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Difficulty: MediumMexican-American War and Sectional Tension

"The United States will conquer Mexico, but it will be as the man swallows the arsenic, which brings him down in turn. Mexico will poison us."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals, 1846

Which of the following historical developments best supports the prediction made by Emerson in the excerpt?

  1. The renewal of intense congressional debates over whether to allow slavery in the newly acquired Western lands.Answer
  2. B
    The immediate outbreak of armed conflict between Northern and Southern states over the implementation of the Walker Tariff of 1846.
  3. C
    The adoption of popular sovereignty as a federal policy that automatically banned slavery in all newly created territories.
  4. D
    The immediate declaration of a military alliance between the United States and Latin American nations under the Monroe Doctrine.

Answer

The renewal of intense congressional debates over whether to allow slavery in the newly acquired Western lands.
The correct answer is the option focusing on congressional debates over slavery in the newly acquired territories. Emerson's quote warns that the acquisition of territory from Mexico would act as a 'poison' to the United States. This prediction was borne out by the immediate and intense sectional debates over the status of slavery in the Mexican Cession (such as the Wilmot Proviso and the Compromise of 1850), which ultimately shattered national political consensus and contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus
Emerson predicts that conquering Mexico will 'poison' the United States, meaning territorial expansion will lead to domestic crisis or self-destruction.
Understanding the metaphorical warning in the excerpt is necessary to connect it to historical events.
2
Connect the metaphor to the historical context of the Mexican-American War
The war resulted in the Mexican Cession, adding vast territories (modern-day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, etc.) to the United States.
Identifying the outcome of the war clarifies what territory is being debated.
3
Identify the primary source of sectional conflict arising from the new territories
The core political crisis of the late 1840s and 1850s was whether slavery would be permitted in these new lands, leading directly to the Compromise of 1850 and deepening the sectional divide.
This directly matches Emerson's prediction of internal conflict and 'poisoning' the republic.

Key Concept

Sectional tensions exacerbated by the territorial expansion resulting from the Mexican-American War.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Mexican-American War and Sectional Tension

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