Rhode Island Exam/Peer Recovery Coach Exam Newest
Questions With Verified Answers
Significance of the Dorr War - ANSWER* has national implications b/c Dorr sought
national aid
* sparks national conversation about voting rights
* Calhoun, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams etc involved in suffrage debates
* Dorr believed he was carrying out a Revolutionary Mandate
* was attempting to expand voting privileges
* People had right to come together if they view rights as being violated
* "people coming together to overthrow a tyrannic gov't"
Luther v. Borden - ANSWER(1848) - S.C challenge to concept of Dorr War
* Daniel Webster argues side of State of RI
* argues Dorr's idea about pop. sov. = excuse for anarchy and chaos
* SC decides that the case = political, not constitutional, and dismissed it
* ended the possibility that there was any peaceful way for people to assert their
sovereignty against a legally elected gov't w/o going through existing channels
Murder of Amasa Sprague - ANSWERControversial Case highlighting anti-immigrant
tensions in RI
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Sprague - ANSWER* beaten to death in Dec. 1843
* powerful industrialist in RI
* main administrator of Sprague industrial empire in Cranston
* In charge of several hundred Irish workers
* Politically connected - Brother = former gov. and current RI senator
* Gets killed on a path between his home and manufacturing complex
* shot in forearm and beaten to death
* $60 (lots of money) found on body
* Suspicion falls on Gordon Family
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Gordon Family - ANSWER* extended Irish Imm. family
* locally known that family (Nicolas Gordon specifically) didn't like Sprague
* came over from Ireland and started a grocery and sold liquor
* Liquor part of business = financial success - Nicholas brings over extended family
from Ireland
* Sprague didn't want someone selling liquor so close to his manufacturing plant =
employees got drunk on the job
* tries to block Gordon from getting Liquor license removed - is successful
* Gordon Brothers = immediate suspects
* John and William (younger brothers) indicted for murder, Nicholas indicted for
accessory
* Investigation found that Nicholas was in PVD during crime
* Irish comm. in Cranston and PVD mobilize for family - rally to support them
financially
,Murder of Amasa Sprague: Trial - ANSWER* Spring of 1844
* Jury = entirely Native born anglo RI'ers
* Judge: Jobe Durfee
* Trial of John and William lasts for just about a week - focuses on John
* John couldn't prove where he was - had been out drinking - easier target
* Evidence = all circumstantial, and most was conflicting
* use footprints left at scene - roughly match shoe size of John
* Broken Gun supposedly owned by Nicholas
* "Blood-stained Jacket" supposedly owned by family
* Susan Field provides much of circumstantial evidence
* transient woman of questionable character
* Hung around Sprague store and supposedly overheard conflicts between Sprague
and Gordon
* Specifically tells of one conflict after Liquor license = removed
* Judge recommends guilty verdict
* William = not guilty
* John = guilty and sentenced to death
* appeal = rejected
* Appeal to gen. ass. for pardon/reprieve = denied
* Hanged Feb. 1845
* Lots of rumors around trial
* politically charged - anti-Imm/catholic hysteria
* Rumors that Gordon brothers would try to break John out of Jail
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Execution - ANSWER* RI = first state to abolish public
executions in 1833
* primarily motivated by concern for crowd control
* race riots escalating - peaked in 1831
* Irish sailor kills AA man - looting, rioting, etc
* Feel public executions = spark for increased mob activity
RI and Public Execution - ANSWER* John Gordon's execution = technically a private
execution
* roughly 60 people in attendance - called to bear witness
* upper class citizens, priest, reporters etc
* Large crowd tries to see = climbs up Smith Hill (state house hill)
* Fence that blocked view built specifically for private executions
Moral and Spiritual Rituals associated w/ Hangings = still in play
* ministers are there, witnesses were there to ensure that Protestant ceremonial
aspects of hanging were done (and to make sure he was hanged)
* Have expectation of confession
* John Gordon does not repent or confess
* didn't conform to expectations
* Parish priest brought to minister to John - equates death with Martyrdom
* big ol' christ analogy
, Murder of Amasa Sprague: Aftermath of Execution - ANSWER* Came to light after
than maybe John = innocent
* lots of mass meetings and protests calling for the end of executions in RI
* Leads into National reform movement in the North against death penalty
* life in prison becomes new standard
Jan. 1852 - Senate Committee chaired by Ariel Ballou of Cumberland issues report
proposing ban on death penalty
* RI 2nd state in US to abolish capital punishment later that year
* Revealed that William Sprague - brother of Amasa Sprague - had bribed witnesses
to testify on behalf of the prosecution
* Lawyer attacks Sprague's influence over trial
* Points out that concept of equality under law was challenged by Sprague's
tampering - power and wealth shouldn't make them immune or powerful over law
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Trial of Others - ANSWER* First trail ends in hung jury -
trial dismissed
* Second trial relies on same circumstantial evidence as William and John's trial
* new Jury, but still all Native anglos, Same Judge
* Irish comm. seeks more aggressive defense attorney from outside RI (from MA) -
not beholden to anyone in the Sprague Family
* treats Susan Field as a hostile witness - questions validity of testimony
* Jury couldn't reach consensus, but no call for new trial and Gordon = discharged on
bail
* Charges = never dismissed, but Gordon not tried again
* Gordon debilitated by process, dies 18 mo. later
Murder of Amasa Sprague: The Truth? - ANSWER* William Sprague as most likely
suspect
* William allowed to direct entire case and had massive influence over prosecution
* Had the most to gain from brother's death
* assumes total control of business after brother's death
1846-65 - ANSWERPeriod of Growth and Modernization
* connected with rapid economic growth
Tech Advantages: - ANSWERRailroads, Water, Infrastructure
Railroads - ANSWER* came from Boston extending southward in 1832
* Certain businesses had advance knowledge of railroad arrival
* able to learn from politicians what the route was gonna be
* bought out small houses along route to be able to make a profit selling land to the
railroad
* Important for providing jobs for new immigrants, esp. Irish
* 1847: PVD/Worcester line est.
* builds Union Passenger Depot in PVD
* In a short time, # of railroads increase, PVD = center and all come through city
Questions With Verified Answers
Significance of the Dorr War - ANSWER* has national implications b/c Dorr sought
national aid
* sparks national conversation about voting rights
* Calhoun, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams etc involved in suffrage debates
* Dorr believed he was carrying out a Revolutionary Mandate
* was attempting to expand voting privileges
* People had right to come together if they view rights as being violated
* "people coming together to overthrow a tyrannic gov't"
Luther v. Borden - ANSWER(1848) - S.C challenge to concept of Dorr War
* Daniel Webster argues side of State of RI
* argues Dorr's idea about pop. sov. = excuse for anarchy and chaos
* SC decides that the case = political, not constitutional, and dismissed it
* ended the possibility that there was any peaceful way for people to assert their
sovereignty against a legally elected gov't w/o going through existing channels
Murder of Amasa Sprague - ANSWERControversial Case highlighting anti-immigrant
tensions in RI
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Sprague - ANSWER* beaten to death in Dec. 1843
* powerful industrialist in RI
* main administrator of Sprague industrial empire in Cranston
* In charge of several hundred Irish workers
* Politically connected - Brother = former gov. and current RI senator
* Gets killed on a path between his home and manufacturing complex
* shot in forearm and beaten to death
* $60 (lots of money) found on body
* Suspicion falls on Gordon Family
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Gordon Family - ANSWER* extended Irish Imm. family
* locally known that family (Nicolas Gordon specifically) didn't like Sprague
* came over from Ireland and started a grocery and sold liquor
* Liquor part of business = financial success - Nicholas brings over extended family
from Ireland
* Sprague didn't want someone selling liquor so close to his manufacturing plant =
employees got drunk on the job
* tries to block Gordon from getting Liquor license removed - is successful
* Gordon Brothers = immediate suspects
* John and William (younger brothers) indicted for murder, Nicholas indicted for
accessory
* Investigation found that Nicholas was in PVD during crime
* Irish comm. in Cranston and PVD mobilize for family - rally to support them
financially
,Murder of Amasa Sprague: Trial - ANSWER* Spring of 1844
* Jury = entirely Native born anglo RI'ers
* Judge: Jobe Durfee
* Trial of John and William lasts for just about a week - focuses on John
* John couldn't prove where he was - had been out drinking - easier target
* Evidence = all circumstantial, and most was conflicting
* use footprints left at scene - roughly match shoe size of John
* Broken Gun supposedly owned by Nicholas
* "Blood-stained Jacket" supposedly owned by family
* Susan Field provides much of circumstantial evidence
* transient woman of questionable character
* Hung around Sprague store and supposedly overheard conflicts between Sprague
and Gordon
* Specifically tells of one conflict after Liquor license = removed
* Judge recommends guilty verdict
* William = not guilty
* John = guilty and sentenced to death
* appeal = rejected
* Appeal to gen. ass. for pardon/reprieve = denied
* Hanged Feb. 1845
* Lots of rumors around trial
* politically charged - anti-Imm/catholic hysteria
* Rumors that Gordon brothers would try to break John out of Jail
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Execution - ANSWER* RI = first state to abolish public
executions in 1833
* primarily motivated by concern for crowd control
* race riots escalating - peaked in 1831
* Irish sailor kills AA man - looting, rioting, etc
* Feel public executions = spark for increased mob activity
RI and Public Execution - ANSWER* John Gordon's execution = technically a private
execution
* roughly 60 people in attendance - called to bear witness
* upper class citizens, priest, reporters etc
* Large crowd tries to see = climbs up Smith Hill (state house hill)
* Fence that blocked view built specifically for private executions
Moral and Spiritual Rituals associated w/ Hangings = still in play
* ministers are there, witnesses were there to ensure that Protestant ceremonial
aspects of hanging were done (and to make sure he was hanged)
* Have expectation of confession
* John Gordon does not repent or confess
* didn't conform to expectations
* Parish priest brought to minister to John - equates death with Martyrdom
* big ol' christ analogy
, Murder of Amasa Sprague: Aftermath of Execution - ANSWER* Came to light after
than maybe John = innocent
* lots of mass meetings and protests calling for the end of executions in RI
* Leads into National reform movement in the North against death penalty
* life in prison becomes new standard
Jan. 1852 - Senate Committee chaired by Ariel Ballou of Cumberland issues report
proposing ban on death penalty
* RI 2nd state in US to abolish capital punishment later that year
* Revealed that William Sprague - brother of Amasa Sprague - had bribed witnesses
to testify on behalf of the prosecution
* Lawyer attacks Sprague's influence over trial
* Points out that concept of equality under law was challenged by Sprague's
tampering - power and wealth shouldn't make them immune or powerful over law
Murder of Amasa Sprague: Trial of Others - ANSWER* First trail ends in hung jury -
trial dismissed
* Second trial relies on same circumstantial evidence as William and John's trial
* new Jury, but still all Native anglos, Same Judge
* Irish comm. seeks more aggressive defense attorney from outside RI (from MA) -
not beholden to anyone in the Sprague Family
* treats Susan Field as a hostile witness - questions validity of testimony
* Jury couldn't reach consensus, but no call for new trial and Gordon = discharged on
bail
* Charges = never dismissed, but Gordon not tried again
* Gordon debilitated by process, dies 18 mo. later
Murder of Amasa Sprague: The Truth? - ANSWER* William Sprague as most likely
suspect
* William allowed to direct entire case and had massive influence over prosecution
* Had the most to gain from brother's death
* assumes total control of business after brother's death
1846-65 - ANSWERPeriod of Growth and Modernization
* connected with rapid economic growth
Tech Advantages: - ANSWERRailroads, Water, Infrastructure
Railroads - ANSWER* came from Boston extending southward in 1832
* Certain businesses had advance knowledge of railroad arrival
* able to learn from politicians what the route was gonna be
* bought out small houses along route to be able to make a profit selling land to the
railroad
* Important for providing jobs for new immigrants, esp. Irish
* 1847: PVD/Worcester line est.
* builds Union Passenger Depot in PVD
* In a short time, # of railroads increase, PVD = center and all come through city
