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Political Tensions and Compromises in 19th Century United States Quiz

#1

Which event marked the beginning of political tensions between the North and South in the 19th century United States?

The Missouri Compromise
Explanation

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 aimed to maintain a balance between free and slave states, but it highlighted regional disagreements over the expansion of slavery.

#2

Who was the President of the United States during the Compromise of 1850?

Millard Fillmore
Explanation

Millard Fillmore assumed the presidency in 1850 after Zachary Taylor's death and played a role in the Compromise of 1850.

#3

Who was the President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War?

Jefferson Davis
Explanation

Jefferson Davis served as the President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, leading the Southern secessionist government.

#4

Who delivered the famous 'House Divided' speech in 1858, emphasizing the growing divide over the issue of slavery?

Abraham Lincoln
Explanation

Abraham Lincoln's 'House Divided' speech warned of a nation divided over slavery, reflecting the escalating tensions.

#5

Who was the president of the United States at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861?

James Buchanan
Explanation

James Buchanan was the President of the United States when the Civil War began in 1861, facing challenges in handling the secession crisis.

#6

Which political party emerged in the 1850s as a response to the tensions surrounding slavery?

Republican Party
Explanation

The Republican Party formed in the 1850s, opposing the spread of slavery into new territories and contributing to the intensifying North-South conflict.

#7

Who authored the book 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' which had a significant impact on increasing tensions over slavery?

Harriet Beecher Stowe
Explanation

Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' heightened anti-slavery sentiments by vividly depicting the harsh realities of slavery.

#8

What was the primary objective of the Wilmot Proviso, proposed in 1846?

To prohibit the extension of slavery into new territories acquired from Mexico
Explanation

The Wilmot Proviso sought to ban slavery in territories acquired from Mexico, heightening the debates on the expansion of slavery.

#9

Which legislation repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed settlers in the Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide on the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty?

Kansas-Nebraska Act
Explanation

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 repealed the Missouri Compromise and permitted popular sovereignty in deciding slavery's fate in new territories.

#10

Which political party emerged in the 1850s as a pro-slavery faction, advocating for the expansion of slavery into new territories?

Democratic Party
Explanation

The Democratic Party, particularly its Southern faction, supported slavery's expansion in the 1850s, contributing to sectional conflicts.

#11

Which event led to the outbreak of the Civil War, ultimately resolving some of the political tensions of the 19th century?

The Attack on Fort Sumter
Explanation

The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in 1861 marked the beginning of the Civil War, addressing some long-standing political tensions.

#12

Which Supreme Court case ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not citizens and had no standing to sue in federal court?

Dred Scott v. Sandford
Explanation

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) denied African Americans citizenship rights, exacerbating sectional tensions over slavery.

#13

What was the main objective of the Crittenden Compromise proposed in 1860?

To prevent secession by addressing Southern concerns about slavery
Explanation

The Crittenden Compromise aimed to avert secession by proposing compromises to ease Southern fears about the protection of slavery.

#14

Which legislative act allowed for the admission of Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state, maintaining the balance between free and slave states in Congress?

Missouri Compromise
Explanation

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 preserved the balance by admitting Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state, impacting the nation's sectional dynamics.

#15

Which Supreme Court case ruled that slaves were not citizens and could not sue in federal courts, while also declaring the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional?

Dred Scott v. Sandford
Explanation

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) held that slaves lacked citizenship rights, overturned the Missouri Compromise, and heightened tensions over slavery.

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