Question 1

Who were the first Anglo-American artists to travel West, hired by the federal government to accompany explorer Stephen H. Long?
A) Cyrus McCormick and John Deere
B) Michael D. Row and Daniel Boone
C) Samuel Seymour and Titan Ramsay Peale
D) George Catlin and James H. Simpson

Accepted Answer

Samuel Seymour and Titan Ramsay Peale were the first Anglo-American artists to travel West, hired by the federal government to accompany explorer Stephen H. Long.

Question 2

The General Land Office, established in 1812, ___________________.
A) established a credit system for the purchase of Western lands that favored small-time farmers
B) handled the distribution of federal lands in the West
C) had the power to set the price-per-acre of Western lands
D) was charged with the responsibility of preventing speculators from buying large tracts of federal Western lands

Accepted Answer

The General Land Office was established to handle the distribution of federal lands in the West, including land sales and granting of homesteads. While it had the power to set prices for certain types of land sales, it did not establish a credit system or prevent speculators from buying large tracts of federal Western lands.

Question 3

Which of the following caused a significant increase in the demand for western timber?
A) The housing boom in the Old Northwest
B) The decision by Congress to double the number of ships in the United States Navy
C) The California Gold Rush
D) The expansion of the South's slave society into the Old Southwest

Accepted Answer

The California Gold Rush caused a significant increase in the demand for western timber because thousands of people moved to California in search of gold, leading to the need for housing, infrastructure, and transportation, all of which required timber.

Question 4

In addition to the Bible, which of the following books did migrants to the West often take with them?
A) Timothy Flint's Biographical Memoir of Daniel Boone
B) Ralph Waldo Emerson's compilation of essays and poems
C) John C. Frémont's accounts of his explorations
D) James Fenimore Cooper's The Deerslayer

Accepted Answer

John C. Frémont's accounts of his explorations were popular among migrants to the West because they provided information about the geography and potential resources of the western territories.

Question 5

The Office of Indian Affairs:
A) Oversaw the "civilizing" of Native Americans by establishing European-style villages and schools for Indian children
B) Cooperated with the military in the removal of Indians from western lands and protected citizens who wanted to settle in the West
C) Was established to help in the assimilation of Native Americans into American society
D) Had the duty and responsibility of protecting the cultures of Native American peoples

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Office of Indian Affairs:
A) Oversaw the...

Question 6

Appalachian West fur trappers _____________.
A) had little interaction with Indians in the region
B) often put inferior pelts on the market, which severely hurt their chances of selling in the international marketplace
C) often married Indian women
D) suffered severe economic setbacks in the 1820s

Accepted Answer

Appalachian West fur trappers often married Indian women in the region, leading to a unique cultural blending between the two groups.

Question 7

Which of the following was a characteristic of the American "frontier"?
A) It was a region in which anarchy reigned.
B) It was a boundary beyond which there was no human habitation.
C) It was the line between civilized society and a completely untamed and savage wilderness.
D) It was a meeting place of different cultures.

Accepted Answer

The American "frontier" was a meeting place of different cultures, including native peoples and European settlers. It was not characterized by anarchy or a complete lack of human habitation, and while it may have been a boundary of sorts, it was not a clear line between civilization and wilderness.

Question 8

Largely as a result of the Leatherstocking Tales by James Fenimore Cooper, frontiersmen such as Daniel Boone became a symbol of which of the following?
A) Altruism and personal sacrifice
B) Humility and purity of thought
C) Individualism and freedom
D) Selfishness and greed

Accepted Answer

The Leatherstocking Tales by James Fenimore Cooper, particularly the protagonist Natty Bumppo, portrayed frontiersmen as rugged individualists who valued freedom and self-reliance. This image of the frontiersman as an embodiment of American individualism and independence became a prominent symbol in American culture.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of "black laws" passed by many Midwestern states in the 1850s?
A) These laws prohibited gambling of any kind and imposed strict penalties against bookmakers.
B) These laws prohibited African Americans from living within the border of such states.
C) These laws prevented the return of runaway slaves to their southern owners.
D) These laws provided financial incentives to free black laborers willing to become permanent residents.

Accepted Answer

"Black laws" were a series of laws passed by Midwestern states in the 1850s that were aimed at restricting the rights of African Americans. These laws varied from state to state but generally included provisions that made it difficult for African Americans to move to or live within the state, or imposed restrictions on their ability to own property or testify in court. These laws were designed to maintain white supremacy and limit the rights of African Americans.

Question 10

The Black Hawk War:
A) Marked the end of militant Indian resistance uprisings in the Old Northwest
B) Raised the possibility that Great Britain would honor its defensive treaty with the Sauks by actively intervening on their behalf
C) Represented the first time that Native Americans successfully resisted removal from their ancestral lands
D) Represents one of the worst defeats ever experienced by the U.S. Army

Accepted Answer

The Black Hawk War eventually led to the defeat of the Sauk and Fox Indians and marked the end of militant Indian resistance uprisings in the Old Northwest.

Question 11

Native peoples were removed from their Eastern homelands by the U.S military under provisions of which act in the year 1830?
A) Military Commissions Act
B) Donation Land Claim Act
C) Residence Act
D) Indian Removal Act

Accepted Answer

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 allowed the U.S government to forcibly remove Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the East and relocate them to designated reservations in the West. This policy led to the infamous Trail of Tears, in which thousands of Native Americans died during forced removal to Oklahoma.

Question 12

Which historian saw the Western frontier as a "meeting point between savagery and civilization" that shaped the American character and made the United States exceptional among nations?
A) Eugene Genovese
B) Frederick Jackson Turner
C) Charles A Beard
D) Robert Fogel

Accepted Answer

Frederick Jackson Turner is known for his "Frontier Thesis," in which he argued that the existence of the Western frontier, with its challenges and opportunities, shaped the American character and contributed to the country's exceptionalism. He saw the frontier as a place where "savagery" and "civilization" met, and where American values of individualism, self-reliance, and democracy were forged.

Question 13

Who was known as "The Pathfinder"?
A) John Jacob Astor
B) Stephen Austin
C) Davy Crockett
D) John C. Frémont

Accepted Answer

John C. Frémont was known as "The Pathfinder" due to his extensive explorations of the American West, including mapping the Oregon Trail and leading expeditions to California and Nevada.

Question 14

In which place in the West was gold discovered in 1848, and subsequently became known as a place to strike it rich before returning home to live in comfort?
A) Colorado
B) California
C) Alaska
D) Washington

Accepted Answer

Gold was discovered in California in 1848, which led to the California Gold Rush. Many people came to California in hopes of striking it rich before returning home with newfound wealth.

Question 15

Even though the West was often depicted in popular literature of the early nineteenth century as a violent place, in the minds of many Americans it also symbolized the nation's core value of __________.
A) materialism
B) idealism
C) communalism
D) freedom

Accepted Answer

The West was seen as a symbol of freedom, which was a core value of the nation. This is reflected in the idea of Manifest Destiny, which held that it was America's destiny to expand westward and spread freedom and democracy. While materialism and communalism were important in American society, they were not necessarily associated with the Western frontier. Idealism is a broad term and could apply to many different values, so it is not as specific as the concept of freedom in relation to the West.

Question 16

What was the moral message implied by much of George Catlin's artwork?
A) Destruction of the natural environment is against God's will.
B) Indians are better off if they are removed from the corrupting influence of white Americans.
C) American westward expansion is right and moral and part of God's plan.
D) The superior American culture must inevitably replace all other cultures.

Accepted Answer

Much of George Catlin's artwork focused on depicting Native American cultures and traditions, often portraying them as dignified and noble. However, he also believed that these cultures were being destroyed by the encroachment of white American settlers and their values. Thus, his artwork can be seen as advocating for the removal of Native Americans from the influence of white Americans, in order to preserve their way of life.

Question 17

The Miami Indians:
A) Were able to prevent the removal of their people to reservations because of their successful assimilation into American culture
B) Managed to consistently elude the federal troops sent to forcibly remove them to Indian Country
C) Were subjected to a brutal massacre at the hands of the United States Army
D) Were decimated by a smallpox epidemic

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Miami Indians:
A) Were able to prevent...

Question 18

What was the "rendezvous"?
A) It was an annual, multi-day gathering of American, Indian, Mexican, and mixed-race fur trappers from throughout the West.
B) It was gathering in which all of the ethnic groups that lived in New Orleans competed for a story-telling prize.
C) It was the geographic point after which wagon trains had to depend on Native American guides to lead them safely to their destination.
D) After barn raisings in Midwestern farm communities, it was an opportunity for the participants to celebrate with story telling, dancing, and drinking.

Accepted Answer

The "rendezvous" refers to the annual gathering of fur trappers from various ethnic backgrounds in the Western United States.

Question 19

In the minds of most Americans of European descent in the early nineteenth century, the West:
A) Was an uninhabitable wilderness
B) Represented a place where they could own land and achieve economic independence
C) Consisted of a hodge-podge of cultures that could never be assimilated into the nation
D) Was a peaceful and idyllic area

Accepted Answer

The idea of manifest destiny, which was popular in the early nineteenth century, promoted the idea that it was the divine right of Americans of European descent to expand westward and settle the "wilderness" of the West. This idea was rooted in the belief that the West represented a land of opportunity, where people could own land and achieve economic independence. This motivation led to the displacement and mistreatment of many Native American tribes who already inhabited the land.

Question 20

Which of the following was the most significant contribution made by the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers during the first half of the nineteenth century?
A) The building of levees to protect the city of New Orleans
B) Its survey of the Oregon Trail
C) The surveying of possible routes for a transcontinental railroad
D) The expeditions it sponsored to explore the West

Accepted Answer

The most significant contribution made by the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers during the first half of the nineteenth century was the surveying of possible routes for a transcontinental railroad. This survey helped to pave the way for the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, which revolutionized transportation and helped to connect the East and the West. While the other options listed were also important contributions, they were not as significant in terms of their long-term impact on U.S. history.

Quiz 11: The Contested West, 1815-1860

Who were the first Anglo-American artists to travel West, hired by the federal government to accompany explorer Stephen H. Long?

The General Land Office, established in 1812, ___________________.

Which of the following caused a significant increase in the demand for western timber?

In addition to the Bible, which of the following books did migrants to the West often take with them?

The Office of Indian Affairs:

Appalachian West fur trappers _____________.

Which of the following was a characteristic of the American "frontier"?

Largely as a result of the Leatherstocking Tales by James Fenimore Cooper, frontiersmen such as Daniel Boone became a symbol of which of the following?

Which of the following is true of "black laws" passed by many Midwestern states in the 1850s?

The Black Hawk War:

Native peoples were removed from their Eastern homelands by the U.S military under provisions of which act in the year 1830?

Which historian saw the Western frontier as a "meeting point between savagery and civilization" that shaped the American character and made the United States exceptional among nations?

Who was known as "The Pathfinder"?

In which place in the West was gold discovered in 1848, and subsequently became known as a place to strike it rich before returning home to live in comfort?

Even though the West was often depicted in popular literature of the early nineteenth century as a violent place, in the minds of many Americans it also symbolized the nation's core value of __________.

What was the moral message implied by much of George Catlin's artwork?

The Miami Indians:

What was the "rendezvous"?

In the minds of most Americans of European descent in the early nineteenth century, the West:

Which of the following was the most significant contribution made by the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers during the first half of the nineteenth century?