Homework Five Answers - Student One

1. Identify two of the most important outcomes of the Mexican War. (I listed the first two as the most important and then gave two other outcomes which I believe are also important)

1.The United States acquired the northern half of Mexico. This area later became the U.S. states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. 2. U.S. General Zachary "Old Rough and Ready" Taylor used his fame as a war hero to win the Presidency in 1848. A true irony is that President Polk, a Democrat, pushed for the war that led to Taylor, a Whig, winning the White House.

3. Relations between the United States and Mexico remained tense for many decades to come, with several military encounters along the border. 4. For the United States, this war provided a training-ground for the men who would lead the Northern and Southern armies in the upcoming American Civil War.

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 Whig Party, which was formed to oppose Andrew Jackson, became very strong around 1840 and remained strong until 1850. It collapsed because of disagreements about slavery issues.

4. Why were there so many one-term presidents in the 1840s and 1850s? Explain.

First, there was a constant battle for the upper hand between the Democratic Party and the Whig Party in the 1840s and 1850s. If a Democratic president performed his duties poorly in office, then the Whig party would usually win the next election and vice versa. Second, there was so much turmoil and conflict going on that it was difficult for one party to meet the demands of his party and the people. Thirdly, the fact that a Civil War was looming in the nearby future was no help either. The country was unstable and this lead to many one-term presidents.

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

It seems as if Harriet Beecher Stowe brought more attention and public awareness to the issue of slavery. However, I would not go so far to say that she caused the Civil War. She awakened the people to the evils of slavery as she portrayed the life of a slave in her book Uncle Tom's Cabin. There were many other events that brought about the Civil War, one of the biggest being the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.

7. "Remember the Alamo!" Why?

On April 21, 1836, Sam Houston, commander of the Texas Army, led 800 troops in a surprise attack on Santa Anna's 1,600 men. Shouting, "Remember the Alamo!" The Texas Army won the battle at San Jacinto in eighteen minutes and secured Texas independence from Mexico. Texas remained independent for nearly 10 years, becoming a state in 1845. People ought to "Remember the Alamo" because it was a sacrifice on the altar of liberty.

8. The biggest question in all of American History is this: Do you think it was possible to avoid the Civil War? If so, how?

No, I do not believe it was possible to avoid the Civil War. The North and South were as opposite as they could be in many areas. They had different sets of morals, ideals, values, and ideas. All of these clashed at some point or another and it was hard to unite these completely contrasting views. The North and South could not even tolerate each other towards the end of the 1850s. Competition set in to see which states would become slave states and which ones would remain free. This caused huge rifts between the Northern States and the Southern States. As Jesus said, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." Even our Lord knew that division would cause a house, nation or people to crumble.

H1. Discuss any of the issues or mysteries relating to this lecture (1840-1860). Debate: Is it ever justified for a President to lie to Congress to accomplish a goal sought by Americans?

No, it is never right and cannot be justified. If a President lies to Congress in order to accomplish a goal, that proves his true character and shows that he has no integrity. Someone who lies in order to gain something in return is a cheater; he or she is not playing fairly or by the rules. But even more importantly, God commands us not to lie. If it is a sin in God's book, then we should not attempt to justify it.

H3. The South thought it could win the Civil War. Why did it think that? Do you agree it was possible for the South to win?

The South thought it could win for several reasons. First, the South put stock in its economy (which was flourishing at the time) which was based on high prices for the crops it produced, such as cotton, sugar cane and tobacco. Second, the South felt that the North lacked a will to fight, and even if it did, the South was confident that Britain and/or France would aid them since both countries depended on the South's exports. Lastly, the South controlled the mouth of the Mississippi River which gave them a strategic advantage.

However, I do not believe they could have won the war. Even though they had good generals, they did not have good morals concerning slavery. Slavery needed to end before this nation could take the next big step to becoming a greater country and slavery was dividing the country. It seems as if God allowed the North to win, even though it seemed unlikely at first, in order to accomplish His will.

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

Both court decisions for Dred vs. Scott and Roe vs. Wade denied the rights of certain individuals based on the fact that they were and are not considered "people." Dred vs. Scott stated that blacks had no rights, could not sue in court, and were not considered real citizens. Roe vs. Wade also stated that the unborn child is not a person. Therefore, the baby is not considered a citizen of this country who has certain unalienable rights. Although the slaves had the same endowed rights (given to them by their Creator) as white people had, this was something not recognized by the Southerners. Roe vs. Wade consented that the fetus has no rights. However, the fourteenth amendment, adopted on July 28, 1868, ensures the unborn child the right to life. The blacks were inferior to Southerners and the unborn children are inferior to those who wish to see them aborted. Both have suffered because of these major court decisions.

Gabrielle D. <><