From “America’s Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise that

Preserved the Union” by Fergus M. Bordewich

1. “In the fifth decade of the nineteenth century, the United States was still molten, its shape and

extent unformed and unpredictable.” This is true physically, as well as metaphorically. Explain.

2. How many different opinions are talked about on the subject of expansion?

3. How does “scientific racism” explain Manifest Destiny?

4. What are the new problems that are raised by the victory against Mexico?

5. In what ways is the debate in 1850 consistent with the ongoing debate about federalism and the

role of the federal government?