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AP US History
Chapter 13 Questions
1) Describe the debate over the annexation of Texas.
The annexation of Texas debates led sectional controversies in the nation. The south argued that the
land should be annexed, for the economy of the union. In fact, the land of Texas was fertile enough for the
cotton, and the area was as well big enough. What more is that, the states already had slave owner residents,
which the south wouldn’t mind adding more representation in the congress for them. In contrast, the north,
argued that Texas should not be annexed. One argument was that the annexation might led to war with Mexico
(In fact it did), it was the argument stated by the former presidents. As well, the north did not want the number
of representation for the Free states and the slave states to be tipped once Texas join the union.
2) What was the process by which Texas and California joined the United States (include your
evaluation of the tactics involved)?
The Mexicans first opened up Texas to American immigrants in order to help the development of their
economy. Entrepreneurs from the south use the chance to move into Texas, with their slaves and farms. They
were not at all loyal to the Mexican Government. After the Mexican government banning immigration from
America, because Texas seems to them to be in danger of being taken by the Americans, the Tejanos led a
revolution and gained their independence. After independence, the new republic sent delegates to America to
offer the annexation. The annexation was postponed multiple times due to the controversies in the nation. While
the Tejanos, frustrated and began turning towards the Europeans, President Tyler quickly accepted the offer of
annexation of Texas; which then began the Mexican American war, the Mexican claimed that America had
stolen their territories. The war resulted in Mexico, ceded more land to the United States.
California began its development with the Gold Rush. Gold was discovered in a valley in California, the
news quickly spread across the nation, even across the world, along with the new ‘gold fever’. Immigrants from
around the world, and migrants around the country abandoned their jobs and families, rushed into California to
look for quick riches. Obviously, only a small number of them had successes. The sudden wave of population in
California caused a rapid development, California then applied for statehood as a free state, which then caused
debates, since the number of representation would be upset. California’s issue was settled by the compromise of
1850, along with the popular sovereignty in Kansas, harsher fugitive slave act and the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise, and California admitted to the Union as a free state.
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3) Describe the changing landscape of American politics in the middle of the 19th century
(include the new questions being debated, political party developments, key individuals).
The Democrats and the Whigs both had split apart since its birth during the Jacksonian Era. The
democrats in the north and south were splitted. The compromise of 1850 divided the Whig party. The northern
Whigs flocked the party, with the idea of limiting slavery in the south, joined the know-nothings and free-soilers,
forming the new Republican Party. The most significant figure of the Republican Party(Origin of modern
Republican Party) would be Abraham Lincoln. The debates with Stephen Douglas during the Illinois senate
elections had brought him national wide reputation. New debates, now between the republicans and the
democrats were on the popular sovereignty issues in Kansas and Nebraska, as well as bloody chaos in Kansas.
During the election of 1860, the democrats widely divided by the west and the north, neither sides could not
decide one presidential candidate, nominated Douglas for the west and Breckinridge. The constitutional union,
born from the conservative wigs, nominated John Bell. The division in the democrat led the victory of the
republicans; Lincoln elected president, and led the secession with two weeks after Lincoln’s elected president.
4) What the hell happened in Kansas?
Stephen Douglas, who wanted attention from the nation to build the railroad terminal in Illinois,
proposed the Kansas Nebraska Act. In the act, Kansas and Nebraska’s decision of Slavery would be settled
through popular sovereignty. As soon as the election of the local legislature began, chaos began as well. First,
armed Missourian crossed the border and inflated the legal votes from 1000 to 6000; as a result a pro-slavery
legislature was elected. The angered free soilers rejected the results and assembled an anti-slavery legislature in
Lawrence, Kansas. Pro-slavery groups invaded Lawrence, burned down office and news printing buildings, and
arrested the anti-slavery governors. In response, John Brown, a radical abolitionist at night, in Pottawotamie,
Kansas, murdered 10 or more pro-slavery leaders to warn the pro-slavery legislature. This series of events were
known as Bleeding Kansas. The government took action, soon the pro-slavery legislature was asked to submit
their constitution, the Lecompton Constitution, allowed slavery was issues. This time in the legislature the
majority was free soilers, as a result the Constitution was voted down. The pro-slavery legislature once again
tried to submit the constitution, once again it was voted down, and the statehood of Kansas was postponed.
Kansas did not enter the union as a free state until few of the southern states had already seceded.
5) Assess this statement: the election of James Buchanan caused the Civil War.
The election of Buchanan cannot be considered a cause of the Civil War. His views might have led
some severe debates within the country, but it would not be considered a cause of the Civil War. Major
decisions he had made usually had avoided the issues in Kansas. And since he had served outside the country for
years before he was elected, he had basically little knowledge about the controversies in Kansas; obviously he
would have avoided making decisions on how to settle the problems in Kansas.