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War with Mexico and California Gold

Total questions: 8

Worksheet time: 27mins

Name
Class
Date

1-15.

Answer the questions below after watching the video

1.

What event marked the beginning of the Mexican-American War?

a)

The annexation of Texas

b)

Mexican troops firing on U.S. soldiers

c)

The U.S. Congress declaring war

d)

Negotiations over land sales

2.

Which river did President Polk consider as the official border between the U.S. and Mexico?

a)

Mississippi River

b)

Nueces River

c)

Rio Grande

d)

Colorado River

3.

What was President Polk's main reason for provoking Mexico into war?

a)

To control the silver mines

b)

To expand U.S. territory

c)

To help Texas gain independence

d)

To gain diplomatic respect

4.

Who was the U.S. President during the Mexican-American War?

a)

James K. Polk

b)

Abraham Lincoln

c)

Andrew Jackson

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

5.

Which river was considered by Mexico as the true border with the U.S. before the war?

a)

Amazon River

b)

Mississippi River

c)

Rio Grande

d)

Nueces River

6.

What was the main reason Mexico cut diplomatic ties with the U.S. in 1845?

a)

Political instability in Mexico

b)

U.S. military presence in disputed territories

c)

Annexation of Texas by the U.S.

d)

Disagreements over trade tariffs

7.

Who was the U.S. Congressman sent to negotiate with Mexico before the war?

a)

John Slidell

b)

Henry Clay

c)

John C. Calhoun

d)

Daniel Webster

8.

What strategy did James K. Polk use to provoke Mexico into starting the war?

a)

Diplomatic insults

b)

Military positioning

c)

Economic sanctions

d)

Naval blockade

9.

Which battle did General Zachary Taylor lead that was crucial early in the war?

a)

Battle of Buena Vista

b)

Battle of the Alamo

c)

Battle of San Jacinto

d)

Battle of Palo Alto

10.

Which territory was not annexed by the U.S. as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

a)

California

b)

Nevada

c)

Florida

d)

Utah

11.

Who returned to Mexico to lead the army against the U.S. but later betrayed the agreement?

a)

Pancho Villa

b)

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

c)

Benito Juarez

d)

Emiliano Zapata

12.

What was the main outcome of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo for Mexico?

a)

Gained new territories

b)

Lost half of its territory

c)

Gained independence from Spain

d)

Established new trade agreements

13.

What was discovered in California that led to a major migration?

a)

Coal

b)

Copper

c)

Gold

d)

Oil

14.

What was James W. Marshall doing when he discovered gold in California?

a)

Building a sawmill

b)

Fishing in the American River

c)

Mining for silver

d)

Farming

15.

What was the significant effect of the California Gold Rush?

a)

Increase in Native American populations

b)

Massive migration and statehood for California

c)

Economic decline in the U.S.

d)

Decrease in migration to the West

16.

Which territory was NOT acquired as a result of the Mexican-American War?

a)

Arizona

b)

Nevada

c)

Oregon

d)

New Mexico

17.

Why did the U.S. and Mexico go to war?

a)

All of these answers are correct

b)

The U.S. and Mexico disagreed over their boundary

c)

America's continued desire to achieve manifest destiny

d)

The U.S. recently annexed Texas

18.

Who was the president that oversaw the Mexican-American War and territorial expansion of the US?

a)

Andrew Jackson

b)

James Polk

c)

Abraham Lincoln

d)

Thomas Jefferson

19.

Formally adding a state to your country is known as _____.

a)

providence

b)

annexation

c)

manifest destiny

d)

secession

20.

What was a significant impact of the Mexican-American War on Mexico?

a)

It doubled the size of Mexico

b)

It led to Mexico gaining territories in South America

c)

It resulted in Mexico losing about one-third of its territory

d)

It significantly increased Mexico's population

21.

The __________________________________________ lasted for two years. The treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the war and allowed the United States to buy 2 million acres of land from Mexico for $15 million dollars. The territory would include present day California and other southwest states.

a)

Gold Rush

b)

Mexican-American War

c)

Santa Fe Trail

d)

Texas

22.

What idea justified Americans' desire to expand west, which influenced the Mexican-American War?

a)

The Monroe Doctrine

b)

Manifest Destiny

c)

The Roosevelt Corollary

d)

The Marshall Plan