MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
Questions 1–3 refer to the following excerpt.
“It is hushed indeed for the moment. but this [Missouri Compromise] is
a reprieve only, not a final sentence. a geographical line, coinciding with a
marked principle, moral and political, once conceived and held up to the
angry passions of men, will never be obliterated; and every new irritation
will mark it deeper and deeper. I can say with conscious truth that there is
not a man on earth who would sacrifice more than I would, to relieve us
Clay’s Proposals After months of heated debate in Congress and
throughout the nation, Henry Clay won majority support for three bills that,
taken together, represented a compromise:
1. admit Missouri as a slave-holding state
2. admit Maine as a free state
3. prohibit slavery in the rest of the Louisiana Territory north of latitude
36° 30΄
Both houses passed the bills, and President Monroe added his signature in
March 1820 to what became known as the Missouri Compromise.
Aftermath Sectional feelings on the slavery issue subsided after 1820. The
Missouri Compromise preserved sectional balance for more than 30 years and
provided time for the nation to mature. Nevertheless, if an era of good feelings
existed, it was badly damaged by the storm of sectional controversy over
Missouri. After this political crisis, Americans were torn between feelings of
nationalism (loyalty to the Union) on the one hand and feelings of sectionalism
(loyalty to one’s own region) on the other.
REFLECT ON THE LEARNING OBJECTIVE
1. Explain how the viewpoints from the different sections of the new
republic impacted the discussion of the role of the Federal government.
KEY TERMS BY THEME
Public Confidence (NAT)
Era of Good Feelings
James Monroe
economic nationalism
sectionalism
Industry (WXT)
Tariff of 1816
protective tariff
Henry Clay
American System
Second Bank of the United
States
Panic of 1819
Making the Law (POL)
Tallmadge Amendment
Missouri Compromise (1820)
181TOPIC 4.3 POLITICS AND REGIONAL INTERESTS
from this heavy reproach, in any practicable way. . . . to regulate the condition
of the different descriptions of men composing a state. This certainly is the
exclusive right of every state, which nothing in the constitution has taken
from them and given to the general government.”
Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Holmes, April 22, 1820
1. Which of the following provided a precedent on the issue described by
Jefferson that was reflected in the Missouri Compromise?
(A) The Declaration of Independence, which declared all men equal
(B) The Articles of Confederation, which did not allow the national
government to tax individuals
(C) The Northwest Ordinance, which limited the expansion of slavery
(D) The Louisiana Purchase, which showed how the federal government
could expand its power
2. Which of the following was most necessary for the passage of the
Missouri Compromise?
(A) Admission of Maine as a free state
(B) Support from John Quincy Adams
(C) Adding the Tallmadge Amendment
(D) A unified Democratic-Republican Party
3. Which of the following groups would most strongly agree with
Jefferson’s views about the future impact of the Missouri Compromise?
(A) Federalists calling for a stronger national government
(B) Abolitionists demanding an immediate end to slavery
(C) Democratic-Republicans recognizing the need for more
compromises
(D) Settlers in the Louisiana Territory seeking more land
1. (C) The Northwest Ordinance, which limited the expansion of slavery
2. (A) Admission of Maine as a free state
3. (B) Abolitionists demanding an immediate end to slavery
To answer the multiple-choice questions, we need to refer to the provided excerpt and understand the context of the Missouri Compromise.
Question 1 asks which provided a precedent on the issue described by Jefferson that was reflected in the Missouri Compromise. To determine the answer, we need to identify the issue described by Jefferson in the excerpt. He mentions the exclusive right of every state to regulate the condition of the different descriptions of men composing a state. He argues that it is a state's right and not the federal government's. From the answer choices, the Northwest Ordinance is the most suitable option since it limited the expansion of slavery on a geographical basis, which aligns with Jefferson's concern about a marked geographical line in relation to Missouri.
Question 2 asks what was most necessary for the passage of the Missouri Compromise. To answer this question, we need to consider the components of the Missouri Compromise mentioned in the excerpt. The passage states that the compromise included the admission of Missouri as a slave-holding state, the admission of Maine as a free state, and the prohibition of slavery in the rest of the Louisiana Territory north of latitude 36° 30'. Considering this information, the most necessary component for the compromise to pass would be the admission of Maine as a free state, as it helps to maintain a balance between the number of slave-holding and free states.
Question 3 asks which group would most strongly agree with Jefferson's views about the future impact of the Missouri Compromise. To answer this question, we need to understand Jefferson's views on the long-lasting impact of the compromise. He believes that a geographical line, once conceived and held up to the angry passions of men, will never be obliterated, and every new irritation will mark it deeper and deeper. From the provided answer choices, the group that would most strongly agree with Jefferson's views would be abolitionists demanding an immediate end to slavery. They would argue that the compromise perpetuates slavery and fails to address the moral issue at hand.
Now that we have explained how to approach each question, let's provide the answers:
1. (C) The Northwest Ordinance, which limited the expansion of slavery
2. (A) Admission of Maine as a free state
3. (B) Abolitionists demanding an immediate end to slavery
1. The correct answer is (C) The Northwest Ordinance, which limited the expansion of slavery. The Northwest Ordinance, passed in 1787, prohibited slavery in the territories north of the Ohio River, setting a precedent for the limitation of slavery in new territories.
2. The correct answer is (A) Admission of Maine as a free state. The admission of Maine as a free state was necessary to maintain the balance between slave and free states in Congress, as Missouri would be admitted as a slave state. This was a crucial part of the compromise.
3. The correct answer is (C) Democratic-Republicans recognizing the need for more compromises. Democratic-Republicans, like Thomas Jefferson, believed in states' rights and the importance of compromise. They would agree with Jefferson's view that the Missouri Compromise was a temporary solution and that more compromises would be needed in the future to address the issue of slavery.