Thomas Jefferson famously described the Missouri Crisis as a 'fire bell in the night' because he feared it:
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Correct answer: Signaled a deep sectional rift that threatened the survival of the Union
Jefferson viewed the debate over the expansion of slavery as a fundamental threat to the United States. He believed that drawing a geographical line based on a moral and political issue would eventually lead to the 'knell of the Union.'
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More Compromises of 1820 and 1850 questions
- Which of the following was a major component of the Compromise of 1850?
- Under the Compromise of 1850, how was the issue of slavery to be decided in the Utah and New Mexico territories?
- Which part of the Compromise of 1850 was most polarizing and widely resisted in the North?
- What change regarding slavery occurred in Washington, D.C., as a result of the Compromise of 1850?
- Henry Clay, known as the 'Great Compromiser,' played a central role in which of the following?
- How did the Compromise of 1850 resolve the border dispute between Texas and New Mexico?