Read Chapters 11 – 15 in “The American Promise: A History of the United States” text and then comprehensively answer ALL the questions. Be thorough and direct in your answers. Do not generalize. Answer who, what, when, where, why, and the significance to the development of US history. The questions should be answered in at least one paragraph per question. Be precise and use Factual Information from the text and any other reputable source (do not use Wikipedia as this is not reliable). Answers must be in YOUR OWN WORDS. Do not directly quote but still cite your sources!
QUESTIONS:
1. Discuss the ways in which Andrew Jackson’s personality and political philosophy trickled down through the Democratic Party. Why was he so popular with so many people? One of the most significant issues facing the Jackson administration was the “Indian problem.” Discuss the Indian situation in the 1830s and Jackson’s response. How did evangelical Protestantism contribute to the social reform movements of the 1830s, and how did it relate to slavery?
2. Why did the U.S. become a leading industrial power in the 19th century? What led to the drastic westward expansion in the mid-19th century? Why was the annexation of Texas such a controversial issue, and how did it spark a war with Mexico? Why were women such prominent figures in many 19th-century reform movements?
3. Why did the 19th-century southern economy remain agricultural when the rest of the country moved toward industry? What types of resistance did slaves exercise, and why were there so few violent rebellions? How did cotton’s profitability shape the South’s antebellum development?
4. Why did the Fugitive Slave Act prompt such strong opposition in the North? How did the Dred Scott decision further divide the US? What prompted several southern states to secede after Lincoln’s election? Why did compromise (between the industrial North and agricultural South) fail at the moment of Lincoln’s election?
5. Why were the siege of Vicksburg and the battle of Gettysburg crucial to the outcome of the Civil War? What advantages did the South have? The North? Although he loathed slavery, Lincoln did not embrace emancipation until late in the war and with great caution. Why? The Civil War devastated both the North and the South. What common experiences and struggles did both sides encounter as they tried to cope with the ravages of war?