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Difficulty: HardMexican-American War and Sectional Tension

"Resolved, That the present war with Mexico has its primary origin in the unconstitutional annexation of Texas; that it was unconstitutionally commenced by the order of the President... that it is now waged as a war of conquest, for the dismemberment of a sister Republic, and that its further prosecution can be justified only by the desire to secure additional territory, and to extend the institution of slavery..."
— Massachusetts Legislature, Resolutions on the War with Mexico, 1847

Which of the following developments in the late 1840s and 1850s was a direct consequence of the tension described in the excerpt?

  1. The escalation of sectional political debates over whether Congress possessed the authority to prohibit slavery in newly acquired territories.Answer
  2. B
    The passage of protective tariffs that became the primary source of political divisions leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.
  3. C
    The adoption of popular sovereignty as a mechanism for the federal executive branch to dictate the slave or free status of new western lands.
  4. D
    The immediate secession of Southern states in protest of Northern legislative efforts to block the annexation of Texas.

Answer

The escalation of sectional political debates over whether Congress possessed the authority to prohibit slavery in newly acquired territories.
The tension described in the excerpt reflects the growing division over the expansion of slavery into territories acquired from the Mexican-American War. This opposition to the expansion of slavery directly led to congressional debates (such as the Wilmot Proviso) over whether federal authority could limit slavery in newly gained territories, which ultimately shattered national political coalitions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary source document to identify the core argument and context.
The document shows Massachusetts protesting the Mexican-American War on the grounds that it was an unconstitutional war of conquest designed to expand slavery.
Understanding the source's anti-expansionist and anti-slavery perspective is crucial for identifying its consequences.
2
Relate the anti-slavery war protest to subsequent events in the late 1840s and 1850s.
The acquisition of the Mexican Cession forced the issue of slavery's expansion to the forefront of national politics, leading to intense debates over congressional authority to regulate slavery in the territories.
Connecting the source's concerns to the broader historical trajectory of sectional crisis clarifies the correct outcome.
3
Evaluate the options to identify which development directly resulted from the debate over territorial slavery.
The debate over whether Congress had the power to prohibit slavery in the newly acquired lands represents the primary manifestation of these sectional tensions.
Identifying the correct historical consequence while eliminating options based on common chronological or conceptual errors ensures accuracy.

Key Concept

The impact of the Mexican-American War on sectional tensions regarding the expansion of slavery.
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Topics

Mexican-American War and Sectional Tension

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