Homework Five Answers - Student 25

Johnny W.

1. Identify two of the most important outcomes of the Mexican war.

The two most important outcomes of the Mexican war, were:

a) The annexation of Texas.

b) The acquisition of the land that would become New Mexico and Colorado.

Good, but the two outcomes are closely related: more land. What were some of the non-land effects?

2. During the time period covered by this lecture, a political party became very strong and then disappeared. Identify it, and explain why it disappeared.

The political party that became very strong and then disappeared in this time period, were the Whigs, which were formed against Jacksonian politics. The reason that they disappeared was that they collapsed through disagreement on the slavery issue.

Excellent.

5. Lincoln thought Harriet Beecher Stowe caused the Civil War. What do you think?

I do not think that Harriet Beecher Stowe caused the Civil War, however, “Uncle Tom's Cabin” did have an enormous impact on the public's opinion. But I do not think that she caused the Civil War.

OK, but could explain why you do not think this was the cause. (Minus 1).

6. Explain the cartoon, and what you think the cartoonist's view was. The woman's quote begins, “You have been a bad boy, Steve, ever since you had anything to do with that Nebraska bill...”

This cartoon shows America (the woman), and Stephen Douglas (the boy being beaten).

Douglas is being beaten because of his urging of the Senate to pass the Kansas-Nebraska Act. I think that the cartoonist was an abolitionist, and disagrees with the Kansas-Nebraska act.

Good, although the cartoonist did not have to be an abolitionist to criticize Stephen Douglas for the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The law was the single biggest cause of the Civil War.

7. “Remember the Alamo!” Why?

In the Mexican War, the war cry “Remember the Alamo” was shouted because one-hundred sixty-five people who had taken refuge in a Catholic mission were massacred by a couple thousand Mexicans (Note: Most of the people who were killed were probably settlers from the U.S.A. Davey Crockett was one).

Excellent answer.

8. The biggest question in all American history is this: Was it possible to avoid the Civil war? If so then how?

No, I do not think it was possible to avoid the Civil War. The mind set of those who were pro-slavery, and those who were anti-slavery were so different. Slavery could not have been ended unless:

a) God intervened to make it happen peacefully, or

b) There was a war.

Insightful analysis. Well done.

H2. Hamilton v. Burr, Lincoln v. Douglas, Jefferson v. Adams- great rivalries in American history. What do they have in common? Discuss.

Hamilton v. Burr, Lincoln v. Douglas, Jefferson v. Adams are all examples of two opposites running against each other. Hamilton was a well dressed, nice, friendly man, whilst Burr (being a military man) did not dress as nicely, was a conniving, war prone man. Lincoln was a six foot some giant, was thin, and an abolitionist, while Douglas, on the other hand, was a short, chubby man, who was pro-slavery. Jefferson was an anti-federalist, a highly wealthy business man, and the writer of the Declaration of Independence. He also wrote a bill that established Religious freedom in 1777. Adams was a federalist, farmer, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Lots of good detail ... but Lincoln was not an abolitionist, at least not in 1860. Lincoln was a moderate when first elected president. But full credit for your detailed answer.

H3. The South thought that it could win the Civil war. Why did it think that? Do you agree that the South could have won?

The South thought that it could win the Civil War because of its strong economy. They thought the North was unwilling to fight, and they thought that Britain and/or France would help them. The South also had brilliant generals (e.g. Robert E. Lee), and it controlled the Mississippi River mouth. I do think that the South could have won if they had the border states, and/or the help of Great Britain or France.

Could be. Good emphasis on the significance of the border states.

H5. Compare or contrast the Dred Scott decision with Roe v. Wade.

In the Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court ruled that blacks were basically not human but property, which took away their rights, likewise in Roe v. Wade the Supreme Court took away the rights of the unborn.

Excellent.

Grade: 89/90, with some of the best answers in the class. Excellent work.--Andy Schlafly 19:22, 13 March 2011 (EDT)