Question 1

Identify and state the historical significance of the Aroostook War.

Accepted Answer

The conflict over di

Question 2

When northwesterners questioned why all of Texas was annexed but not all of Oregon, Oregon settlement supporters such as Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri responded that

Accepted Answer

A)  Oregon was far more expensive than Texas to defend. 
B)  Oregon land was less desirable than that of Texas. 
C)  Polk and his supporters in the Senate were far more interested in Texas as a bulwark for slavery. 
D)  Great Britain was a far more powerful nation than Mexico. 
E)  None of these choices are correct. 
A)  Oregon was far more expensive than Texas to defend. 
B)  Oregon land was less desirable than that of Texas. 
C)  Polk and his supporters in the Senate were far more interested in Texas as a bulwark for slavery. 
D)  Great Britain was a far more powerful nation than Mexico. 
E)  None of these choices are correct.

Question 3

One goal of Mexico in its 1846-1848 war with the United States was to

Accepted Answer

A)  demonstrate the strength of Latino culture. 
B)  regain sovereignty over Texas and humiliate the hated yanquis. 
C)  capture slaves and take them back to Mexico. 
D)  force America to make good on unpaid claims of damages to Mexican citizens. 
E)  liberate Indians living in the Indian Territory where members of the Five Civilized Tribes had been forced to relocate by the U.S. government. 
A)  demonstrate the strength of Latino culture. 
B)  regain sovereignty over Texas and humiliate the hated yanquis. 
C)  capture slaves and take them back to Mexico. 
D)  force America to make good on unpaid claims of damages to Mexican citizens. 
E)  liberate Indians living in the Indian Territory where members of the Five Civilized Tribes had been forced to relocate by the U.S. government.

Question 4

Why did the insurrection in Canada during 1837 fail?

Accepted Answer

A)  Only a small minority of Canadians supported it. 
B)  Americans helped restore peace for the British. 
C)  French and English Canadians could not cooperate. 
D)  The British had superior military power. 
E)  It succeeded and led to a free Canada. 
A)  Only a small minority of Canadians supported it. 
B)  Americans helped restore peace for the British. 
C)  French and English Canadians could not cooperate. 
D)  The British had superior military power. 
E)  It succeeded and led to a free Canada.

Question 5

Assess the validity of the following two statements: "President James K. Polk was one of America's near-great presidents" and "President James K. Polk was a reckless, disingenuous imperialist whose foreign policies and pursuit of the Mexican War violated some the most fundamental egalitarian and republican principles contained in America's Declaration of Independence." Which statement most accurately captures the political legacy of President James K. Polk? Defend your argument with specific examples drawn from the key political events and debates of President Polk's presidency.

Accepted Answer

The validity of the two statements about

Question 6

Identify and state the historical significance of David Wilmot.

Accepted Answer

House member from Pennsylvania

Question 7

Britain was interested in developments in the Republic of Texas because

Accepted Answer

A)  an independent Texas was a potential counterweight to the future growth of a powerful United States. 
B)  Texas would be an important alternative source of cotton for the British textile industry. 
C)  Texas threatened British influence in Central America and northern South America. 
D)  British abolitionists were pleased that the Republic of Texas had outlawed slavery. 
E)  the British navy wanted bases at Galveston and Corpus Christi. 
A)  an independent Texas was a potential counterweight to the future growth of a powerful United States. 
B)  Texas would be an important alternative source of cotton for the British textile industry. 
C)  Texas threatened British influence in Central America and northern South America. 
D)  British abolitionists were pleased that the Republic of Texas had outlawed slavery. 
E)  the British navy wanted bases at Galveston and Corpus Christi.

Question 8

During an 1837 Canadian rebellion against Britain

Accepted Answer

A)  the United States stayed neutral in word and action. 
B)  the United States imprisoned several American violators of neutrality. 
C)  America was unlawfully invaded by the British. 
D)  Canada warned the United States to stay out of the conflict. 
E)  the U.S. government plotted to annex Canada. 
A)  the United States stayed neutral in word and action. 
B)  the United States imprisoned several American violators of neutrality. 
C)  America was unlawfully invaded by the British. 
D)  Canada warned the United States to stay out of the conflict. 
E)  the U.S. government plotted to annex Canada.

Question 9

Identify and state the historical significance of Winfield Scott.

Accepted Answer

A hero from the War

Question 10

The primary reason that the British government decided to compromise with the United States on the Oregon Country border was

Accepted Answer

A)  the support of the Hudson's Bay Company. 
B)  the British government's belief that the Oregon Country was neither politically nor economically critical to British foreign policy interests. 
C)  John Tyler's election to the presidency. 
D)  America's acceptance of 54° 40'. 
E)  the threat posed to British Columbia by an alliance of Indians and French traders and pioneers. 
A)  the support of the Hudson's Bay Company. 
B)  the British government's belief that the Oregon Country was neither politically nor economically critical to British foreign policy interests. 
C)  John Tyler's election to the presidency. 
D)  America's acceptance of 54° 40'. 
E)  the threat posed to British Columbia by an alliance of Indians and French traders and pioneers.

Question 11

Identify and state the historical significance of the Wilmot Proviso.

Accepted Answer

Never federal law, it was embr

Question 12

In his quest for California, President James K. Polk

Accepted Answer

A)  advocated war with Mexico from the beginning. 
B)  argued strongly for annexation, because Americans were the most numerous people in the area. 
C)  was motivated by his knowledge of gold deposits there. 
D)  sought British help to persuade Mexico to sell the area to the United States. 
E)  first advocated buying the area from Mexico. 
A)  advocated war with Mexico from the beginning. 
B)  argued strongly for annexation, because Americans were the most numerous people in the area. 
C)  was motivated by his knowledge of gold deposits there. 
D)  sought British help to persuade Mexico to sell the area to the United States. 
E)  first advocated buying the area from Mexico.

Question 13

Who became well-known for his "spot resolutions"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Abraham Lincoln 
B)  James Polk 
C)  John Tyler 
D)  Zachary Taylor 
E)  William Henry Harrison 
A)  Abraham Lincoln 
B)  James Polk 
C)  John Tyler 
D)  Zachary Taylor 
E)  William Henry Harrison

Question 14

Why did Polk feel pressure to annex California?

Accepted Answer

A)  rumors existed that Britain was closing in on a deal 
B)  Whigs were pressuring Polk to annex more land 
C)  Mexico was on the verge of returning California to Spain 
D)  Russian interests were expanding south from Oregon 
E)  Gold has been discovered in California 
A)  rumors existed that Britain was closing in on a deal 
B)  Whigs were pressuring Polk to annex more land 
C)  Mexico was on the verge of returning California to Spain 
D)  Russian interests were expanding south from Oregon 
E)  Gold has been discovered in California

Question 15

In the Oregon treaty with Britain in 1846, the northern boundary of the United States was established to the Pacific Ocean along the line of

Accepted Answer

A)  42°. 
B)  52° 40'. 
C)  54° 40'. 
D)  36° 30'. 
E)  49°. 
A)  42°. 
B)  52° 40'. 
C)  54° 40'. 
D)  36° 30'. 
E)  49°.

Question 16

To what extent was the Mexican War an avoidable and unnecessary war? Alternatively, how might the Mexican War be considered an inevitable war between America and Mexico that could not be avoided even if President Polk and the various Mexican governments had engaged in some difficult political bargaining and compromises during the mid-1840s? What diplomatic, military, and economic steps could President Polk and the Mexican government have taken to avoid war and why didn't they respectively or jointly do so?

Accepted Answer

The Mexican War was both avoidable and u

Question 17

In 1846, the United States went to war with Mexico for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  the ideology of Manifest Destiny. 
B)  moral indignation expressed by southwestern American expansionists following the deaths of American soldiers at the hands of Mexican crossing the Rio Grande in April 1846. 
C)  the desire to gain payment for unpaid damage tort claims by American citizens against the Mexican government for damages to Americans and their property in the Southwest. 
D)  the impulse to satisfy Congressman Abraham Lincoln and similar political allies in Congress to enact the so-called "spot resolutions" concerning alleged Mexican incursions into American territory. 
E)  Polk's desire to acquire California. 
A)  the ideology of Manifest Destiny. 
B)  moral indignation expressed by southwestern American expansionists following the deaths of American soldiers at the hands of Mexican crossing the Rio Grande in April 1846. 
C)  the desire to gain payment for unpaid damage tort claims by American citizens against the Mexican government for damages to Americans and their property in the Southwest. 
D)  the impulse to satisfy Congressman Abraham Lincoln and similar political allies in Congress to enact the so-called "spot resolutions" concerning alleged Mexican incursions into American territory. 
E)  Polk's desire to acquire California.

Question 18

Was there any validity to the charge that the Texas annexation and Mexican War were attempts to expand slavery? Why or why not? What were the political implications for the national debates on the abolition and the expansion of slavery in the United States and its territories following the annexation of Texas and after the American acquisition of the enormous area of land stretching westward from Texas to California and northward to Oregon as a result of the Mexican War?

Accepted Answer

The charge that the Texas annexation and

Question 19

Write your definition of imperialism. Then use this definition to argue that the United States was or was not an imperialistic nation in the 1840s.

Accepted Answer

Imperialism is the policy of extending a

Question 20

When the war with Mexico began, President James K. Polk

Accepted Answer

A)  advocated taking all of Mexico. 
B)  believed the British would intervene on behalf of the Americans. 
C)  hoped to fight a limited war, ending with the conquest of California. 
D)  supported a large-scale conflict. 
E)  denied any intention of expanding slavery. 
A)  advocated taking all of Mexico. 
B)  believed the British would intervene on behalf of the Americans. 
C)  hoped to fight a limited war, ending with the conquest of California. 
D)  supported a large-scale conflict. 
E)  denied any intention of expanding slavery.

Exam 16: Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy

Identify and state the historical significance of the Aroostook War.

When northwesterners questioned why all of Texas was annexed but not all of Oregon, Oregon settlement supporters such as Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri responded that

One goal of Mexico in its 1846-1848 war with the United States was to

Why did the insurrection in Canada during 1837 fail?

Identify and state the historical significance of David Wilmot.

Britain was interested in developments in the Republic of Texas because

During an 1837 Canadian rebellion against Britain

Identify and state the historical significance of Winfield Scott.

The primary reason that the British government decided to compromise with the United States on the Oregon Country border was

Identify and state the historical significance of the Wilmot Proviso.

In his quest for California, President James K. Polk

Who became well-known for his "spot resolutions"?

Why did Polk feel pressure to annex California?

In the Oregon treaty with Britain in 1846, the northern boundary of the United States was established to the Pacific Ocean along the line of

In 1846, the United States went to war with Mexico for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

Write your definition of imperialism. Then use this definition to argue that the United States was or was not an imperialistic nation in the 1840s.

When the war with Mexico began, President James K. Polk

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