Quizs Causes of the Civil War Slides Review

What was the main reason Dred Scott sued for his freedom?

• He wanted to move to a free state

• His owner had taken him to live in places where slavery was illegal

• He was promised freedom by his owner

• He was born free.

Answer explanation

The main reason Dred Scott sued for his freedom was that his owner had taken him to live in places where slavery was illegal before returning to Missouri. Scott argued that since he had lived in free territories, he should be considered a free man. However, the Supreme Court ruled against him, saying that he was not a citizen and that enslaved people were property, so he could not sue in court.

Who were the main candidates in the North during the Election of 1860?

• A) Lincoln and Douglas

• B) Breckinridge and Bell

• C) Lincoln and Breckinridge

• D) Douglas and Bell

Answer explanation

The main candidates in the North during the Election of 1860 were Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.

* Lincoln (Republican) was against the spread of slavery and wanted to stop it from expanding into new territories, but he said he wouldn’t abolish slavery where it already existed.

*Douglas (Democrat) believed in popular sovereignty, meaning each state or territory should vote on whether to allow slavery or not.

Even though Lincoln won in the North, many Southerners didn’t trust him and feared he would try to end slavery, which led some states to secede from the Union.

What does the idea of states' rights mean?

• To expand the power of the federal government

• To limit the power of the federal government

• To abolish the federal government

• To support the federal government

Answer explanation

States' rights means that each state should have the power to make its own decisions instead of the federal government controlling everything. Many Southern states believed they should be able to decide important issues, like slavery and taxes, without the national government telling them what to do. They wanted to limit how much power the federal government had over them. This idea was one of the causes of the Civil War because the North and South disagreed on how much power the states should have.

California joined the Union as a ______.

• slave state

• free state

• neutral state

• divided state

Answer explanation

California joined the Union as a free state. As part of the Compromise of 1850, California was allowed to enter without slavery, which made the North happy. In return, the South got the Fugitive Slave Act, which required escaped enslaved people to be returned to the South, even if they had made it to a free state. This compromise was meant to keep peace, but it increased tensions over slavery.

The Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott was not a ______ and could therefore not sue in the U.S. courts.

• slave

• property

• citizen

• resident

Answer explanation

The Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott was not a citizen and could therefore not sue in the U.S. courts. The Court decided that enslaved people and even freed slaves were not citizens, so they had no legal rights to bring a case to court. This decision also stated that slaves were property, and banning slavery in certain territories would violate slave owners' property rights.

The Tariff of Abominations was a tax passed by Congress in 1828 that favored _______ in the North but hurt the farmers in the South.

• agriculture

• manufacturing

• imports

• exports

Answer explanation

The Tariff of Abominations was a tax passed by Congress in 1828 that favored manufacturing in the North but hurt the farmers in the South. This means that Northern factory owners benefited because their products were cheaper than imported goods, while Southern farmers had to pay more for things they needed from Europe. The North liked the tariff because it helped their industries, but the South hated it because it hurt their economy. This disagreement increased tensions between the North and South before the Civil War.

Fill in the blank: Lincoln said he would NOT ______ slavery in the South, but many thought he would.

• abolish

• support

• expand

• ignore

Answer explanation

Even though Lincoln promised he wouldn’t end slavery where it already existed, many Southerners did not trust him and feared that he and the Republicans would try to get rid of slavery in the future. This fear led to Southern states seceding from the Union after he won the election.

What was the main purpose of the Missouri Compromise of 1819?

• To expand the United States territory

• To keep slave states and free states equal

• To abolish slavery

• To create new states

Answer explanation

The main purpose of the Missouri Compromise of 1819 was to keep slave states and free states balanced and equal. The compromise allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state, keeping the balance between the North and South.

It also created a rule that slavery would not be allowed north of the 36°30′ line in future states. This helped keep peace for a while, but later disagreements over slavery led to more conflict.

What was one of the main agreements in the Compromise of 1850?

• Expansion of slavery

• Agreement over slavery

• California joining as a slave state

• Abolition of slavery

Answer explanation

One of the main agreements in the Compromise of 1850 was an agreement over slavery. As part of the compromise, California joined the Union as a free state, which made the North happy. In exchange, the South got the Fugitive Slave Act, which forced escaped enslaved people to be returned to the South even if they had made it to a free state. This compromise was meant to keep peace between the North and South, but it caused more tension over slavery.

What does it mean for a state to nullify a federal law?

• To support it

• To cancel it

• To enforce it

• To ignore it