A map titled “Free and Slave States and Territories, 1845” shows the boundaries of states and territories and classifies them based on the legality of slavery there in 1845.
The following states and territories were free:
Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Michigan
Indiana
Illinois
Wisconsin Territory
Unorganized Territory
Oregon Country
Slavery was still legal in the following states and territories:
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
Missouri
Arkansas
Louisiana
Florida Territory
an unnamed territory north of the Republic of Texas covering most of present-day Oklahoma.
Question
Use the map to answer the question.
What main reason Congress initially refused to annex Texas is supported by the information on this map? Select TWO that apply.
(1 point)
Responses
If the United States annexed Texas, it would almost certainly mean war with Mexico.
If the United States annexed Texas, it would almost certainly mean war with Mexico.
If the United States annexed Texas, it would enter as a free state and anger Southerners.
If the United States annexed Texas, it would enter as a free state and anger Southerners.
If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states.
If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states.
If the United States annexed Texas, it would jeopardize the country’s other claims in California.
Based on the information provided on the map, the two reasons that Congress initially refused to annex Texas that are supported by the classification of states and territories on the map are:
1. If the United States annexed Texas, it would almost certainly mean war with Mexico.
Annexing Texas was contentious due to existing disputes with Mexico. Prior to the annexation, Texas had been an independent republic after seceding from Mexico in 1836. The Mexican government did not recognize Texas's independence and considered it a rebellious territory. Bringing Texas into the United States risked war with Mexico, who still claimed sovereignty over the area.
2. If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states.
Texas, as a large territory that permitted slavery, would potentially upset the delicate balance of power in Congress between free and slave states. The addition of another slave state could have tilted political power in favor of the slave states, creating tensions with Northern free states and affecting the balance that was maintained by compromises such as the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which aimed to balance the number of free and slave states in the Union.
The second option, stating that Texas would enter as a free state and anger Southerners, is not supported by the map or historical context, as Texas would have entered the Union as a slave state given that slavery was legal there. The final option, concerning the country's other claims in California, is not directly related to the classification of states and territories on the map regarding the legality of slavery.
JUST SELECT TWO ANSWERS THAT MAKE THE MOST SENSE
Given the choices and the historical context provided by the 1845 map of free and slave states and territories, the two answers that make the most sense are:
1. If the United States annexed Texas, it would almost certainly mean war with Mexico.
2. If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states.
These two points reflect significant concerns of the time regarding both foreign policy and the balance of power between free and slave states within the United States.
To answer this question using the map, we need to consider the information provided and analyze its implications.
The map shows the boundaries of states and territories in 1845, along with their classification as either free or slave. From the map, we can determine that the free states and territories outnumber the slave states and territories. This implies that if Texas were to be annexed as a state, it would likely upset the balance between free and slave states.
The map also provides information on the territories and states where slavery was still legal. Many of these areas are located in the southern region of the United States. Considering the political climate of the time, where the issue of slavery was highly contentious, it is reasonable to assume that the prospect of Texas entering the Union as a free state would anger Southerners who were reliant on slave labor.
Based on these factors, we can conclude that the main reasons Congress initially refused to annex Texas are:
1. If the United States annexed Texas, it would enter as a free state and anger Southerners.
2. If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states.
Therefore, the correct options are:
- If the United States annexed Texas, it would enter as a free state and anger Southerners.
- If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states.