HST209 Spring 2010 Midterm Exam poor questions THROW OUT OR FIX Early in the war, European nations : Early in the war, European nations arranged for diplomatic recognition of the Confederate States of America. (1.00) 16/37 (43%) ignoring slavery, saw the southern rebellion as similar to European nationalist stirrings. (0.00) 12/37 (32%) FIX the "today" part Julia Ward Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic is : one of the greatest musical appeals to martial valor ever written. (1.00) 8/37 (22%) a song sung today by people of all political persuasions that similarly rallied troops on both sides during the Civil War. (0.00) 20/37 (54%) NOT POOR, but LOOK AT MAP PROVIDED The peninsula of the Peninsula Campaign was : The peninsula of the Peninsula Campaign was the area of Maryland, encompassing Washington, D.C., that stretched south and along the Potomac River. (0.00) 10/37 (27%) 24% 0.435 0.27 0.27 the area between the James and York rivers south of Richmond. (1.00) 9/37 (24%) the high country leading toward Richmond over which it should have been easy for McClellan to take the city. (0.00) 14/37 (38%) a swamp so difficult to cross as to preclude any advance by McClellan. (0.00) 3/37 NOT POOR but SHILOH AND ALBERT SYDNEY JOHNSTON Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson can best be descri : Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson can best be described as a flamboyant champion of southern honor. (0.00) 1/37 (3%) 32% 0.475 0.35 0.08 a pious, determined soldier who, despite poor horsemanship and a habit of sucking lemons, was a relentless fighter. (1.00) 12/37 (32%) one of the greatest of Confederate cavalrymen. (0.00) 3/37 (8%) "our strongest pillar" which, as Jefferson Davis said when Jackson died, "had been broken." (0.00) 20/37 (54%) FROM MCPHERSON BOOK - CHECK James Buchanan was so distraught over the secession crisis that he became the first American president to resign the office. (0.00) 6/37 (16%) 43% 0.502 0.54 0.38 a morally obtuse president who, not grasping the gravity of the risk of war, turned his attention to foreign affairs. (0.00) 7/37 (19%) a stubborn president, so rigidly antislavery that he was unable to compromise to save the Union. (0.00) 7/37 (19%) the lame duck president who, in 1861, hoped in vain that president-elect Abraham Lincoln would join him in an action to save the Union. (1.00) 16/37 THOWN OUT, BUT FIXABLE According the Joseph Johnston, initially, on takin : According the Joseph Johnston, initially, on taking command outside Richmond, Robert E. Lee's greatest asset was that he had the confidence of Jefferson Davis and his administration. (1.00) 3/37 (8%) 8% 0.277 0.12 0.27 he had commanded in the prewar army of the United States and had firsthand understanding of its key officers and their strategies. (0.00) 10/37 (27%) he was fighting in his native Virginia, whose countryside he knew well. (0.00) 17/37 (46%) his engaging manner appealed to soldiers eager for a leader they could identify with. (0.00) 6/37 (16%) OKAY BUT CHECK MCPHERSON The Confederate States of America consisted of : The Confederate States of America consisted of all the slaveholding states. (0.00) 0/37 (0%) 46% 0.505 0.54 0.30 no state with territory north of the Mason-Dixon line. (0.00) 0/37 (0%) eleven states governed by a constitution closely patterned on the Constitution of the United States. (1.00) 17/37 (46%) a federation of eleven slaveholding states formally recognizing states' rights to be the governing principle of the new nation. (0.00) 19/37 (51%) THROW OUT OR FIX - CHECK MCPHERSON Jefferson Davis : Jefferson Davis was initially elected president of the Confederacy by a popular vote (of the people) and had been a strong proponent of secession before the war. (0.00) 18/37 (49%) 14% 0.347 0.00 -0.42 did not have opposition for the presidency of the Confederacy. (0.00) 9/37 (24%) represented the old Southern aristocracy of the East Coast. (1.00) 5/37 (14%) was able to provide strong leadership in a losing cause (0.00) 4/37 (11%) OKAY BUT FIX WORDING The First Battle of Manassas : The First Battle of Manassas was a victory for the North. (0.00) 1/37 (3%) 49% 0.507 0.54 0.30 was a victory for the South. (1.00) 18/37 (49%) ended in a stalemate (0.00) 0/37 (0%) did not dispel the illusion that the war would soon be over. (0.00) 2/37 (5%) both b and d (0.00) 15/37 (41%) READ MCPHERSON - check President Buchanan believed that : President Buchanan believed that no state had the constitutional right to secede from the Union. (0.00) 12/37 (32%) 19% 0.397 0.19 0.07 the federal government had no authority to stop a state from seceding from the Union. (0.00) 12/37 (32%) both a and b (1.00) 7/37 (19%) neither a nor b (0.00) 5/37 (14%) CHECK MCPHERSON As president, Lincoln : As president, Lincoln asked for a declaration of war. (0.00) 1/37 (3%) 57% 0.502 0.62 0.17 increased the size of the army without the approval of Congress. (0.00) 0/37 (0%) proclaimed a naval blockade of the South. (0.00) 5/37 (14%) only b and c (1.00) 21/37 (57%) only a and c (0.00) 9/37 (24%) THROW OUT - MUST BE FIXED actual "formation" date is vague compared to inauguration The Confederacy was formed : The Confederacy was formed before Lincoln was inaugurated. (1.00) 17/37 (46%) 46% 0.505 0.58 0.35 when all the states had seceded. (0.00) 13/37 (35%) with President Buchanan's blessing. (0.00) 1/37 (3%) in Washington, D.C. (0.00) 0/37 (0%) in accordance with the requirements of the Crittenden Compromise (0.00) 5/37 (14%) NOTHING WRONG HERE During the Civil War, Kansas and Missouri were : During the Civil War, Kansas and Missouri were away from the fighting, thus largely peaceful. (0.00) 4/37 (11%) 30% 0.463 0.31 0.18 the scene of four major battles. (0.00) 12/37 (32%) ravaged by guerilla bands from both sides. (1.00) 11/37 (30%) attacked by Indians allied with the Confederacy. (0.00) 3/37 (8%) finally convinced to join the Confederacy (0.00) 6/37 (16%) FINE QUESTION - CHECK MCPHERSON Sea power played an especially important role in t : Sea power played an especially important role in the Civil War in the form of the Confederate raids on northern shipping. (0.00) 1/37 (3%) 38% 0.492 0.31 -0.03 transportation of rebel troops and supplies on steamboats. (0.00) 3/37 (8%) continuous and successful Union blockade of the Confederate coast. (0.00) 17/37 (46%) ironclad ships that appeared during the war. (1.00) 14/37 (38%) OKAY BUT FIX At the beginning of the war, the Confederacy benefited from its : At the beginning of the war, the Confederacy benefited from its loyal slaves, many of whom were recruited as soldiers. (0.00) 0/37 (0%) 51% 0.507 0.58 0.28 friendly relations with European countries that gave money and supplies to the "new nation" (0.00) 12/37 (32%) calm and reasonable leaders who created sympathy for "the cause" among Northern conservatives. (0.00) 2/37 (5%) rural traditions of hunting and riding that prepared its population for military activities. (1.00) 19/37 (51%) large numbers of factories. (0.00) 3/37 (8%) CHECK THIS OUT AND DECIDE General Joseph Hooker was popular with soldiers in the Army of the Potomac because he arranged for better food and granted furloughs. : General Joseph Hooker was popular with soldiers in the Army of the Potomac because he arranged for better food and granted furloughs. True (1.00) 19/37 (51%) 51% 0.507 0.58 0.22 False (0.00) 16/37 (43%)