Why was the Dred Scott case so destructive for national unity?
What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER: The Dred Scott decision contained two key elements. Chief Justice Taney ruled that under the law, slaves were not people but property. Although this concept seems outrageous to present-day students, it did not create the kind of outrage that the other part of the decision created. The text notes that Taney "ignited a political powder keg" by denying Congress's authority to limit slavery in the territories. This was the portion of the decision that caused a national outcry. Although northerners were not united on the humanity of slaves, they were becoming increasingly united around the idea of stopping the spread of slavery.
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The 1989 incident at Tiananmen Square demonstrated the
a. conservative nature of Chinese students and university life. b. unwillingness of communist leaders to allow political freedom. c. long-term effects of the Cultural Revolution in China. d. limitations on population growth dictated by the communist government.
All of the following characterize the Chaghatay Turks except:
a. they were the founders of the Mughal dynasty. b. they were the descendants of Tamerlane. c. they defeated the Uzbek Turks in Transoxiania. d. they were relatively tolerant of other religions.
The Book of Routes and Realms by al-Bakri provides one of the earliest and most detailed descriptions of the
a. kingdom of Ghana. b. Great Zimbabwe. c. reign of Mansa Musa. d. trading center at Sijilmasa. e. effect of the plague in Cairo.
Which of the following were causes of the French Revolution?
a. The example of the American Revolution b. Government debt incurred by helping the American revolutionaries c. Louis XVI's callous policies d. Resentment towards Marie Antoinetter e. All of these choices