Read the passage and answer the question below.
"Resolved: That the Constitution confers upon Congress sovereign powers over the Territories of the United States for their government; and that in the exercise of this power, it is both the right and the imperative duty of Congress to prohibit in the Territories those twin relics of barbarism—Polygamy, and Slavery."
— Republican Party Platform, 1856
Which of the following political positions is most directly supported by this platform excerpt?
- The federal government should use its power to ban the expansion of slavery into new territories.Answer
- BThe federal government should allow voters in each territory to decide the legal status of slavery.
- CSectional divisions between the North and South were primarily driven by disputes over import tariffs.
- DSlavery should be protected in the territories because it is constitutionally identical to voluntary indentured servitude.
Answer
The federal government should use its power to ban the expansion of slavery into new territories.
The correct answer is correct because the 1856 Republican Party platform explicitly declares that Congress has the right and duty to prohibit slavery in the territories. This directly supports the free-soil ideology that opposed the expansion of slavery into the West.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Free-Soil movement and the Republican stance on the non-extension of slavery
Estimated Time:1m 0s