Final answer:
The three developments that directly gave black Americans the opportunity to escape Southern racism and settle the western territories were the Fourteenth Amendment, the Homestead Act, and the Annexation of Texas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three developments that directly gave black Americans the opportunity to escape Southern racism and settle the western territories were:
- Fourteenth Amendment: The Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to African Americans and provided equal protection under the law regardless of race or color. It also prohibited states from depriving their residents of life, liberty, or property without due process.
- Homestead Act: The Homestead Act, passed by Congress in 1862, allowed any head of a family, including former slaves, to claim up to 160 acres of federal land in the western territories and eventually own it if they lived on the land and made improvements for five years.
- Annexation of Texas: While not directly related to the goal of escaping Southern racism, the annexation of Texas in 1845 did open up new opportunities for settlement in the western territories, including for black Americans.