Deck 13: The Continued Move West

Question 1

Which of the following is a true statement about the actions of the Mexican government in Texas in the 1830s?

A)It encouraged U.S. immigration to the region of Texas.
B)It lowered taxes to facilitate good trade relationships with the Americans.
C)It built military posts to prohibit further American settlement.
D)It helped the Americans to easily assimilate to the American culture.
E)It encouraged the practice of slavery.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

America's mountain men became so well known that their lives became entwined with the folklore of the nation.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The armed expedition that American rebels led into Texas is known as the Bear Flag Revolt.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Which of the following happened as Americans relentlessly moved westward across the continent?

A)Native Americans prospered as they assimilated to Anglo-American culture.
B)Western migrants found refuge from the Market Revolution.
C)The opening of the frontier kept alive the democratic promise that poor but free men could make it on their own.
D)They were able to avoid the issue of slavery in national politics.
E)They convinced their neighbors and Native American tribes of their peaceful intentions and anti-imperialist principles.

Question 5

_____ abolished the Mexican constitution and declared himself absolute dictator of Mexico.

A)Sam Houston
B)Santa Anna
C)Jim Bowie
D)Davy Crockett
E)James Bridger

Question 6

Many members of Congress feared annexing Texas into the United States because:

A)the nation of Mexico seemed to be much more powerful than Spain.
B)the government of Mexico raised taxes to curtail U.S. immigration to the region.
C)they feared Santa Anna who abolished the Mexican constitution and declared himself absolute dictator.
D)they were unsatisfied with Mexico's move to abolish slavery.
E)the Missouri Compromise which crafted a delicate balance between slave and free states would be disrupted.

Question 7

The Mexican cession to America at the end of the Mexican-American War enlarged the United States by about 500,000 square miles.

Question 8

It would be accurate to say that the early movement of Americans across the country to the West and early settlement there was at best haphazard.

Question 9

The term manifest destiny reflected a much older American belief that God meant for the United States to dominate the North American continent, bringing civilization to that great land.

Question 10

Which of the following is a true statement about the mountain men?

A)They mostly worked as miners.
B)They farmed the steep slopes of the Sierra Nevada and the Northern Rocky Mountains.
C)They used mountain meadows for grazing cattle.
D)They were notorious for robbing western settlers on highways.
E)They were explorers employed as trappers and worked as scouts for the U.S. Army.

Question 11

The Mormons strictly practiced monogamy.

Question 12

Who among the following did NOT have a territorial claim on the territory of Oregon?

A)The British
B)The Americans
C)The Spanish
D)The Dutch
E)The Russians

Question 13

The Fort Laramie treaty officially ended the Mexican-American War.

Question 14

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints became a new religious community during the Second Great Awakening.

Question 15

Britain immediately accepted the United States' offer to set the U.S.-Canadian border at the 49th parallel.

Question 16

Most of the early mining camp settlements went on to become major California towns and cities after the gold rush ended.

Question 17

The commander-in-chief of the new Texas army, under whom Texans rebelled and declared their independence from Mexico, was _____.

A)Sam Houston
B)William B. Travis
C)Jim Bowie
D)Davy Crockett
E)Stephen F. Austin

Question 18

Which of the following was true of Texas prior to its statehood?

A)Texas became a Mexican colony in 1810 after Mexico declared its independence from Spain.
B)Although Mexico had previously abolished slavery, Americans brought slaves with them in defiance of Mexico's wishes.
C)During the 1820s, Americans in Texas grew to outnumber Mexicans there two to one.
D)The new American settlers enrolled their children in the local schools so they could learn to speak Spanish fluently.
E)Many Americans in Texas assimilated into Mexican culture.

Question 19

Which of the following places was the most popular destination of westward migrants before the late 1840s?

A)Texas
B)Oregon
C)Utah
D)New Mexico
E)California

Question 20

Texas was a(n)_____ until 1821, when it became part of the newly independent nation of Mexico.

A)American colony
B)Russian colony
C)British colony
D)Dutch colony
E)Spanish colony

Question 21

Unlike most American settlers who went west, the Mormons went west because they:

A)wanted to take advantage of the transformations of the Market Revolution.
B)wished to seek a haven from religious persecution.
C)wished to pursue greater social freedom.
D)wanted to seek riches.
E)believed in the democratic promise that poor but free men could make it on their own.

Question 22

Which of the following was NOT one of the native tribes of the Western Plains that were collectively called the Plains Indians?

A)Arapahoe
B)Blackfoot
C)Cheyenne
D)Choctaw
E)Sioux

Question 23

According to the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851, the U.S. government:

A)agreed to pay cash restitution to the Plains Indians for disruptions to the buffalo grounds.
B)set aside a portion of land for the Sioux Indians.
C)relocated the Plains Indians away from a new transportation corridor that was ready to be used.
D)forcefully obtained an agreement from the Plains Indian tribes to give up a large part of their tribal lands.
E)agreed not to allow white settlers to make war against the Plains Indians.

Question 24

Which of the following was the primary reason for the Chinese presence in the West?

A)They wanted to set up temporary businesses, such as saloons, stores, and brothels.
B)They were awarded huge land grants in California by the new Republican leaders.
C)They wanted to seek a haven from religious persecution in China.
D)They were migrating to the American province hoping to cultivate cotton.
E)They wanted to mine gold, get rich, and return home.

Question 25

Mormon leaders advocated a move to the Great Salt Lake because:

A)it appeared that no other group wanted to settle there.
B)Brigham Young had read advertisements about the land there in various journals and it appeared that the people there were fairly liberal.
C)the area was technically Mexican property and the U.S. government had no jurisdiction there.
D)the Mexican government had entered into a treaty that stated the Mormons would be left strictly alone.
E)the Mormons believed that a divine spirit had shown Brigham Young the route that must be followed.

Question 26

Which of the following statements is true of the Mormon movement?

A)The founder of the Mormons was Brigham Young.
B)The Mormons spent about five of their early years of development in Commerce, Illinois, which they renamed Nauvoo.
C)Before their murders, Joseph and Hyrum Smith had advocated a move to the area of the Great Salt Lake.
D)Initially, Joseph Smith and his Mormon followers refused to practice polygamy while developing their sect in Illinois.
E)Despite serious efforts by the Smith brothers and Young, the Mormon congregation grew slowly and failed to prosper for the first few years.

Question 27

The Mormons found refuge in the area around the Great Salt Lake, in what would become the state of _____.

A)Texas
B)Oregon
C)New Mexico
D)Utah
E)California

Question 28

To ensure his positive legacy, President John Tyler:

A)pushed Congress to annex Texas through a congressional resolution.
B)concentrated on snuffing out any plans Britain had for reentering North America.
C)focused on living up to his campaign promise of bringing a northern state into the Union.
D)decided to intervene militarily in Oregon Territory so the British would withdraw from there.
E)demanded to be shown the exact spot upon which American blood had been spilled on American soil.

Question 29

Which of the following was the key focus of the parties in the presidential election of 1844?

A)The peaceable integration of the Mormons with the American settlers in Mormon territory
B)Snuffing out any plans Britain had for reentering North America
C)The abolition of slavery
D)The re-annexation of Texas, as raised by the Democrats
E)Gaining control of even more Mexican territory

Question 30

Which of the following events did NOT occur as a result of the discovery of gold in California?

A)About 80,000 fortune seekers arrived in California in 1849 alone.
B)Half of the migrants to California came from across the globe.
C)Many of the "forty-niners" ended up staying in California even if their searches for gold did not come to fruition.
D)Migrants to California formed diplomatic relationships with Native Americans.
E)Most of the booming settlements of the gold rush days later decayed into ghost towns.

Question 31

_____ was the successor of Joseph Smith who negotiated a truce so the Mormons could peacefully leave Illinois.

A)Sam Houston
B)Brigham Young
C)James K. Polk
D)Andrew Jackson
E)Stephen F. Austin

Question 32

Which of the following was the reason for Congress to organize Oregon as a formal American territory?

A)The killing of most of the Native Americans in Oregon
B)The settling of a border along the 49th parallel
C)The killing of fourteen settlers by a group of Cayuse Indians
D)The discovery of gold in this territory
E)The British deciding to move out of this territory

Question 33

Which of the following treaties was signed between the Plains Indians and the U.S. government?

A)Adam-Onis Treaty
B)Buchanan-Pakenham Treaty
C)Fort Laramie Treaty
D)Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
E)Treaty of Nanjing

Question 34

The Liberty Party was formed by people who:

A)supported the annexation of Texas.
B)were supporters of Henry Clay for president.
C)had become disillusioned by the Whig Party.
D)wanted James G. Birney to become president.
E)opposed the annexation of Texas.

Question 35

_____, a former Tennessee governor and congressman, became the most prominent spokesperson for the benefits to be gained from American expansion.

A)Sam Houston
B)William B. Travis
C)James K. Polk
D)Andrew Jackson
E)Stephen F. Austin

Question 36

James K. Polk's first action as president was to:

A)abolish the surge in slavery.
B)provoke the Mexican army into firing on the Americans.
C)gain control of even more Mexican territory.
D)snuff out any plans Britain had for reentering North America.
E)undercut Santa Anna and his men.

Question 37

The British slowly began to withdraw from the Oregon territory after:

A)the United States demonstrated its willingness to fight for the area.
B)the beaver population declined in that region.
C)several Native American tribes went on the warpath.
D)many more Americans settled in the area.
E)the French showed a renewed interest in the region.

Question 38

Which of the following happened in response to the admission of Texas as an American state?

A)Britain withdrew from the Oregon territory.
B)The Californians staged the Bear Flag revolt.
C)The Whig party officially renamed itself the Republican Party.
D)Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with the United States.
E)The United States declared war on Mexico.

Question 39

Which of the following was the main problem with Texas's becoming a U.S. state?

A)Independence
B)Sovereignty
C)Representation
D)Voting rights
E)Slavery

Question 40

Which of the following was an outcome of the Utah War?

A)A massacre of more than one hundred California bound migrants from Arkansas
B)More peaceful relationships between the Mormons and the federal government
C)The settling of the Mormons in Salt Lake City
D)The large scale slaughter of Mormon militia men
E)The peaceable settlement of Mormons with the American settlers in their territory

Question 41

_____ led an armed expeditionary group in what came to be called the Bear Flag Revolt.

A)Stephen F. Austin
B)William B. Travis
C)Joseph Smith
D)Abraham Lincoln
E)John C. Frémont

Question 42

"Fifty-four Forty or Fight!" referred to:

A)Tyler's decision to try to wait until 1854 to annex Texas.
B)Polk's campaign promise to gain exclusive title to the Oregon Territory.
C)the margin by which Tyler hoped to gain reelection.
D)Britain's determination to stay in the fight for the Oregon Territory.
E)a popular chant during the war against Mexico.

Question 43

Briefly explain the two phases of the Americans' westward movement.

Question 44

Describe the internal conflicts in Mexico that helped the Texans obtain independence.

Question 45

Write a paragraph on Joseph Smith and the origins of Mormonism.

Question 46

The _________ was by far the most powerful force confronting the American westward migration.
A. Liberty Party
B. Comanche Empire
C. Democratic Party
D. California Battalion

Question 47

The _________ gave the United States uncontested access to the Pacific.
A. Buchanan-Packenham Treaty
B. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
C. Adam-Onis Treaty
D. Treaty of Fort Laramie

Question 48

Write a short passage on the state of Texas before it was transformed into an American territory.

Question 49

The most contentious issue debated diplomatically between the Americans and the Mexicans before the outbreak of the Mexican War was:

A)whether Texas could legally separate from Mexico.
B)how much the United States should pay Mexico for the loss of its Texas territory.
C)whether Mexico would allow Texas to be annexed by the United States.
D)whether Texas was worth fighting for.
E)what geographical landmark should serve as the true border between Mexico and Texas.

Question 50

In the context of the war with Mexico, leading intellectuals such as Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Douglass, and William Lloyd Garrison:

A)opposed the war on the grounds that it would perpetuate slavery.
B)supported the war because they thought America would lose and the support for slavery in America would slowly die out.
C)supported the war because they thought that America needed the land, but they feared that slavery would expand even further.
D)opposed the war on strategic, political grounds.
E)opposed the war because they believed the United States did not have the economic resources to sustain such a war.

Question 51

_________ is today celebrated as one of the key African American mountain men of the Old West.
A. Joseph Smith
B. Nicholas Trist
C. General Zachary Taylor
D. James Beckwourth

Question 52

Which of the following did Polk hope to get from provoking a war with Mexico?

A)Full and certain ownership of Texas
B)Control of much of Mexico's territory throughout the Southwest
C)A morale boost by defeating the Mexicans handily
D)Recognition from other major nations of the world
E)Control of California, where gold had recently been discovered

Question 53

_________ was a Spanish colony until 1821, when it became a part of the newly independent nation of Mexico.
A. Oregon
B. Utah
C. Texas
D. California

Question 54

Americans developed four unique territories in the West between 1820 and 1844: Texas, Oregon, Utah, and _________.
A. California
B. Arizona
C. Nevada
D. Colorado

Question 55

The "Spot Resolutions," as proposed by _____, presented countervailing views on advocating America's manifest destiny.

A)Sam Houston
B)William B. Travis
C)Joseph Smith
D)Abraham Lincoln
E)Stephen F. Austin

Question 56

The term manifest destiny was coined by _____.

A)John O'Sullivan
B)William B. Travis
C)James K. Polk
D)Andrew Jackson
E)Stephen F. Austin

Question 57

Which of the following is a true statement about the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

A)Mexico ceded parts of Texas and Utah but retained its other territories in the West.
B)The border between the United States and Mexico was set at the Nueces River, which was 130 miles north of the Rio Grande.
C)The U.S. promised to vacate all of the territories it had occupied during the Mexican-American war.
D)The U.S. acquired Utah, Nevada, California, western Colorado, and parts of Arizona and New Mexico, all for $15 million.
E)Mexico became part of the United States for a brief period.

Question 58

Write a paragraph on the mountain men.

Question 59

Which of the following is a true statement about the Buchanan-Pakenham Treaty?

A)It designated the 49th parallel as the border between the United States and Canada.
B)It ended the Mexican-American war by advocating America's manifest destiny.
C)It denied the United States access to the Pacific.
D)It legalized slavery in California.
E)It organized Oregon as a free state.

Question 60

_____ was the term that expressed the idea that the United States was fated to possess North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

A)"Fifty-four Forty or Fight!"
B)Mormonism
C)Bear Flag Revolt
D)Manifest destiny
E)Spot Resolutions

Question 61

How did the annexation of Texas lead to the Mexican-American war? How did the war reshape the United States?

Question 62

Explain the five reasons why America's official interest in westward expansion surged in the 1840s.

Question 63

Why did white Americans begin settling west of the Mississippi River in the 1820s? Discuss the two general phases in which Americans' westward migration across the Mississippi occurred between the 1820s and 1860. What were the major consequences of the continued westward movement of Americans?

Question 64

How and why did President Polk work to secure Oregon? Discuss how the acquisition of Oregon helped fuel the expansionist fever and rekindle interest in the annexation of Texas.

Question 65

What did Americans mean when they used the term manifest destiny ? Why did this term resonate so strongly with Americans as they looked at the West?

Question 66

Explain the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Question 67

Write a paragraph about the significance of the 49th parallel.

Question 68

Describe the way in which the Mormons came to settle in Utah.

Question 69

Examine the migration of Americans into the Mexican territory of Texas. Why did the United States refuse to annex Texas after its independence?

Question 70

Describe the California Gold Rush.