Question 1

How did Americans respond to the influx of immigrants in the mid nineteenth century?

Accepted Answer

Many Americans formulated a new racial and ethnic identity during this time, often referred to as "Nativism," which advocated for restrictions on immigration and differentiated them as superior to most immigrants. This led to the formation of groups like the Know-Nothing Party, which aimed to limit the political power of immigrants. While some individuals were more accepting of Irish and German immigrants, overall there was a strong anti-immigrant sentiment among many Americans in the mid nineteenth century.

Question 2

New York City became America's largest city in the 1800s because

Accepted Answer

New York City's population growth in the 1800s was largely due to significant migration from Europe and rural areas, leading to a population of 814,000 by 1860.

Question 3

An unusual aspect of many plays performed in the nineteenth century was that they

Accepted Answer

Many plays in the nineteenth century were designed for audience participation. This could include moments when actors would speak directly to the audience, ask for their input or even invite them on stage. This was a way to engage the audience and make them feel part of the performance.

Question 4

Northern newspapers usually exhibited strong political partisanship,because

Accepted Answer

Northern newspapers were often financed by specific political parties, which influenced their strong political partisanship.

Question 5

By 1860,the foreign-born of the North comprised about ____ of the U.S.population.

Accepted Answer

By 1860, the foreign-born population in the North made up about one-fifth of the total U.S. population, reflecting significant immigration during that period.

Question 6

In 1845,the richest 4 percent of population of New York City owned how much of the city's individual wealth?

Accepted Answer

The question states that the richest 4 percent of the population owned a portion of the city's individual wealth. Therefore, the answer must be greater than 4 percent. Option A is too low. Option B is possible but not the correct answer. Option C is possible, but option E is a better choice because it is a more extreme and likely accurate representation of wealth inequality in 19th century America. Option D is not as extreme as option E, so E is still the better choice.

Question 7

The main paying profession open to middle class women during the first half of the 1800s was

Accepted Answer

During the first half of the 1800s, teaching was the main paying profession open to middle class women. Women were often hired as schoolteachers because they were seen as nurturing and patient, qualities thought to be necessary for education. Although the pay was relatively low, it was one of the few respectable professions available to women at the time.

Question 8

About how many Irish immigrated to America to escape the terrible potato famine of the 1840s in Ireland?

Accepted Answer

Approximately one million Irish immigrated to America during the potato famine of the 1840s.

Question 9

The immigrants who arrived from the mid-1800s onward tended to avoid what area?

Accepted Answer

The South was the area that many immigrants tended to avoid. This was due to factors such as the region's history of slavery and segregation, as well as its reliance on agriculture and lack of industrialization which limited employment opportunities. As a result, the majority of immigrants settled in the Midwest, Middle Atlantic, and West Coast regions.

Question 10

Which of the following is not a true statement about free blacks in antebellum America?

Accepted Answer

Free blacks generally did not support the American Colonization Society, which advocated for sending free blacks back to Africa as a way of ending slavery and racial conflict in the United States. Instead, most free blacks saw themselves as fully American and demanded equal rights and opportunities within the United States.

Question 11

As the Market Revolution progressed,the northern countryside became

Accepted Answer

The Market Revolution brought about technological advancements and improvements in transportation, which lessened the isolation of the northern countryside and made it easier for people to connect with others and remain informed about what was happening in different parts of the country.

Question 12

Southern planters

Accepted Answer

Southern planters were deeply invested in national and international markets, as their wealth and livelihoods were tied to the export of cash crops such as tobacco, rice, and cotton. They were also involved in the transatlantic slave trade, which further connected them to global markets. In order to protect their economic interests, they often played an active role in politics at the state and national levels.

Question 13

The traveling public affairs road show,where groups of speakers spoke in small towns,on a wide range of informative,provocative topics was called

Accepted Answer

The description given matches the lyceum circuit, a popular form of entertainment and education during the 19th century where speakers would tour small towns giving lectures on a variety of topics including politics, science, and literature.

Question 14

Which of the following is not true about German immigrants to Milwaukee and St.Louis?

Accepted Answer

The statement "They assimilated quickly enough not to face any significant nativist resentment" is not true. German immigrants faced significant nativist resentment, particularly during times of economic hardship, and were often accused of taking jobs away from American-born workers. This led to the rise of anti-German sentiment and discrimination, particularly during World War I.

Question 15

Congress adopted a "gag rule" in 1837

Accepted Answer

The "gag rule" was adopted to automatically table and prevent discussion or debate on petitions related to slavery, aiming to maintain sectional peace by avoiding the contentious issue in Congress.

Question 16

Southern yeomen

Accepted Answer

Southern yeomen were largely self-sufficient, living with their families in rural farms or small towns. They grew their own food and often had their own livestock, decreasing their dependency on commercial agriculture. They also tended to avoid growing cotton, which was the main crop of the southern economy, and therefore had less connection to the institution of slavery. While education may have been limited, they did have some access to public schools.

Question 17

William Lloyd Garrison

Accepted Answer

William Lloyd Garrison believed that the Constitution was complicit in allowing slavery and therefore advocated for its abolition. This belief was a central aspect of his anti-slavery activism and The Liberator newspaper.

Question 18

Which of the following was not one of the most popular American novelists of the antebellum years?

Accepted Answer

Upton Sinclair was not one of the most popular American novelists of the antebellum years. The most popular American novelists of the antebellum years were Herman Melville, Harriet Beecher-Stowe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Fanny Fern.

Question 19

Which of the following is not true about leisure in antebellum urban America?

Accepted Answer

While minstrel shows were popular in 19th century America, they were not limited to rural areas and were performed across the country, not just in the South. However, they did often feature white performers in blackface and depict African Americans in a negative light. The other options are all true statements about leisure activities in antebellum urban America.

Question 20

All of the following statements provide an accurate description of life in the pre-Civil War South except

Accepted Answer

Landless whites in the pre-Civil War South were often poor and worked as tenant farmers or laborers, but the statement that they mostly settled the Southwest is inaccurate. The Southwest was not predominantly settled by landless whites from the South during this period.

Quiz 12: A Regionalized America, 1830-1860