Expansion and reform, 1800–1850

Grade 11 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card G, two accounts of the Mexican Cession (Summary in our words, not a quotation): A table in the Census Bureau's Historical Statistics of the United States, 1789-1945, series B 24-25, lists the Mexican Cession of 1848 at 529,017 square miles of gross area, which means land and water together. The Office of the Historian says that under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico gave up approximately 525,000 square miles, 55 percent of its land before the war, for a $15 million payment.

2. 1.

   Card G gives 529,017 square miles and about 525,000 for the Mexican Cession. How should Kira reconcile the two figures?

   • Prefer the Census figure, because a table of exact numbers is more reliable than a history office's estimate
   • The Historian counts just land and the Census counts land and water, which explains the gap
   • They differ by about 40,000 square miles, so one of them counted a different area
   • They agree within about 1 percent: one is a gross-area count and the other a rounded estimate
3. 2.

   Luz's classmate says the United States gained 55 percent more land from Mexico, since card G gives 55 percent. What is the best reply?

   • The classmate is wrong, because 55 percent is the share of Mexico that remained, so the cession was 45 percent
   • The classmate is wrong, because 55 percent is the share of Mexico's people who left, not land
   • The classmate is right, because the United States gained 525,000 square miles, which is 55 percent of its own land
   • The 55 percent is the share of Mexico's prewar land, about 955,000 square miles, not a share of United States land

4. Use this

   Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card F, two estimates of Cherokee lives lost (Summary in our words, not a quotation): The Office of the Historian says the best evidence is that between three and four thousand of the fifteen to sixteen thousand Cherokee people lost their lives on the journey west in 1838 and 1839. The National Park Service says more than a thousand Cherokee people, especially the old, the young and the ill, lost their lives on the trip west. It adds that an unknown number, perhaps several thousand more, lost their lives from the effects of the forced move.

5. 3.

   The Office of the Historian and the National Park Service give different Cherokee loss figures in card F. Do they contradict each other, Milo asks?

   • Not necessarily: the Park Service's trip total plus several thousand more could reach the Historian's range
   • No, because both give the same number for the journey itself, which is over a thousand
   • Yes, and the Historian is right, because a history office is more exact than a park page
   • Yes: they conflict, since the Park Service says over a thousand and the Historian says three to four thousand

6. Use this

   Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card E, removal of the Cherokee Nation (Summary in our words, not a quotation): The National Park Service says the army began removing more than 16,000 Cherokee people in May 1838 and that the removal ended in March 1839. The Indian Removal Act itself passed in 1830, eight years earlier. The Office of the Historian gives the number of Cherokee people as fifteen to sixteen thousand. Card F, two estimates of Cherokee lives lost (Summary in our words, not a quotation): The Office of the Historian says the best evidence is that between three and four thousand of the fifteen to sixteen thousand Cherokee people lost their lives on the journey west in 1838 and 1839. The National Park Service says more than a thousand Cherokee people, especially the old, the young and the ill, lost their lives on the trip west. It adds that an unknown number, perhaps several thousand more, lost their lives from the effects of the forced move.

7. 4.

   Noah's classmate says the Park Service's 'more than a thousand' means about 6 percent of the Cherokee people were lost. What is the best reply?

   • That is right, because the Park Service is the more careful source and the Historian rounds up
   • That is wrong, because more than a thousand of 16,000 is about 12 percent
   • That counts only the trip; the Historian's 3,000 to 4,000 of 15,000 to 16,000 gives about 19 to 27 percent
   • That is wrong, because the Park Service's several thousand more proves the loss was over 40 percent of the people

8. Use this

   Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card A, the Indian Removal Act, sections 3 and 7 (a federal law, May 28, 1830): "it shall and may be lawful for the President solemnly to assure the tribe or nation with which the exchange is made, that the United States will forever secure and guaranty [guarantee] to them, and their heirs or successors, the country so exchanged with them … Provided, That nothing in this act contained [included] shall be construed [read] as authorizing or directing the violation of any existing treaty between the United States and any of the Indian tribes." Card D, the Treaty of New Echota: who signed (Summary in our words, not a quotation): The National Park Service describes the signers as a small faction of the Cherokee, and says the vast majority of the Cherokee bitterly opposed the treaty. The Park Service page gives no count of signers. The Office of the Historian says the signing party represented only a faction, and that most Cherokee followed John Ross. The Senate approved the treaty in May 1836 by one vote.

9. 5.

   Card A speaks of exchanges and keeping existing treaties. Card D says a small faction signed New Echota. What do the cards show together, Ren asks?

   • The Cherokee Nation agreed to the treaty, because the Senate approved it by one vote
   • The Act produced the New Echota treaty, because the Act is the earlier of the two documents
   • A tension: the Act speaks of exchange, yet most Cherokee opposed the treaty; who broke what is not shown
   • Congress broke the Act, because a treaty most Cherokee opposed went against the Act's own words and aims

10. Use this

    Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card B, John Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, letter of May 6, 1837 (printed 1838): "They had parted with nineteen twentieths of their original possessions, but the rest was secured to them by sanctions, guarantees, and pledges, which professed to be sacred and inviolable [not to be broken]. … it soon appeared that while one acre remained in our hands it would be viewed with the eyes of cupidity [greed]."

11. 6.

    In card B, Ross says the nation had parted with nineteen twentieths of its land. Which statement is fair, Tala asks?

    • About 5 percent was left, and the claim is proven because Ross was the Principal Chief of the nation
    • About 5 percent was left, and the claim is weak because Ross wrote it to argue against the treaty
    • About 95 percent was left, so the nation had lost very little of its land before the treaty
    • About 5 percent was left; it is a claim by the nation's leader that would need land records to check

12. Use this

    Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card H, Monroe in 1823: "In the wars of the European powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken any part, nor does it comport [fit] with our policy so to do. … We owe it, therefore, to candor [honesty] and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European power we have not interfered and shall not interfere." A summary in our words: the Office of the Historian says that in 1823 the Great Powers of Europe paid little attention to Monroe's statement, though it later became a lasting part of United States foreign policy.

13. 7.

    Ari's classmate says Monroe's second excerpt promised to defend Latin America, since he calls European interference 'dangerous to our peace and safety'. What is the best reply?

    • Card H calls new extension dangerous and pledges non-involvement in Europe, but promises no defense of any country
    • The classmate is right, because calling something dangerous to our safety means the United States will act to stop it
    • The classmate is wrong, because card H says the United States would remove existing colonies
    • The classmate is wrong, because card H says the United States would join Europe's wars on request

14. Use this

    Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card A, the Indian Removal Act, sections 3 and 7 (a federal law, May 28, 1830): "it shall and may be lawful for the President solemnly to assure the tribe or nation with which the exchange is made, that the United States will forever secure and guaranty [guarantee] to them, and their heirs or successors, the country so exchanged with them … Provided, That nothing in this act contained [included] shall be construed [read] as authorizing or directing the violation of any existing treaty between the United States and any of the Indian tribes." Card D, the Treaty of New Echota: who signed (Summary in our words, not a quotation): The National Park Service describes the signers as a small faction of the Cherokee, and says the vast majority of the Cherokee bitterly opposed the treaty. The Park Service page gives no count of signers. The Office of the Historian says the signing party represented only a faction, and that most Cherokee followed John Ross. The Senate approved the treaty in May 1836 by one vote.

15. 8.

    Bo's classmate says the Removal Act was a fair offer, since it says nations 'may choose'. Which reply uses cards A and D best?

    • The classmate is wrong, because card A orders each nation to leave by a fixed date
    • The classmate is right, because Ross opposed the treaty and the law's text is the sole reliable source on the matter
    • The wording speaks of choice, but card D shows a treaty signed by a small group over most Cherokee opposition
    • The classmate is wrong, because a law's wording is not a good guide to what its makers wanted

16. Use this

    Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card D, the Treaty of New Echota: who signed (Summary in our words, not a quotation): The National Park Service describes the signers as a small faction of the Cherokee, and says the vast majority of the Cherokee bitterly opposed the treaty. The Park Service page gives no count of signers. The Office of the Historian says the signing party represented only a faction, and that most Cherokee followed John Ross. The Senate approved the treaty in May 1836 by one vote. Table "Five nations of the Southeast and removal", columns Nation today | Treaty or event | Year or years. Row 1: Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma | Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek | 1830. Row 2: Muscogee (Creek) Nation | removal by force after talks began in 1832 | 1836. Row 3: Chickasaw Nation | Treaty of Doaksville | 1837. Row 4: Cherokee Nation | Treaty of New Echota signed in 1835, then removal | 1838 to 1839. Row 5: Seminole Nation of Oklahoma | Second Seminole War | 1835 to 1842. Sources give slightly different years for some events. Data: Choctaw Nation, National Park Service, Chickasaw Nation, Office of the Historian.

17. 9.

    What do the table and card D show about how removal came to these five nations, Esme asks?

    • No single path: a treaty then removal for the Cherokee, force for the Muscogee, war for the Seminole
    • Each nation signed a treaty before leaving, so the Act worked by agreement and not by force or war
    • Removal began with the Seminole in 1830 and ended with the Choctaw in 1837
    • The treaties were agreed by the nations' councils, since card D describes the Cherokee treaty as signed

18. Use this

    Removal, borders and the Monroe Doctrine, 1823 to 1848 (cards A to H and a table). Card E, removal of the Cherokee Nation (Summary in our words, not a quotation): The National Park Service says the army began removing more than 16,000 Cherokee people in May 1838 and that the removal ended in March 1839. The Indian Removal Act itself passed in 1830, eight years earlier. The Office of the Historian gives the number of Cherokee people as fifteen to sixteen thousand.

19. 10.

    Card E gives the number of Cherokee people removed as more than 16,000 and as fifteen to sixteen thousand. How should Jun report it?

    • As about 16,000, noting that one source says more than 16,000 and the other says 15,000 to 16,000
    • As exactly 16,000, because the two sources agree on that number and so no range is needed in the report
    • As 15,000, the lower number, because the safer claim is the one with the smaller figure
    • As 31,000, by adding the two sources' figures together to cover both of the counts