas-Nebraska Act
12.
Which of these generalizations BEST describes the effect of Uncle Tom's Cabin?
a)
The novel eased tensions between North and South.
b)
The novel further heightened tensions between North and South.
c)
The novel helped northerners understand why southerners supported slavery.
d)
The novel helped southerners understand why abolitionists opposed slavery.
13.
A runaway person
a)
fugitive
b)
martyr
c)
Border Ruffian
14.
How did the South react to Abraham Lincoln's election as President in 1860?
a)
To save the Union, southern leaders agreed to support the new President.
b)
North Carolina and Virginia seceded, followed by South Carolina.
c)
Seven southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America.
d)
Southern leaders called for a new presidential election to be held in the spring.
15.
The process of allowing people of each state or territory to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery was called...
a)
voter compromise.
b)
direct election.
c)
secession.
d)
popular sovereignty.
16.
Keeping slavery out of the western territories was the main goal of the..
a)
Free-Soil Party.
b)
Whig Party.
c)
Democratic Party.
d)
all of the above
17.
Uncle Tom's Cabin was an important book because it..
a)
caused people to support slavery.
b)
told a true story about slavery.
c)
supported southern slave masters.
d)
persuaded many people that slavery was wrong.
18.
What earned the territory of Kansas the name "Bleeding Kansas"?
a)
Slave owners in the territory had a reputation for badly mistreating their slaves.
b)
Residents of the territory fought over whether or not Kansas should join the Union.
c)
Pro and Anti-slavery forces fought violently over whether Kansas would be a free or slave state.
d)
The territory lost a large number of soldiers during the Mexican-American War.
19.
Stephen Douglas is most closely associated with the idea of..
a)
popular sovereignty.
b)
annexation.
c)
cessation.
d)
abolition.
20.
Which of the following best describes the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?
a)
The slave trade was banned in the nation's capital.
b)
African Americans who lived in free states were protected from being returned to slavery.
c)
African Americans suspected of escaping slavery & living in free states were required to return to slavery.
d)
Popular vote would determine whether African Americans suspected of crimes should be arrested.
21.
Which of the following used popular sovereignty to decide whether to allow slavery?
a)
California
b)
Kansas
c)
Lands gained from Mexico
d)
Wisconsin
22.
Who wrote a book about the cruelties of slavery that further divided the North and South?
a)
Harriet Tubman
b)
Harriet Beecher Stowe
c)
John Brown
d)
Roger B. Taney
23.
Which of the following was a point made in the Dred Scott decision?
a)
Congress could prohibit slavery in any territory.
b)
Slaves were property, even if they lived in a free territory.
c)
Slaves were citizens.
d)
All of the above.
24.
John Brown lead a raid on Harpers Ferry to get..
a)
boats to help slaves escape.
b)
help from trained U.S. military forces.
c)
guns for a slave revolt.
d)
southern support for antislavery ideas.
25.
The Republican Party was formed because...
a)
the Senate passed a law creating it.
b)
northern Whigs felt that their party was not diong enough to stop the spread of slavery.
c)
southerners believed that they had no voice in the national government.
d)
Abraham Lincoln proposed it
26.
Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 election for President because..
a)
the Democratic Party was split.
b)
he won the debate with Stephen Douglas.
c)
Jefferson Davis supported him.
d)
he won many southern votes.
27.
The Dred Scott decision stated that the U.S. Constitution...
a)
protected the rights of slaveholders but not slaves.
b)
protected the rights of African Americans as citizens.
c)
allowed Congress to prohibit slavery in any state or territory.
d)
allowed any person living in the U.S. to sue in federal court.
28.
Why did President Lincoln choose not to defend Fort Sumter with additional troops and guns?
a)
Lincoln decided that Fort Sumter was a small and unnecessary military post.
b)
Lincoln believed that even with extra forces, the Confederacy would still overtake the fort.
c)
Lincoln did not want a show of force by the military to cause other states to secede.
d)
Lincoln believed that the number of troops and guns already at the fort were enough to defend it.
29.
Why did South Carolina secede from the Union in 1860?
a)
A new law passed by Congress abolished slavery in every state in the nation.
b)
When Lincoln was elected, people in the state believed the U.S. government was working against the states interest.
c)
U.S. armed forces attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.
d)
All of the above
30.
Disputes over slavery in the 1840's and 1850's resulted in which of the following?
a)
the formation of new political parties.
b)
violence in Kansas
c)
the abolition of the slave trade in the nation's capital.
d)
all of the above.
31.
The __________ Act made it illegal to help runaway slaves
a)
Popular Sovereignty
b)
Fugitive Slave
c)
Homestead
d)
Intolerable
32.
During the debate over the spread of slavery into new territories, some of the leaders promoted the idea that political power belongs to the people. They called it
a)
the Dred Scott Decision
b)
the Missouri Compromise
c)
Popular Sovereignty
d)
the Compromise of 1850
33.
Which of the following Political Parties was formed in 1854 to combat the spread of slavery?
a)
American Party
b)
Republican Party
c)
Know Nothing Party
d)
Democratic Party
34.
John Brown's raid was a success: Several hundred slaves rose up against their masters
a)
True
b)
False
35.
How did the idea of popular sovereignty affect slavery in the United States?
a)
Slavery would not be permitted in unofficial states.
b)
State or territories would decide whether to permit slavery.
c)
Slavery would not be permitted anywhere in the country.
d)
The federal government wold have the last word on slavery.
36.
What did Harriet Beecher Stowe do to influence the debate over slavery?
a)
Push for the start of the Civil War.
b)
Expose the harsh reality of slavery.
c)
Accused the federal government of obeying the southern states.
d)
Attacked political figures who supported slavery in the South.
37.
In leading an armed resistance in Virginia in 1859 John Brown was attempting to
a)
steal weapons and bring them to local slaves.
b)
fight the work of antislavery supporters in Virginia.
c)
control the slaves that had escaped in Virginia.
d)
show his anger over the Dred Scott case.
38.
On the night of May 24,1856, five pro-slavery men were killed in Kansas. What is this event called?
a)
The Pottawatomie Masscare
b)
Brown's raid
c)
the Sack of Lawrence
d)
Shay's Rebellion
39.
Who did the newly seceding states elect as their president?
a)
James Buchanan
b)
Stephen Douglas
c)
James Garfield
d)
Jefferson Davis
40.
What did southerners fear after John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry?
a)
The raid would increase southern support for the antislavery movement.
b)
The slaves in the South would take a cue from the raid and lead their own attack.
c)
The federal government would soon declare slavery illegal in the South.
d)
The safety of the South was in jeopardy, and attacks from the North might occur.
41.
One result of "Dred Scott v. Sanford" (1857) Trial was...
a)
It created greater tension between the slave states and the free states.
b)
it allowed the resumption of the international slave trade.
c)
the creation of seperate-but-equal public facilities for whites and blacks.
d)
that it ended reconstruction in the Southern states.
42.
Which state was the first to secede from the Union?
a)
North Carolina
b)
Pennsylvania
c)
South Carolina
d)
Virginia
43.
Favoring one areas interests over the good of the whole country
a)
Republicanism
b)
Sectionalism
c)
Judaism
d)
Colonialism
44.
people who are against slavery are called
a)
Sectionalists
b)
Abolitionists
c)
Brownists
d)
Republicanism
45.
What area did pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups encourage people to move in order to vote on the issue of slavery?
a)
Kansas
b)
Nebraska
c)
Oregon
d)
Missouri
46.
What event led to hostilities between Mexico and America?
a)
The annexation of California
b)
The annexation of Oregon
c)
The annexation of Texas
d)
The annexation of Florida
47.
Why did President Polk say war needed to be declared in Mexico?
a)
To expand slavery into new territories
b)
To protect American citizens and property
c)
To spread democracy across the continent
d)
To establish Mexico as the 29th state
48.
How did President Polk justify his decision to go to war with Mexico to Congress?
a)
By claiming Mexico had invaded American soil
b)
By stating Mexico had refused to pay its debts to the U.S.
c)
By arguing Mexico had violated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
d)
By declaring Mexico had attacked an American warship
49.
Which treaty ended the Mexican American War?
a)
Treaty of Versailles
b)
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
c)
Treaty of Amarillo
d)
Treaty of San Jacinto
50.
What state was NOT part of the land obtained by the United States post the Mexican American War?
a)
Texas
b)
New Mexico
c)
Oregon
d)
California
51.
What created tense relations between Texans and New Mexicans?
a)
Unfair trading practices
b)
The U.S.'s desire for more land/ beliefs in Manifest Destiny
c)
Mexico treated TX better than NM.
d)
Texas & NM had a great relationship
52.
What started the Mexican American War of 1846?
a)
Border disputes over Texas and death of US Soldiers
b)
Mexico refused to trade with the US
c)
The US was trying to save Mexicans from a corrupt government
d)
The US was taking religious freedom away from Mexico.
53.
What word means to add or to join with?
a)
Treason
b)
Manifest Destiny
c)
Cede
d)
Annex
54.
Letter "F" is an area of land that United States acquired. What is the name given to this large land purchase?
a)
Spanish Cession
b)
Mexican Cession
c)
Gadsden Purchase
d)
Louisiana Purchase
55.
Letter "G" is an area of land that United Sates acquired. What is this small piece of land called?
a)
Gadsden Purchase
b)
Oregon Purchase
c)
Louisiana Purchse
d)
Texas Annexation
56.
What is a tejano?
a)
American living in Texas
b)
Mexican living in Texas
c)
African American living in Texas
d)
Captain in the Mexican army
57.
The Americans emigrating to Texas followed these laws established by the Mexican government.
a)
True
b)
False
58.
In February 1836 a Mexican army of 5,000 troops advance on a small Texan force barricaded in this nearby mission?
a)
The Alamo
b)
San Antonio
c)
San Jacinto
d)
Goliad
59.
Who won the Battle of the Alamo?
a)
Texas
b)
Mexico
60.
After the Battle of San Jacinto Mexico signed a treaty recognizing Texan independence. Texans elected this man president?
a)
Sam Houston
b)
William Travis
c)
Stephen Austin
d)
Jim Bowie
100 %
