Topic 6 Test Flashcards
What migration pattern occurred because of the belief that the Great Plains was too dry for farming?
Most settlers headed to lands in the Far West. Now the meaning of the West is all the way to the Pacific coast.
How were American Indians in California affected by the creation of Spanish missions?
American Indians were forced to work at mission complexes. They were forced to herd sheep and cattle and raise crops for the missions, and forced to practice Roman Catholic faith. They got no pay and only food and clothing.
Why did the Mexican government think it was in its best interests to halt further colonization of Texas by Americans in the 1830s?
Mexico feared that the Americans would try to make Texas part of the United States.
How did Texans win their independence from Mexico?
Texans caught their enemies by surprise camped near the SanJacinto River. They captured Santa Anna and forced him to sign a treaty granting Texas independence.
What was the main reason Californians decided to draft a state constitution and ask to be admitted to the Union?
People were becoming greedy and murdering and robbing others for gold. Californians realized that they needed a strong government to stop such lawlessness.
Which phrase best defines the term ‘manifest destiny’?
The United States had the right to spread across the continent. Manifest means clear or obvious. Destiny means something that is fated to happen.
What was a major difference in the settlement of Utah and the settlement of California?
Mormons searched for religious freedom in Utah and wanted to be safe from persecution. People heard of the abundance of gold in California and moved there in hopes of becoming rich.
Which statement best explains how the conflict over the Tariff of 1828 was resolved?
South Carolina claims the right to nullify tariffs, but it backs down when President Jackson threatens to use force against it.
What weather pattern was most likely to be a concern to many settlers traveling on the Oregon Trail?
Snow
How did the economic success of the Erie Canal affect westward expansion?
It was cheaper and faster. The canal enabled timber and other goods to be shipped by barge from the Northwest Territory to New York Harbor. It helped connect western farms and eastern cities.
What were three of the effects of the Indian Removal Act?
American Indians needed to move out of their land and move west
Expulsion of thousands of American Indians from their homes
Slavery expanded to new places and more states and became more entrenched
What were some of the possible consequences of U.S. annexation of Texas?
Northerners feared that Texas would join the Union as a slave-owning state, strengthening support for slavery in the U.S. government. Also, President Jackson worried that annexing Texas would lead to war with Mexico.
Why did many Americans feel that the result of the 1824 election was fraudulent?
Because Adam’s had made a “corrupt bargain” after the 1824 election.
What is a negative impact of the spoils system?
It was corrupt and unethical. Critics accused Jackson of rewarding his supporters instead of choosing qualified men.
What caused an economic depression during Martin Van Buren’s presidency?
Banks started to fail because banks were loaning out more money than they had. So when Jackson ordered that anyone buying public land had to pay for it with gold or silver, banks were forced to close because they didn’t have the gold or silver to back up the paper money.
How did this message and the events at the Alamo affect Texans? ‘I shall never surrender or retreat…I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch [speed]…’ —William B. Travis.
The fall of the Alamo sparked Texan cries for revenge.
What were TWO causes of the Mexican-American War?
Mexico did not approve of the annexation of Texas. And both the United States and Mexico claimed the land between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River.
Which of the following was a result of the Mexican-American War?
Mexico had to give up New Mexico and California to the United States. In return, the United States paid $15 million.
Essay - Explain how the Supreme Court ruled against the relocation of thousands of American Indians to present-day Oklahoma.
In 1825, President Monroe said that moving all the American Indians to land west of the Mississippi. But nothing happened until years later, many white settlers wanted the American Indians out of the way so that they could use the land for farming. So Georgia tried to force a tribe, the Creeks, to give up their land. But in the case Johnson v. M’Intosh, the case stated that only the federal government could take land from the American Indians, not states nor individuals. But in the case Worcester v. Georgia, the Supreme Court said that no state had the authority to enforce its laws within Indian territory. Jackson showed that he only supported the case when it fit his purpose. He supported the states’ rights but then also defended the federal rights earlier. So Jackson had Congress pass the Indian Removal Act. This act forced American Indians to move west of the Mississippi River.
Essay - Why did so many settlers migrate west in the early nineteenth century? What factors made this mass migration possible?
The big reason so many moved west was because of the opportunity to start new lives. Meaning the idea of owning land, starting businesses, and religious freedom like the Mormons. The United States continued to grow and soon, the United States reached the Pacific Ocean in less than 50 years. With all this new territory, people were itching to go explore it. To get there, people heavily relied on rivers to get them to their destination. Steamboats helped carry passengers to where they wanted to go fast and cheap. Furthermore, the people who did go on land had a hard time because their wagons would break in the rough terrain. The roads were full of muddy swamps, tree stumps stuck up, and the roads were narrow dirt trails. People realized they needed better roads. Congress passed the funds to build the National Road. It ran from Cumberland, Maryland, to the Ohio River at Wheeling., Virginia. It continued to grow and people could now easily get farther west.
How did the mountain men help to open the Oregon Country to settlers?
Mountain men were the first people into Oregon Country. They used their knowledge of the land to guide settlers heading west.
Why was Independence, Missouri, an important place in the 1840s?
It was the starting point for the Oregon Trail
Name four effects of Andrew Jackson’s presidency.
The Spoils System - this was when Jackson would elect family and/or friends into office. This was corrupt and unethical. He chose friends and family instead of qualified men.
Nullification Act - Jackson passed the Nullification act because of the new tariff and calling it illegal. And when South Carolina disagreed, Jackson wanted the Force bill, which would allow the President to use the army, if necessary, to enforce the tariff.
The National Bank - Jackson hated the SEcond Bank of the United States. He thought it was too powerful and needed to be removed because he didn’t like the rich aristocrats. So Jackson cut off the Bank.
Panic of 1837 - Because Jackson closed the National Bank, state banks were printing and lending money without limit. So when Jackson said that you needed to pay for land with gold and silver, people went to exchange their paper money for gold but the banks didn’t have enough. So the nation fell into a depression.
Also, marked a shift of political power to the West, the growth in political parties and in citizen participation in the political process, and introduced political campaigns that appealed to common people and their concerns.
What are three characteristics that describe how pioneers on the Oregon Trail traveled?
They rode wagons, they walked, and children rode in the wagons. They started their day at 6 am and ended at 6 or 7 pm. Women cooked, washed, and collected fire wood. Men managed the teams and hunted but sometimes did the “women’s work”. People slept on blankets on the ground. It was a very dangerous journey.
