The Tensions Leading to the Dred Scott Decision Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What was the cause of rising tensions between the North and the South after the Nullification Crisis?

Disagreements over international trade policies

Economic disparities between the regions

Conflict over state versus federal rights (correct)

Differing interpretations of the Constitution

In what year did the U.S. Supreme Court make the Dred Scott decision?

1857 (correct)

1846

1834

1861

What was the 'peculiar institution' referred to in the text?

Slavery (correct)

Child labor

Sharecropping

Indentured servitude

Who did Dred Scott and his wife Harriet befriend in their pursuit of freedom?

A lawyer Signup and view all the answers

Where was Dr. John Emerson assigned to a duty station during his time in the army?

Illinois Signup and view all the answers

What was the main reason for Buchanan's focus on keeping his base of support and the union intact during his presidency?

To win re-election and mollify the South Signup and view all the answers

What event led to the Democratic Party being divided into a Northern and Southern half, ensuring the victory of the Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election?

The split from the popular Democrat, Senator Stephen A. Douglas Signup and view all the answers

What action did Buchanan take in response to South Carolina's secession from the United States?

He ordered the resupply of Ft. Sumter in Charleston, S.C. Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of John Brown's attempt to spark an uprising of slaves in Harpers Ferry, VA?

He was captured, hanged, and his actions drove a wedge between the North and the South Signup and view all the answers

What was Buchanan's approach after realizing the South had no interest in the olive branch and was taking up the sword?

He retreated from active diplomacy and let the clock run out on his presidency Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the Dred Scott case?

The Supreme Court ruled that free or slave, blacks were not citizens and Scott had no right to sue in federal court Signup and view all the answers

What was the Supreme Court's ruling on the power to outlaw slavery in the territories?

The Supreme Court ruled that Congress or local governments had no power to outlaw slavery in the territories Signup and view all the answers

What was James Buchanan's stance on the slavery issue?

He believed it was a matter for individual states to decide for themselves Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Dred Scott decision on the institution of slavery?

It declared slavery as a nationwide right that could only be abolished when states, not territories, passed laws to do so Signup and view all the answers

Why did President Buchanan's stance on the slavery issue receive support from the South?

He believed that it was a matter for individual states to decide for themselves Signup and view all the answers

What was the Supreme Court's ruling on the issue of outlawing slavery in the territories?

Congress or local governments couldn't outlaw slavery in the territories Signup and view all the answers

What did the Dred Scott decision establish regarding the rights of blacks?

Free or slave, blacks were not citizens and had no rights under the U.S. Constitution Signup and view all the answers

What was President James Buchanan's stance on the issue of slavery?

Buchanan's stance was that slavery was a matter for individual states to decide Signup and view all the answers

Why was President Buchanan criticized in relation to the Dred Scott decision?

Buchanan was seen as too rigid in his application of constitutional principles and out of touch with political realities Signup and view all the answers

What impact did the Dred Scott decision have on the perception of slavery in the North?

The decision made slavery a nationwide right, only abolishable when territories became states Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Dred Scott Case and President James Buchanan

Dred and Harriet Scott claimed residence in Illinois and Wisconsin to seek freedom from slavery
The Supreme Court ruled that Congress or local governments couldn't outlaw slavery in the territories
The case took over ten years to reach the Supreme Court, and the decision was not in Scott's favor
The court ruled that free or slave, blacks were not citizens and had no rights under the U.S. Constitution
The decision made slavery a nationwide right, only abolishable when territories became states
The Dred Scott decision convinced many in the North that slavery was not going to be defeated politically
President James Buchanan's conciliatory tone and rhetoric urging the nation to wait for the Supreme Court decision on Scott was criticized
Buchanan was seen as too rigid in his application of constitutional principles and out of touch with political realities
Buchanan's stance on slavery as a matter for individual states to decide earned him Southern support
Buchanan's opponent in the election of 1856, Senator John C. Fremont, favored preventing slavery in western territories
Buchanan was seen as the wrong man at the wrong time due to his distance from domestic disputes and insensitivity
Buchanan's political expertise and experience led the nation to put its trust in him to prevent war over the slavery issue

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Description

Test your knowledge of the tensions leading up to the Dred Scott decision with this quiz. Explore the political conflicts between the North and South, the Nullification Crisis, and the issues surrounding the Missouri and Kansas territories.