Homework Five Answers - Student Twelve

Sean N. American History Homework 5

1. Two outcomes of the Mexican War were the expansion of American territory and it was also another cause of the Civil War. By expanding into Texas the United States cut off the Mexicans from migrating north and ensured all territories west of Minnesota would stay under American control. It was another cause of the civil war because Texas became a new territory right in the middle of a time when legislation was battling over where slavery should be legal. The free and slaves states were competing over control of Texas because if declared a free state much more antislavery voters would move south. The more antislavery voters that moved south the more unpopular slavery would become.

Good answer. I don't think there was much doubt that Texas would be a slave state, if admitted. The opposition by some in the North was to admitting a slave state.

2. The Whig Party was born and died in the time period discussed by the lecture. The Whig Party was formed for the sole purpose of fighting against Jackson and his party. After Andrew Jackson and his political allies faded from the public scene it makes sense that the party whose whole point of existence was to combat Jackson would also fade.

Right, but also mention the role that the slavery issue had in dividing and ending the Whig Party.

3. .

4. The reason for so many one term presidents is that the nation was becoming more and more divided. The South and North were playing King of the Hill with the presidential office and as soon as someone got there the other team took him down. The economy was also declining which meant the incumbent was more likely to lose. The public blamed the current president for the declining economy and voted for someone new.

Superb analysis with a colorful analogy.

5.

6. Lincoln thought Harriet Beecher Stowe started the war because of her controversial book Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The book is about a slave family which is torn apart by white slave owners and traders. The book tells about the horrible treatment black slaves suffered and most people who read it immediately felt strongly about the matter. That would have been a large amount of people because it sold 300,000 copies in the first year alone. This sudden awareness of the horrors of slavery fired people’s spirit and helped start the war.

Terrific answer.

7. “Remember the Alamo” was what the Texans defending the fort at Alamo cried the day before the final assault. Their cries were obviously heard because 175 years later the battle is still depicted as America’s Battle of Thermopylae. The battle of the Alamo was a thirteen day siege where the Texans defended against the Mexicans. Fifteen hundred Mexicans led by General de Santa Anna finally managed to take the north wall after their third assault. Fighting for the Texans was the former congressman and folk hero Davy Crocket and the commanders were James Bowie, of the famous bowie knife, and William B. Travis. Perhaps because none of the Texans were allowed to surrender or because of Bowie’s moving plea for reinforcements, the battle will always be romanticized as noble Texans dying for the freedom they held so dear. We did get our revenge though, news of the Alamo fired the spirits of other Texans and they rose up to defeat Santa Anna.

Excellent explanation, but I don't see how the cry of "Remember the Alamo" would be heard "before the final assault." Rather, it was a cry for the subsequent battle when Santa Anna was defeated by Texans.

8. I think my answer in class shared my views, if the Founding Fathers had done what was right in the first place and made slavery illegal in 1786 maybe the bloody war could have been avoided.

Right.

Honors

H1. Manifest Destiny.

I think Manifest Destiny was just what the Americans of the eighteen hundreds used to excuse their invasion of Native Americans territory. I’m certain almost all of the pioneers were Christian, I doubt very many people were moving west in the name of the Buddha, and I think it is highly improbable a Christian God of love and peace would advocate the horrible treatment of the Native Americans. They were carted up and shipped out on a Trail of Tears to dry infertile lands, and when they rose up to defend themselves they were cut down and massacred.

You make your point very well.

H2. Debate: Is it ever justified for a President to lie to Congress to accomplish a goal sought by Americans?

I think it doesn’t matter what Congress knows or doesn’t know, it is the President’s duty to do what the people ask of him. The government is for the people, the president does not have to do what congress tells him because Congress said so, he has to do it because the people tell congress what to do. In fact it would be unjustified if the President did what Congress wanted instead of what the people wanted, I think the president should lie to congress more often. An important reason for the presidency is so in times of crisis we can make quick and effective decisions; if congress debates for days about an issue no one will be able to solve the problem. The way to bypass the squabbling congress is to keep the decision secret.

Most students disagree with you about this, but you justify your argument with some excellent points!

H3. Until Grant became the general of the Union it looked like the South was going to win. Earlier in the war the South had won almost all of the conflicts. But since the North had a better economy they could sustain the war longer. The North beat the South the same way we won the Cold War: we had a better economy and more money. Except in a few situations, money always wins the war, because it gets you more allies, better weapons and more supplies. The reason the South’s economy failed is because they relied on the north and other countries for finished supplies, with the North blockading the oceans there was no way the south could trade.

Terrific, could become a model answer.

Grade: a perfect 90/90, one of the finest homeworks in the class!--Andy Schlafly 16:47, 13 March 2011 (EDT)