Question 1

Instructions: Identify the following. Be as specific as possible, and include names, dates, and relevant facts as appropriate. Be sure to explain the significance of the person or term. 
Fugitive Slave Act

Accepted Answer

The Fugitive Slave Act was a law passed by the United States Congress in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850. This law required that all escaped slaves, upon capture, be returned to their masters and that officials and citizens of free states had to cooperate in the capture and return of runaway slaves. The act also denied the right to a jury trial for captured fugitive slaves and imposed heavy penalties on anyone who aided a fugitive slave.

The Fugitive Slave Act was significant because it intensified the tensions between the North and South over the issue of slavery. Many Northerners opposed the law and saw it as a violation of their states' rights and moral principles. It also led to increased resistance to the enforcement of the law, including the formation of vigilance committees and the Underground Railroad to help escaped slaves reach freedom in Canada.

The Fugitive Slave Act ultimately contributed to the growing divide between the North and South and played a role in the lead-up to the Civil War. It also highlighted the moral and legal conflicts surrounding the institution of slavery in the United States.

Question 2

Instructions: Identify the following. Be as specific as possible, and include names, dates, and relevant facts as appropriate. Be sure to explain the significance of the person or term. 
Henry Clay, Daniel Webster

Accepted Answer

Henry Clay (1777-1852) was an American statesman and politician who served as a U.S. Senator and Representative, as well as Secretary of State. He was known as the "Great Compromiser" for his efforts to find compromises on divisive issues such as slavery and territorial expansion. Clay played a key role in the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Compromise of 1850, both of which sought to maintain a balance between free and slave states in the Union. He also advocated for the American System, a program of economic development that included protective tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements.

Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was also an American statesman and politician who served as a U.S. Senator and Representative, as well as Secretary of State. He was known for his exceptional oratory skills and his staunch defense of the Constitution and the Union. Webster was a leading advocate for a strong federal government and was involved in several landmark Supreme Court cases, including Dartmouth College v. Woodward and McCulloch v. Maryland. He also played a key role in the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, which settled border disputes between the United States and Canada.

Both Henry Clay and Daniel Webster were influential figures in 19th-century American politics, known for their efforts to preserve the Union and their contributions to shaping the nation's economic and political landscape. Their legacies continue to be studied and debated by historians and political scholars.

Question 3

Instructions: Identify the following. Be as specific as possible, and include names, dates, and relevant facts as appropriate. Be sure to explain the significance of the person or term. 
Republican party

Accepted Answer

The Republican Party, also known as the GOP (Grand Old Party), is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, the other being the Democratic Party. Founded in 1854 by anti-slavery activists, modernizers, ex-Whigs, and ex-Free Soilers, the Republican Party quickly became the principal opposition to the dominant Democratic Party and the briefly popular Know Nothing Party.

The Republican Party's first presidential candidate was John C. Frémont in 1856, but it was Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 that marked the party's rise to national prominence. Under Lincoln's leadership during the American Civil War, the party came to embody the principles of nationalism, equal rights, economic modernity, and the rule of law, which were contrasted with the Democrats' association with the Southern Confederacy.

The GOP was historically the party of the Northern states and was supportive of a business-oriented economy, advocating for high tariffs to protect American industry and workers. It also played a crucial role in the fight against slavery, with the Emancipation Proclamation and the promotion of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery.

Throughout the late 19th century, the Republican Party was dominant in national politics, with Republican presidents in office for the majority of the era. However, the early 20th century saw a progressive movement within the party, exemplified by figures like President Theodore Roosevelt, who sought to address issues such as labor rights and conservation.

The Great Depression brought a shift in American politics, with Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal coalition challenging Republican dominance. The mid-20th century saw the Republican Party becoming increasingly associated with business interests, anti-communism, and advocacy for a strong national defense.

The civil rights movement of the 1960s led to a significant realignment of party politics in the United States. While the Republican Party under President Dwight D. Eisenhower supported civil rights legislation, the subsequent "Southern Strategy" under figures like Richard Nixon aimed to attract conservative white voters in the South who were disaffected by the Democratic Party's support for civil rights.

In recent decades, the Republican Party has generally advocated for lower taxes, free-market capitalism, a strong national defense, deregulation of industries, and conservative social policies. The party has also become associated with the Christian right and opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.

Notable Republican presidents include Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. The party's symbol is the elephant, and its color is traditionally red, which became standard after the 2000 presidential election and the use of red for Republican states and blue for Democratic states by television networks during their electoral coverage.

The significance of the Republican Party lies in its profound impact on American politics and policy over the course of its existence. Its evolution from a party focused on anti-slavery and civil rights to one that is often associated with conservatism reflects the shifting political landscape of the United States. The party's policies and the administrations of its presidents have shaped the economic, social, and foreign policy of the country for much of its history.

Question 4

Instructions: Identify the following. Be as specific as possible, and include names, dates, and relevant facts as appropriate. Be sure to explain the significance of the person or term. 
Bleeding Kansas

Accepted Answer