What is Manifest Destiny?
The belief that it was God's will for the United States to stretch from Atlantic coast to Pacific coast, by any means necessary
Why was the Transcontinental Railroad important to westward expansion?
The Transcontinental Railroad made it faster to travel east and west and to move goods and food from coast to coast.
Why did thousands of people rush to California in 1849?
To mine for gold.
How long did it take for cowboys to move cattle from the plains of Texas to markets near the railroad?
Two to three months of 18 hour days.
What are two key details of the Homestead Act of 1862?
People got up to 160 acres of land.
They had to stay on the land for 5 years.
They had to make improvements to the land.
Anyone could apply.
What were four causes of Westward Expansion?
1 - Transcontinental Railroad
2 - Silver and Gold Mining
3 - Cattle Ranching
4 - Homestead Act or farming
Why did the railroads hire hunters to kill the buffalo?
Because the buffalo would wander onto the tracks and cause delays and accidents.
Why is Promontory, Utah an important place in Westward Expansion?
It was the place where Transcontinental Railroad was completed and the Golden Spike was placed in 1869.
Who were the people who physically built the railroad tracks?
Chinese, Irish and German immigrants who were paid low wages and suffered dangerous conditions.
What happened when gold was discovered on Native American reservations?
The Native Americans were forced to move to new reservations.
Name two things that people still wear that came out of Westward Expansion?
Denim jeans and cowboy hats.
True or False - All cowboys in Westward Expansion were immigrants from Ireland.
False. 30-40% of cowboys were black/freedmen. 20% were Mexican. The rest were a mix of white immigrants and citizens.
How did the Transcontinental Railroad help create the Cattle Kingdom?
The Transcontinental Railroad made it faster and cheaper to transport beef to cities and towns.
What were two factors in the collapse of the Cattle Kingdom?
1 - Two years of severe drought killed the grass the cattle needed to eat.
2 - People could not afford beef because of national economic problems.
What were cow towns?
Towns in Kansas that popped up for cattle ranchers on their way to market. These were places like Dodge City, Kansas.
The forced march of thousands of Cherokee Indians from Georgia to Oklahoma was called what?
The TRAIL OF TEARS. Between 2000 and 4000 Cherokee died as they marched to their reservation in Oklahoma.
Which Native American chief said, "I will fight no more forever." What was his tribe?
Chief Joseph said, "I will fight no more forever." He was the leader of the NEZ PERCE who were kicked off their reservation when gold was found.
Who invented the Sodbuster and what did it do?
John Deere invented it in 1877. It was a metal plow that was stronger and lighter than plows made of wood or stone. It helped homesteaders dig into the hard soil.
African-Americans who left the South and went west to become farmers were called what?
EXODUSTERS. They believed they were making an "exodus" or "exit" from the South and sharecropping/slavery.
The Populist Party was a political party that tried to do what for farmers?
Tried to get better prices for crops.
Tried to get lower costs for railroad shipping.
Northern Republicans were afraid that slavery would spread west and opposed the entrance of which state into the Union? (hint: It's a big state)
Texas was an independent republic for 10 years before becoming a state in 1845. It was known as the Lone Star Republic.
Before the Transcontinental Railroad, which river was used to move goods around the United States?
The Mississippi River.
The US gained full control of the Mississippi after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Which group of people moved from NY to Utah to escape religious persecution?
The Mormons. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded in upstate NY but the group was not accepted and moved west.
Why did Thomas Jefferson hesitate to purchase the Louisiana Territory from France?
The Constitution does not allow for land purchases. Jefferson used the power of the president to MAKE TREATIES.
How did the Dawes Act (1887) try to change the lives of Native Americans?
The Dawes Act was about ASSIMILATION.
The government wanted them to be farmers, to accept Christianity and to change the way they dressed.
How did Kansas earn the nickname "Bleeding Kansas" in the 1850's?
Abolitionists and pro-slavery people fought over admitting Kansas as a FREE state or SLAVE state. It was admitted as a free state just before the Civil War began.
Why was Buffalo Bill Cody important to the image of the Wild West?
His Wild West Shows created the image of the heroic, independent cowboy living in the West. People believed the show was true because he was actually a hunter and cowboy himself.
Why was it so difficult to complete the Transcontinental Railroad?
1- The Rocky Mountains
2 - It took thousands of workers to lay the track
3 - It was very expensive
4 - Getting supplies to remote locations
5 - Attacks from Native American tribes