Manifest Destiny & Mexican-American War

Discussion & Essay Questions

What contributed to Americans' sense of racial superiority?
- What material advances and opportunities reinforced this sense of difference?
How did the nation avoid a violent clash over slavery for as long as it did?
- Were these political compromises and cross-sectional parties good things, or did they just delay the inevitable? Explain.
- Would the nation have been better served by fighting this out earlier? Why or why not?
Why did most northerners oppose slavery?
Do the motivations of northerners matter? Explain.
What affect did the motivations of northerners have on the way that slavery was ultimately ended?