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Causes of the U.S. Civil War

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 7mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which war gave the United States new territories that threatened to disrupt the balance of Free v. Slave states in the Senate?

a)

The War of 1812

b)

The Mexican-American War

c)

The Barbary War

d)

The War of the First Coalition

2.

Which of these proposed laws would have banned slavery in territories gained during the Mexican-American War?

a)

The Wilmot Proviso

b)

The Compromise of 1850

c)

The 3/5 Compromise

d)

The Oregon Treaty

3.

Which Political Party did Martin Van Buren win the Presidency with in 1836?

a)

The Whig Party

b)

The Free Soil Party

c)

The Democratic Party

d)

The Republican Party

4.

Which Political Party did Martin Van Buren run for President with in 1848?

a)

The Whig Party

b)

The Free Soil Party

c)

The Democratic Party

d)

The Republican Party

5.

Which state was admitted to the Union in the Compromise of 1850?

a)

Florida

b)

California

c)

New Mexico

d)

Texas

6.

Who authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

a)

Abraham Lincoln

b)

Henry Clay

c)

John Brown

d)

Stephen Douglas

7.

Which term refers to the belief that citizens of territories (like Kansas & Nebraska) should vote on the issue of slavery?

a)

Popular Sovereignty

b)

Abolition

c)

Reformation

d)

Martyrdom

8.

Which abolitionist rose to prominence in the violence of "Bleeding Kansas"

a)

Abraham Lincoln

b)

Sojourner Truth

c)

John Brown

d)

Frederick Douglass

9.

Which best describes the reason for the Republican Party's formation?

a)

Whigs and Northern Democrats wanted to end the spread of slavery.

b)

Free Soil and Southern Democrats wanted to appeal to a younger audience.

c)

Southern Democrats wanted to end the spread of freedom.

d)

Northern Democrats and Federalists wanted to end the spread of slavery.

10.

What was the outcome of the Dred Scott v. Sandford case?

a)

All slaves were freed

b)

Scott was freed, but the argument was ruled invalid.

c)

Scott was kept a slave, and all African-Americans had no legal rights.

d)

African-Americans were ruled to have legal rights, but Scott was kept a slave.

11.

Which best describes the economy of the Southern states during the 1840's and 1850's.

a)

A few large plantations supported an almost entirely agricultural economy.

b)

Industrialized cities produced textiles that were traded internationally.

c)

Major ports were built to focus on fishing.

d)

The military employed most Southerners, as they lacked other skills.

12.

Which abolitionist attempted to violently take control of a Federal Arsenal in Harper's Ferry?

a)

Frederick Douglass

b)

Dred Scott

c)

John Brown

d)

Stephen Douglas

13.

How many debates were held between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln during the Senate Election of 1858?

a)

1

b)

4

c)

7

d)

9

14.

Which of these States did not secede from the Union?

a)

South Carolina

b)

North Carolina

c)

Florida

d)

West Virginia

15.

Which was the first state to secede from the Union?

a)

South Carolina

b)

North Carolina

c)

Florida

d)

West Virginia

16.

With which party did Abraham Lincoln win the Presidency in 1860?

a)

The Whig Party

b)

The Free Soil Party

c)

The Democratic Party

d)

The Republican Party

17.

Which Colonel captured John Brown at Harper's Ferry?

a)

Robert E. Lee

b)

William Tecumseh Sherman

c)

William Henry Harrison

d)

Henry Knox

18.

Which of these men was selected to be President of the Confederate States of America?

a)

Stephen Douglas

b)

Roger B. Taney

c)

Jefferson Davis

d)

Abraham Lincoln

19.

Which event is considered to be the official start of the Civil War?

a)

The Battle at Fort Sumter

b)

John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry

c)

Bleeding Kansas

d)

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

20.

Who initiated the fighting at Fort Sumter?

a)

The Union Soldiers

b)

The Confederate Soldiers

c)

John Brown

d)

Andrew Jackson