American History Homework Five Answers - Student Seven

NatalieD-

1\. (b) He welcomed immigrants into the United States.

Correct.

2\. The Whigs opposed the Mexican war. They also opposed slavery, and they were in favor of a national bank.

A bit overstated about the Whigs' opposing slavery. They tended to oppose slavery, but not unanimously so. But your answer is OK because you added another correct point about the Whigs favoring a national bank.

3\. The war was caused by the large conflict between Mexico and the United States regarding Texas and its annexation. Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836, however, Mexico threatened war should Texas be annexed. When Texas was annexed, Mexico did not declare war but the relationship remained very tense. There were disputes over the border of Texas. Polk wanted all the land for the US, so he sent General Zachary Taylor and his troops to the disputed land. He tried to purchase the area but the mission failed. Polk told Congress that Mexico had attacked Taylor’s army on American soil, shedding American blood there. Congress then gave Polk the declaration of war. The war ended with the United States capture of Mexico City. The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was drawn up, signed, and ratified.

Good analysis.

4\. I think that Harriet Beecher Stowe one of the most important people between 1840 and 1860. Because of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, many more Northerners began opposing slavery. Many people in the North were ignorant about what was going on in the South, and the truths of slavery. Of course they knew about slavery and the hardships the slaves endured, but many never understood the extent of it until they had read Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which showed the true horrors of slavery.

Excellent answer!

5\. Bleeding Kansas was the term used to describe the bloodshed in Kansas. Popular sovereignty was pushed into law by Douglas in the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Almost immediately after this, civil war broke out in Kansas between the free and slave forces. A lot of the people did not like that each new territory made its own decision by a popular vote. Many turned to violence to end their arguments and get what they wanted.

Superb. Will use as model answer.

6\. This is a political cartoon from 1860. It depicts Stephen A. Douglas receiving a traditional "over-the-knee" spanking from Columbia as Uncle Sam looks on approvingly. It is most likely showing that the cartoonist thought Douglas’ sly “middle” standing on the popular sovereignty versus Dred Scott issue was terrible.

Terrific. Your writing style is superb also.

7\. No, I don’t think it would have been possible to avoid the Civil War. There was a lot of tension between the North and the South. Disagreements about tariffs caused much controversy. The issue of slavery was a huge source of conflict. The North was against slavery, and the South not only wanted slavery, but depended on it for their economy and agriculture, especially the production of cotton. The South’s economy depended on slavery. Without the war, slavery would have taken much longer to abolish. Also, the South would probably have seceded from the Union, and there would have been a lot of continual hatred between the North and South. Thanks to the war, the Union was preserved, slavery was abolished, and the enmity between the North and the South gradually ended.

Very good.

H2. The Compromise of 1850 was strongly supported by Henry Clay. It enacted several things. California was admitted as a free state. The South could bring slaves into the Southwest territories. Although slavery was not abolished in DC, the slave trade was. It also enacted tougher federal fugitive slave laws that were strictly enforced. And lastly, Texas was given 10M$ to pay off debt, in exchange for giving up some land claims and territories.

Good, and your reference to Henry Clay is superb.

H3. The Freeport Doctrine was articulated by Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln tried to force Douglas to choose between the principle of popular sovereignty and the United States Supreme Court ruling in the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, which stated that slavery could not legally be excluded from the territories, because slaves were property. Instead of making a direct choice, Douglas' response stated that despite the court's ruling, slavery could be prevented from any territory by the refusal of the people living in that territory to pass laws favorable to slavery. Likewise, if the people of the territory supported slavery, legislation would provide for its continued existence. By taking this middle standpoint and trying to appease both the North and the South, he lost the support of both.

Superb. Will use the point about Dred Scott in the model answers.

H4. I think that while John Brown informed the people about the evils of slavery and believed that he was helping his cause, he did this the wrong way. Although he may have helped spark more abolitionism feeling, killing pro-slavery colonists does not send the right message. Although action against slavery was good, Brown support of violent action did not help the abolitionist movement as much as it could have had it been less violent.

Excellent.

Perfect homework! Score: 100/100. Congratulations.--Aschlafly 08:08, 17 October 2008 (EDT)