Which of the following was one cause of the Mexican-American War?
A. The United States annexed Texas
B. Mormons moved into Mexican territory
C. President Polk purchased Texas
D. Mexico offered to sell California
A. The United States annexed Texas
The completion of the Erie Canal spurred the first great westward movement of American settlers, gave access to the rich land and resources west of the Appalachians and made New York the preeminent commercial city in the United States. The effect of the Canal was both immediate and dramatic, and settlers poured west. The explosion of trade prophesied by Governor Clinton began, spurred by freight rates from Buffalo to New York of $10 per ton by Canal, compared with $100 per ton by road. In 1829, there were 3,640 bushels of wheat transported down the Canal from Buffalo. By 1837 this figure had increased to 500,000 bushels; four years later it reached one million. In nine years, Canal tolls more than recouped the entire cost of construction. Within 15 years of the Canal's opening, New York was the busiest port in America, moving tonnages greater than Boston, Baltimore and New Orleans combined. —New York Canals Question Use the passage to answer the question. How did the economic success of the Erie Canal impact westward expansion?
A. There was an increased demand for laborers to help build similar canals to the West
B. There was less competition in the West because it was sparsely populated compared to the East
C. The canal system eliminated many of the jobs in the East, forcing people to the West
D. There were more economic opportunities in the West due to the success of the canal system
D. There were more economic opportunities in the West due to the success of the canal system
1787: The Constitution divides power between the states and federal government
1798: Kentucky and Virginia claim that states can nullify laws deemed unconstitutional
1814-1815: At the Hartford Convention, opponents of the War of 1812 insist that states have the right to secede
1832: South Carolina claims the right to nullify tariffs, but backs down when President Jackson threatens to use force against it
Use the timeline to answer the question
Looking at the timeline, what trend can you find in the United States' early years?
A. an increasing number of states seceding from the Union
B. a gradual weakening of the federal government's power
C. a growth in support for the federal government in the North
D. a series of challenges to the power of the federal government
D. a series of challenges to the power of the federal government
Population of San Francisco, 1848-1870
Date Population
April 1848 850
July 1849 5,000
December 1849 25,000
1850 21,000
1852 36,151
1860 56,802
1870 149,473
Use the chart to answer the question.
Using the information on the chart, what can you infer about the Gold Rush's impact on the city of San Francisco?
A. San Francisco's population grew by greater percentage after 1860 than during Gold Rush.
B. The Gold Rush was a short-lived trend that had little lasting impact on San Francisco.
C. Once the forty-niners tried their luck in San Francisco they left the city and moved back home.
D. The mass migration of forty-niners transformed San Francisco into an economic hub practically overnight
D. The mass migration of forty-niners transformed San Francisco into an economic hub practically overnight.
How did the invention of the steam engine affect transportation?
A. Robert Fulton's invention of the steam-powered locomotive made travel across land much quicker
B. Henry Shreve's modified steamboat could carry more without getting stuck on the riverbed
C. John Fitch's steam engine made travel along the river faster, but it was more expensive
D. DeWitt Clinton's invention was faster, but people preferred to travel along the rutted roads
B. Henry Shreve's modified steamboat could carry more without getting stuck on the riverbed
What was the biggest threat of traveling west in the manner shown in the illustration?
A. Disease spread quickly because the travelers lived so close together
B. Individual wagons would oftentimes be separated from the group
C. Settlers were unable to purchase or trade for goods along the way
D. Groups faced the possibility of ambush by hostile natives