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Making of America, Black Americans

Total questions: 60

Worksheet time: 37mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which 2 of these statements are correct about the economic differences between the North and South?

a)

The nature of the land and work in the North was more suited to keeping a workforce of enslaved people.

b)

Businessmen in the North were against slavery as they believed it gave the South an unfair advantage

c)

The majority of businessmen in the North did not have slaves because they were abolitionists

d)

The nature of the land and work in the South was more suited to keeping a workforce of enslaved people.

2.

After the formation of the United States, which territory did slavery first expand into?

a)

The Northwest Territory

b)

The Southwest Territory

c)

The Louisiana Territory

d)

The Western Territories

3.

When the Constitution of the United States was drawn up, the number of Representatives in Congress a State was entitled to depended on its population. How much was it agreed that slaves were worth, when calculating this population?

a)

Two-thirds of a person.

b)

Three-quarters of a person

c)

Three-fifths of a person

d)

Half a person

4.

What was the 'Territorial Compromise' of 1780?

a)

This allowed slavery to spread into every new territory that the USA expanded into after 1780.

b)

This banned slavery in all new territories after 1780.

c)

This banned slavery in the Northwest Territory after 1780, but allowed slavery in the Southwest Territory.

d)

This allowed slavery in the Northwest Territory after 1780, but banned slavery in the Southwest Territory.

5.

Which 2 of these States were Slave owning States by 1800?

a)

Georgia

b)

Rhode Island

c)

Connecticut

d)

Virginia

6.

Which 3 statements are incorrect with regards to the 'Cotton Gin'?

a)

The Cotton Gin sped up the cleaning of cotton by around 50 times meaning cotton could be processed faster.

b)

The cotton gin helped plantation owners grow more cotton as it helped slaves to harvest more cotton from the plants

c)

The cotton gin made life harder for slaves because now they were needed to pick cotton more quickly.

d)

The cotton gin made life easier for slaves because it reduced the amount of hard work they needed to do.

e)

The cotton gin increased slavery, as a more seed filled variety of cotton could be grown, which grew in hot areas that cotton had not grown well previously.

7.

Which of the following 2 States were new slave states formed from the Southwest Territory?

a)

Georgia

b)

Missouri

c)

Alabama

d)

Mississippi

e)

Illinois

8.

What is the correct date of the 'Missouri Compromise'?

a)

1803

b)

1820

c)

1830

d)

1862

9.

Which 3 statements are correct as regards the 'Missouri Compromise'?

a)

The free state of Maine joined the USA in 1820, to balance out the new slave state of Missouri.

b)

Slavery was to be allowed in the whole of the Louisiana Purchase

c)

Slavery was to be allowed in the the new state of Missouri in 1821, and in all of the Louisiana purchase south of its southern border.

d)

Slavery was not allowed in any of the Louisiana Purchase.

e)

Any new states created in the future, to the north and northwest of Missouri would not be allowed to have slavery

10.

Who was Charles Deslondes?

a)

He was a freed slave who escaped to the North in 1811 and who became an abolitionist

b)

He was an educated slave who escaped in 1811 and wrote about his experiences

c)

He was a white abolitionist who lost his life in the South campaigning against slavery in 1811

d)

He was a slave who after a failed major revolt in the south in 1811, had his hands cut off, was shot and also set alight

11.

What was the 'Colonization Society'?

a)

It was an abolitionist group who wanted to free slaves and allow the to colonize new states further west

b)

It was an abolitionist group, who wanted to 'colonize' slave states with abolitionists and then get rid of slavery

c)

It was an abolitionist group who wanted to free the slaves and let them live in the North

d)

It was an abolitionist group who wanted to free slaves and send them back to Africa

12.

Which 3 statements are correct about David Walker?

a)

He was a white abolitionist who published a pamphlet calling for slaves to rise up against those that tried to enslave them

b)

Anyone in the South found with a copy of David Walker's essays was put to death

c)

David Walker was supported by the majority of abolitionists in the North

d)

Many white abolitionists viewed David Walker as a dangerous extremist

e)

He was a black abolitionist who published a pamphlet calling for slaves to rise up against those that tried to enslave them

13.

What did a federal (or nationwide) law decree in 1793?

a)

It decreed that any person in the North could be sent to the South if a Judge agreed that person was a runaway slave

b)

It decreed that any slave who escaped to the North was free

c)

It decreed that slavery was not to be allowed in any new states to the USA after that date

d)

It decreed that slavery was wrong and should be abolished throughout the United States

14.

Which were the 3 main crops grown on Plantations in the South?

a)

Potatoes

b)

Rice

c)

Cotton

d)

Tobacco

e)

Silk

15.

What are the 2 main reasons many in the North profited from slavery?

a)

The majority of cotton mills and factories were in the North, profiting from cheap cotton produced in the South

b)

Rich businessmen in the North put a lot of money into investing into Plantations

c)

Factories in the North still used Slave labour

d)

People in the North traded black people as slaves to the south

16.

How many slaves were there in the USA when it was formed in 1789, and what had this grown to by 1850?

a)

320,000, growing to 1.5 million

b)

320,000, growing to 3.2 million

c)

700,000, growing to 1.5 million

d)

700,000, growing to 3.2 million

e)

700,000, growing to 4.5 million

17.

How many slaves were there in 1850, and what was their approximate market value?

a)

1.5 million slaves, $1.3 Billion

b)

2.2 million slaves, $2.3 Billion

c)

3.2 million slaves, $1.3 Billion

d)

4.5 million slaves, $2.3 Billion

18.

Which 2 statements are correct in showing how Andrew Jackson gave a boost to the slave trade between 1829 and 1837?

a)

He was the inventor of the Cotton Gin, which ended up expanding the need for more slaves

b)

As President he allowed banks to lend more money to help cotton investors to expand.

c)

As President he introduced the Indian Removal Act; this removed the Indians from the southeast enabling plantations to spread.

d)

He was the person who developed the 'pushing system' that with the Cotton Gin, expanded the need for more slaves

19.

Who was William Lloyd Garrison?

a)

He wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' in 1851, a novel that told the horrors of slavery and sold 2 million copies

b)

He was an escaped slave who became highly educated and traveled the the World giving lectures and writing essays raising awareness about slavery

c)

He formed the Newspaper, 'The Liberator', that spread abolitionist views across the country; he also helped form the 'National Anti-Slavery Society' which had 250,000 members by 1840, and frequently petitioned congress.

d)

He helped form the 'Underground Railroad', which was a secret organisation that used safe routes and safe houses to help slaves escape their masters and smuggle them to freedom

20.

Who was Harriet Beecher-Stowe ?

a)

She wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' in 1851, a novel that told the horrors of slavery and sold 2 million copies

b)

She was an escaped slave who became highly educated and traveled the the World giving lectures and writing essays raising awareness about slavery

c)

She formed the Newspaper, 'The Liberator', that spread abolitionist views across the country; he also helped form the 'National Anti-Slavery Society' which had 250,000 members by 1840, and frequently petitioned congress.

d)

She helped form the 'Underground Railroad', which was a secret organisation that used safe routes and safe houses to help slaves escape their masters and smuggle them to freedom

21.

Which 2 statements are correct about was Harriet Tubman?

a)

She wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' in 1851, a novel that told the horrors of slavery and sold 2 million copies

b)

She was an escaped slave who became highly educated and traveled the the World giving lectures and writing essays raising awareness about slavery

c)

She formed the Newspaper, 'The Liberator', that spread abolitionist views across the country; he also helped form the 'National Anti-Slavery Society' which had 250,000 members by 1840, and frequently petitioned congress.

d)

She helped form the 'Underground Railroad', which was a secret organisation that used safe routes and safe houses to help slaves escape their masters and smuggle them to freedom. She also led numerous missions to free slaves and lead them to safety

e)

She served as a scout, spy, guerrilla soldier, and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War

22.

Which 2 statements are correct about Frederick Douglass?

a)

He wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' in 1851, a novel that told the horrors of slavery and sold 2 million copies

b)

He was an escaped slave who became highly educated and traveled the the World giving lectures and writing essays raising awareness about slavery

c)

He formed the Newspaper, 'The Liberator', that spread abolitionist views across the country; he also helped form the 'National Anti-Slavery Society' which had 250,000 members by 1840, and frequently petitioned congress.

d)

He helped form the 'Underground Railroad', which was a secret organisation that used safe routes and safe houses to help slaves escape their masters and smuggle them to freedom

23.

Which 2 statements are correct as regards the main reasons that Southern States were losing their influence by the 1840's?

a)

Abolitionists had become very influential in the South

b)

The demand for cotton had reduced, affecting the economy of the South

c)

The population in the North was growing far more rapidly than in the South, meaning that they had more representation in Congress

d)

The USA was continuing to expand in the West and in 1846 Congress said that slavery should be banned in all new territories gained from Mexico

24.

Which statement is incorrect with regards to the 'Clay Compromise'?

a)

All states, territories and national government should accept and fully follow a 'Fugitive Slave Act' that made it their legal duty to capture and return escaped slaves

b)

California should enter the Union as a free (non-slavery) state

c)

The sale of slaves should be banned in Washington DC, the nation's capital

d)

New territories and states from then on should be allowed themselves whether to be slave states or free states

e)

It became illegal to kill your own slave

25.

Which 2 of the following statements are not true with regards to the Kansas-Nebraska Act

a)

The Act said that California should be allowed to enter the Union as a slave state

b)

The Act allowed these territories to vote themselves whether they wanted slavery or not

c)

The Act led to violence, especially in Kansas, where pro-slavers and abolitionists fought so much that the state became known as 'Bleeding Kansas'

d)

The Act confirmed that the territories of Kansas and Nebraska must not become slave states

e)

This Act overturned the Missouri Compromise which had said that these territories could not have slaves

26.

Which new political party was created as a direct response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

a)

The Democratic Party

b)

The Independence Party

c)

The Republican Party

d)

The Abolition Party

e)

The Nationalist Party

27.

How did the Supreme Court affect the lives of Black Americans, with their controversial 'Dredd Scott' decision in 1857?

a)

The court said that slavery was against the opening lines of the 'Declaration of Independence' that stated 'all men are created equal'

b)

The court said that slavery was illegal as it was 'an inhumane treatment of fellow human beings'

c)

The court decreed that 'states should be able to decide for themselves whether to have slaves or not' and that 'it was their duty to preserve the rights of individual states to decide their own affairs'

d)

The court decision said that congress had no right to ban slavery in the territories, as the Constitution gave every American 'the right to own property'

28.

Who won the Presidential Election in 1860?

a)

Andrew Johnson

b)

James Buchanan

c)

Abraham Lincoln

d)

Andrew Jackson

e)

Ulysses S. Grant

29.

What was the issue of 'states rights'?

a)

It was used by States in the North to state that they had the right to ban slavery in all new territories and states of the USA

b)

It was used by States in the North to state that they had the right to form their own country as the South had become an embarrassing burden

c)

It was used by States in the North to state that they had the right to secede from the USA if the South continued to push to expand slavery

d)

It was used by States in the south to state that they had the right to govern themselves and determine their own affairs; they could secede from the Union if this was threatened

30.

What was 'limited war'?

a)

This term said that the war should be limited to those states that wanted to secede (or leave) the Union

b)

This term was used because Lincoln was limited to what he could do for Black Americans; if he freed them immediately then he could lose support of the border states

c)

This term was used because Lincoln wanted to limit the amount of damage he did to people and property in the North and South

d)

This term referred to Lincoln wanting to limit the war as to how many states took part, so limiting the damage

31.

What happened to Black volunteers at the start of the Civil War, who wanted to join the US army?

a)

They were allowed to join and form their own regiments

b)

They were allowed to join the army, but not allowed to fight in the southern states

c)

They were not allowed to join the US army, as a law created in 1792 prevented them from doing so; Lincoln did not change this as he did not want to upset the slave owning border states who were in the Union

d)

They were not allowed to join the US army, as they were deemed 'unfit to fight'.

32.

What/who were contrabands?

a)

Contrabands was property such as land and buildings captured and seized from the South and given to freed slaves

b)

Contrabands were escaped slaves that were allowed to work for the US army, as they were legally held 'contraband of war', or seized property that they did not have to return to the south

c)

Contrabands were escaped slaves that were allowed to fight in the Union army as they had legally escaped the South

33.

What was the 'Second Confiscation Act'?

a)

This decreed that all slave-holding land in the South taken by the Union army, immediately became free with Slaves allowed to keep the land themselves

b)

This decreed that all slaves in the lands in the South became the confiscated property of the North

c)

This Act decreed that all white slave owning buildings and property in the South was to become the confiscated property of the Union States when those areas were defeated

d)

This decreed that any captured land was to be returned to the South as it was their property, as long as they agreed to end slavery

34.

What is the name given to the statement that Lincoln made that stated a Union victory in the Civil War would end slavery in the USA forever?

a)

The Freedom Proclamation

b)

The Abolition Proclamation

c)

The 'I Have a Dream' Proclamation

d)

The Emancipation Proclamation

35.

What date was the 'Emancipation Proclamation'?

a)

1st January 1862

b)

1st January 1863

c)

31st January 1863

d)

31st January 1864

36.

What is the correct definition of 'Total War'?

a)

The South was now going to give their total commitment to winning the Civil War because their right to keep slavery depended upon it

b)

Lincoln was in a stronger position and could now free the slaves and show there was to be no compromise with the South

c)

Every state and territory after 1863 were now involved in the war on one side or the other, so the total country was at war

37.

Which was the first black regiment formed by freed slaves, and on what date?

a)

The First South Carolina Volunteers, October 1862

b)

The First South Carolina Volunteers, January 1863

c)

The 54th Massachusetts Coloured Regiment, October 1862

d)

The 54th Massachusetts Coloured Regiment, January 1863

38.

Which was the first Northen black regiment formed and on what date?

a)

The First South Carolina Volunteers, October 1862

b)

The First South Carolina Volunteers, January 1863

c)

The 54th Massachusetts Coloured Regiment, October 1862

d)

The 54th Massachusetts Coloured Regiment, January 1863

39.

Which 2 statements are not true with regards to the treatment of Black soldiers in the US army, especially when compared to their white counterparts?

a)

Equal pay was granted after June 1864, after Black soldiers had protested and refused to accept pay until it was made even

b)

Black soldiers could not serve as officers at all during the civil war

c)

Only giving Black soldiers heavy labour duties or ditch digging duty was banned after June 1864

d)

Black soldiers were allowed to become officers after June 1864

e)

Black soldiers did not fight in any battles as they were seen as undisciplined and poor soldiers

40.

What did General Sherman manage to secure for the thousands of freed slaves who joined his army towards the end of the war?

a)

He managed to secure them full citizenship

b)

He managed to secure them 160 acres of land taken from ex-slaveholders lands

c)

He managed to secure them 40 acres of land taken from ex-slaveholders lands and a mule

d)

He managed to secure them work after the war as freed men

41.

Out of the nearly 4 million freed slaves, by 1864 how many needed government assistance and aid?

a)

520,000

b)

220,000

c)

100,200

d)

10,200

42.

What was the name given to the period after the Civil War from 1865-1877?

a)

Rehabilitation

b)

Retribution

c)

Reconstruction

d)

Restitution

43.

What was the 13th Amendment?

a)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that gave citizenship to all people born in the jurisdiction of the United States

b)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that said that the 'vote shall not be denied to any person on account of race, colour or previous condition of servitude'

c)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that banned slavery throughout the United States

d)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that decreed that 'All men are created free and Equal'

44.

What was the 14th Amendment?

a)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that gave citizenship to all people born in the jurisdiction of the United States

b)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that said that the 'vote shall not be denied to any person on account of race, colour or previous condition of servitude'

c)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that banned slavery throughout the United States

d)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that decreed that 'All men are created free and Equal'

45.

What was the 15th Amendment?

a)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that gave citizenship to all people born in the jurisdiction of the United States

b)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that said that the 'vote shall not be denied to any person on account of race, colour or previous condition of servitude'

c)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that banned slavery throughout the United States

d)

It was an amendment to the US Constitution that decreed that 'All men are created free and Equal'

46.

What were the 'Black Codes'?

a)

They were laws passed in 1865 that ensured black people were treated more fairly

b)

They were laws brought in by southern states in 1865 that limited the rights of black workers and limited their freedoms

c)

They were laws in 1865 that ensured Black people got the right to vote

d)

They were laws brought in by the southern states in 1865 that attempted to enslave black people as they had done previously

47.

Who were the 'Radical Republicans'?

a)

They were a group of politicians who went against President Johnson, as he did not do enough to punish the South and to gain rights for Black Americans

b)

They were a group of Politicians who wanted to radically alter the country, and split it in two, enabling slavery to continue in the southern half

c)

They were a group of politicians who thought President Johnson went too far did in punishing the South and in gaining rights for Black Americans

d)

They were a group of politicians who thought that Black Americans should be allowed to form their own states in the Western territories and be allowed to rule themselves

48.

Which group was formed in December 1865?

a)

The White League

b)

The Colonization Society

c)

The Ku Klux Klan

d)

The National Negro Business League

49.

Why were the 'Radical Republicans' able to change so much, so quickly?

a)

President Johnson eventually came around to their way of thinking, so radical changes could be made quickly

b)

A new President was voted in who supported their radical changes, enabling them to be passed quickly

c)

They had more than two-thirds support in the Senate and the House of Representatives, to over-ride any veto from President Johnson

50.

Which 3 statements are correct with regards to the Reconstruction Acts?

a)

Confederate states had to write new constitutions (laws), that allowed black Americans to vote, before they would be allowed to run themselves again

b)

Ex-Confederacy states were allowed to reconstruct their state, with them only needing to agree to ban slavery

c)

It banned all people who fought against the Union in the Civil War from voting

d)

Allowed people who fought against the Union in the Civil War to voting as long as they made a 'pledge of allegiance'

e)

State governments were removed in all ex-confederate states and the states were run by Union Generals

51.

How many Black politicians were there in the USA by 1868?

a)

500

b)

900

c)

1550

d)

2000

e)

3000

52.

Which 3 statements are correct as to why Reconstruction come to an end in the 1870's?

a)

Black Americans had full equality in the USA meaning Reconstruction was a success and was completed

b)

President Grant was more worried about economic problems, and decided that Reconstruction should finish.

c)

The Supreme Court brought in Laws protecting Black Americans from all forms of discrimination

d)

The Supreme Court made rulings that allowed the States to bring in unfair laws and practices such as segregation, as the Court said they did not have any power over elections at Sate level

e)

The 'Radical Republicans' had either died or had completed their term in office, so there was no political pressure to keep up the changes

53.

Which of the following 2 statements are incorrect as regards 'sharecroppers'?

a)

Sharecroppers had a lot of control over the land they farmed as they shared ownership of the land with whites

b)

White landowners could take away the land from the sharecroppers at any time, without having to state a reason

c)

The land was owned by whites, with Black farmers having to give two-thirds of their crops as rent each year.

d)

Sharecroppers shared the profits from farming the land equally with the whites who owned the land

e)

All voting was done in public, so if a Black sharecropper voted for someone the whites didn't like, they could be thrown off their farm

54.

Who were the 'Redeemers'?

a)

They wanted to redeem the sins of the USA by paying compensation to Black Americans and help them improve their lives

b)

They wanted to redeem the sins of the USA by helping Black Americans become educated, enabling them to improve their lives

c)

It was a name given to governments in the South, whose aim was to undo the 'damage' caused by the abolition of slavery and the process of Reconstruction

d)

The Redeemers wanted to educate whites in the South as regards the evil of racism and to help redeem them of their sins

55.

What kind of tests were brought into many states in the South, to try to prevent Black Americans from qualifying to vote

a)

Tests on American History

b)

Mathematics Tests

c)

Literacy Tests

d)

Citizenship Tests

56.

What was the name given to the law system that spread rapidly across the South in 1870, and remained well into the 20th Century?

a)

Black Codes

b)

Separation

c)

Reconstruction

d)

Segregation

57.

What was the nickname given to the system of racial segregation laws that spread across the south

a)

Jim Rook laws

b)

Jim Crow laws

c)

Chris Crow laws

d)

Black Codes

58.

Which 2 statements are correct about Ida Wells?

a)

She was a highly educated academic who gained degrees from the Universities of Harvard and Berlin

b)

She was a black American educator and author, who set up schools for Black students, and also set up the National Negro Business League

c)

While she was born a slave, she got an education and became a journalist campaigning about the poor quality of ecucation for Black children; she also highlighted the growing problem of lynching

d)

She was a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, (the NAACP), while also highlighting the great contributions Black Americans were making to the USA

59.

Which statement is correct about Booker T. Washington?

a)

He was a highly educated academic who gained degrees from the Universities of Harvard and Berlin

b)

He was a black American educator and author, who set up schools for Black students, and also set up the National Negro Business League

c)

While he was born a slave, he got an education and became a journalist campaigning about the poor quality of ecucation for Black children; he also highlighted the growing problem of lynching

d)

He was a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, (the NAACP), while also highlighting the great contributions Black Americans were making to the USA

60.

Which statement is correct about William DuBois?

a)

He was a highly educated academic who gained degrees from the Universities of Harvard and Berlin

b)

He was a black American educator and author, who set up schools for Black students, and also set up the National Negro Business League

c)

While he was born a slave, he got an education and became a journalist campaigning about the poor quality of ecucation for Black children; he also highlighted the growing problem of lynching

d)

He was a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, (the NAACP), while also highlighting the great contributions Black Americans were making to the USA