View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Congress finally moved to prohibit military personnel from ________ slaves to their owners.

2. Hahn notes there is a lot of information about African American ______ during this time period, but not a lot on politics.

3. Slaves in the South began to gain ________ for themselves as well as looser standards.

4. Plantation ________, who wielded the most power within the community, tended to be male.

5. As the Union Army moved further into the South, the volume of slave fugitives ___________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to the right to vote of the black man during the time period of this particular book?

2. What was viewed as the best way to guarantee the freedom of the slaves?

3. What is so special about the rural areas in which the African Americans lived during the time period of this book?

4. What happened as a result of the Confederate government becoming more organized?

5. Who was included in the processions of freed black slaves as they marched through town?

6. What did the slaveholders begin to do in order to entice their slaves to stay on the farms to work?

7. Why were so many rumors about black uprisings and other troubles spreading so quickly at this time?

8. What was happening in society, even before the presidential election began?

9. What did slaves believe was imminent because of the election of a certain president?

10. What are the two main ideas which Hahn's book seeks to suggest?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Even before there was a presidential election, many slaves were convinced they were going to be free soon.

Part 1: Why do you think the slaves believed the rumors that they were going to be free?

Part 2: Do you think the slaves actually got their freedom because of Lincoln? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why is freedom so important to the slaves at this particular time?

Essay Topic 2

African Americans realized that the democracy of the United States was built on violence and oppression.

Part 1: Why do you think the African Americans believed this statement to be true?

Part 2: How might African Americans have dealt with the idea of democracy being a violent process?

Part 3: Do you agree with the statement that democracy was built on violence in the United States? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

While the South had many slaves, the North was not as filled with un-free African Americans.

Part 1: Why do you think the North was more successful with having free African Americans?

Part 2: Do you think the African Americans of the North could ever understand the trials of the African Americans of the South? Why or why not?

Part 3: How do you think African Americans of the South felt about those in the North? Why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 677 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample