wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Manifest Destiny and the Growing Nation

Total questions: 46

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the name given to the belief that the United States had the right and duty to expand 

across the North American continent?

a)

Manifest Destiny

b)

Monroe Doctrine

c)

Great Awakening

d)

Louisiana Purchase

2.

The United States acquired land in all of these ways except

a)

through war.

b)

through treaties. 

c)

through settlement. 

d)

through inheritance.

3.

 Before the early 1800s, which two countries claimed the Louisiana Territory?

a)

France and Spain 

b)

United States and Great Britain

c)

Russia and Mexico 

d)

Canada and Mexico 

4.

How did the Louisiana Purchase affect the United States?

a)

It led to war. 

b)

It doubled the nation's size. 

c)

it limited trade opportunities.

d)

  It led to the discovery of a water route across the country.

5.

What was one reason the United States wanted to acquire Florida? Andrew Jackson became so incensed that he cross the border into Florida.

a)

to increase the population 

b)

to end raids on Georgia farms

c)

 

to control the Mississippi River

d)

 

. to provide a short route to Europe.

6.

Why did some northerners oppose the annexation of Texas?

a)

Spain demanded too high a price for Texas. 

b)

Spain had a claim to Texas, and the United States did not want to become involved in foreign conflicts.

c)

Texas was too large to be admitted to the Union as one state and should be broken up.

d)

The admission of Texas would upset the free state slave state balance in the Senate. 

7.

Which of the following events occurred before Stephen F. Austin started a colony in Texas?

a)

Texas won its independence from Mexico. 

b)

Mexico declared independence from Spain. 

c)

General Santa Anna was captured. 

d)

The battle at the Alamo was fought. 

8.

Which of these was a campaign slogan in President Polk’s 1844 campaign? 

a)

 "Victory or death!"

b)

"Rough and ready!" 

c)

"54' 40 or fight" 

d)

"Remember the Alamo!"

9.

Which of the following was the primary incentive (reason) for settlers to travel to Oregon Country?

a)

Canadian citizenship

b)

gold deposits 

c)

fertile farmland 

d)

religious freedom 

10.

What was Mexico’s policy toward slavery in 1830?

a)

It was a debated issue between Mexican states.

b)

It was illegal. 

c)

Farmers depended upon it.

d)

 Mexico traded slaves for crops.

11.

Which of these contributed to the start of the Mexican-American War? 

a)

the Battle of Buena Vista

b)

  the election of James Garfield 

c)

the U.S. invasion of California 

d)

the annexation of Texas by the U.S. Congress 

12.

How was Mexico affected by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

a)

It gained valuable farmland.

b)

 It increased trade opportunities.

c)

It decreased its territory by half.

d)

 

It provided more jobs for citizens

13.

Which of these describes President Polk? 

a)

He did all he could to avoid war with Mexico. 

b)

He wanted the United States to increase its territory. 

c)

He worked to build friendships with border nations. 

d)

He bought land that proved to be of little use to the country. 

14.

What was gained through the Gadsden Purchase of 1853? 

a)

a good railroad route to California 

b)

a land grant to increase the size of Arizona 

c)

an end to illegal immigration to the United States 

d)

the end of a long border dispute with Mexico 

15.

Definition: the art of conducting negotiations with other countries 

a)

annex 

b)

manifest destiny

c)

 diplomacy

d)

 dual citizenship

16.

Identify the war with Mexico from 1846 to 1847 that resulted in Mexico ceding to the United States a huge region from Texas to California

a)

 Mexican-American War 

b)

Texas War for Independence

c)

 War of 1812

d)

  World War I

17.

Which challenge did Mexican Americans face when American settlers poured into the Southwest after the Mexican War?

a)

Mexican American communities wanted to celebrate Mexican holidays, but American settlers would not allow it. 

b)

Mexican Americans preached Roman Catholicism, but American settlers belonged to a variety of religious groups 

c)

Mexican Americans had essential skills to survive and flourish in the region and were forced to share them with Americans 

d)

Mexican legal ideas included community water rights and community property rights, but American legal ideas did not. (Spanish speaking peoples lost rights and property to American settlers)

18.

As a result of the population explosion of the “gold fever” years, California quickly became

a)

eligible for statehood

 

b)

richer than any other region in the country. 

c)

more populous than any other region in the country. 

d)

off limits to new immigrants.

19.

During the 1820s sectionalism grew in the United States. What is sectionalism?

a)

when citizens develop increased feelings of pride and devotion to their nation 

b)

when politicians become divided over the interests of the regions they represent 

c)

when the federal government places a group on a reservation to prevent conflict

d)

when the federal government places a group on a reservation to prevent conflict 

20.

In what way did the American System contribute to westward expansion? 

a)

By funding the construction of roads and canals 

b)

By providing a system for Americans to pay for the move west 

c)

By mapping westward routes for settlers to use 

d)

By allowing only Americans to settle lands to the west

21.

Arguments over which issue sparked the nullification crisis? 

a)

national tariff 

b)

economic depression 

c)

bank operations 

d)

the states’ rights doctrine

22.

What was a major difference in the settlement of Utah and the settlement of California? 

a)

Utah was settled by Mormons hoping to escape religious persecution. 

b)

Utah was settled in an effort to make the desert region’s land sustainable. 

c)

Utah was settled by eager prospectors looking to gain wealth by mining gold.

d)

  Utah was settled as a way to strike a political balance between the East and the West. 

23.

DeWitt Clinton's Big Ditch (______) was a transportation system that connected the Atlantic to the Great Lakes; it was completed in 1825 at the cost of 7 million dollars.

a)

The Erie Canal 

b)

The National Road 

c)

The transcontinental railroad

d)

The Oregon Trail

24.

Americans Main Street (______) was a transportation system that connected  Maryland to Illinois; and was a main path to the West for thousands of early settlers; construction began in 1806 and was completed in 1837.

a)

The Erie Canal 

b)

The National Road 

c)

The transcontinental railroad.

d)

The Oregon Trail

25.

When Mexico allowed Americans to settle in Texas,they had to agree to

a)

become Mexican citizens and join the Catholic Church.

b)

  serve in the Mexican army for one year.

c)

 

learn Spanish.  

d)

 

only settle in the northern part of Texas. 

26.

Which of the following statements about the Alamo is FALSE? 

a)

 It was the site of a major battle in the Texas Revolution. 

b)

Everyone at the Alamo was killed. 

c)

It resulted in Mexico giving up the fight for Texas. 

d)

It motivated American Texans to continue fighting, coining the phrase "Remember the Alamo." 

27.

What was the one of the main goals that Thomas Jefferson had for Lewis and Clark's expedition? 

a)

to search for water route to connect eastern US to Pacific Ocean 

b)

Peaceful interaction with the tribes

c)

Peaceful interaction with the tribes

d)

to create a claim to the Oregon Country

28.

Which word would be a synonym for relinquish or give up? 

a)

manifest

b)

annex 

c)

cede

d)

destiny

29.

What is the word that means to add territory to a country? 

a)

annex

b)

nullify

c)

cede 

d)

secede 

30.

Who did Mexico allow to start a colony in Texas, as long as he followed certain conditions? 

a)

General Santa Anna 

b)

Sam Houston 

c)

Stephen Austin 

d)

Davy Crockett

31.

Who lured General Santa Anna and his troops deeper into Texas and defeated them in San Jacinto? 

a)

James Bowie 

b)

Sam Houston 

c)

Stephen Austin  

d)

Davy Crockett 

32.

What did the United States NOT agree to in the The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 

a)

Protect Mexicans living in the newly acquired land

b)

 

Pay Mexico $15 million for the land acquired during the war 

c)

Return the Texas border to the Nueces River

d)

Acquire half of Mexico's land in North America 

33.

Why did The United States make the Gadsden Purchase? 

a)

Create a new Native American territory 

b)

To build a railroad 

c)

To gain access to precious metals

d)

 Gain access to valuable ports 

34.

Who had the campaign slogan "Fifty-four forty or fight"? 

a)

 Merriweather Lewis

b)

 Andrew Jackson 

c)

James Monroe 

 

d)

James Polk

35.

What country had a "joint occupation" of the Oregon territory with the United States? 

a)

Spain 

b)

England

c)

Russia

d)

China 

e)

France 

36.

Known as the "Great Pacificator" or "Great Compromiser" for his work on developing components for The Missouri Compromise.

a)

John C. Calhoun

b)

Henry Clay

c)

Daniel Webster

d)

Stephen Douglas

37.

The boundary line in the Missouri Compromise that separated the Louisiana Territory into potential slave and free territory.

a)

Parallel 36 30' North

b)

Parallel 54 40' North

c)

Parallel 42' North

d)

Parallel 90' North

38.

As a result of the Missouri compromise

a)

California entered the Union as a free state while Missouri entered as a slave state.

b)

Missouri entered the Union as a slave state but agreed to gradually outlaw slavery.

c)

Missouri entered the Union as a slave state but southerns agreed to no more slavery west of the Mississippi.

d)

Maine entered the Union as a free state while Missouri entered as a slave state.

39.

Which of the following was not a part of the Compromise of 1850.

a)

the Fugitive Slave Act was greatly strengthened.

b)

the slave trade in Washington, D.C was abolished. 

California entered the Union as a free state.

c)

California entered the Union as a free state.

d)

Slavery was forbidden above Parallel 36 30' North.

40.

The Fugitive Slave Act

a)

Broke the will of Northern Abolitionist 

b)

Convinced slaves that it was not worth attempting to escaped

c)

Strengthen the resolve of Abolitionists to fight slavery

d)

Ended the activities of the Underground Railroad

41.

What is Inflation?

a)

An increase in the price of goods & services in the economy as a whole.

b)

A decrease in the price of goods & services in the economy as a whole.

c)

Uncontrolled rapid fluctuations in the price of goods & services in the economy as a whole.

d)

A severe shortage of  goods & services in the economy as a whole.

42.

In current world events the __________ military and citizens are fighting a desperate battle to protect themselves from an invasion of Russian military forces.

a)

Iranian

b)

Polish

c)

Ukrainian

d)

Lithuanian

43.

The term Antebellum means

a)

Prepare for War

b)

After the War

c)

Protest the War

d)

Before the War

44.

In response to the “Tariff of Abominations' ' and the proposed entry of Californian as a free state. South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun threatens.

a)

South Carolina will secede from the Union.

b)

 South Carolina will agree to the majority opinion.

c)

South Carolina will abolish slavery to preserve peace.

d)

South Carolina will begin a campaign of targeted assassinations.

45.

Henry Clay was expected to win the 1844 election , however James K Polk's expansionist platform appealed to both North and South and he won a clear victory in the electoral college. Polk is known as the first _________ candidate.

a)

Unqualified 

b)

Dark Horse

c)

Smart

d)

Overqualified

46.

The attached political cartoon was drawn to depict which of the following ?

a)

Conflict between America and Spain about Florida 

b)

Conflict between America and Mexico about Texas

c)

Conflict between America and Russia about Alaska

d)

Conflict between America and England about Oregon