Moving West
What region did many Americans begin looking toward as a possible new home after the Civil War?
The Great Plains and areas farther west.
What act allowed heads of households to receive 160 acres of land?
The Homestead Act
Who already lived on much of the land settlers moved onto in the west?
Native Americans
What is a frontier?
A region just beyond or at the edge of a settled area.
What is a prairie?
A large, flat area of grassland.
Name one reason Americans were motivated to move West.
Affordable land, economic opportunity, farming, mining, freedom, adventure, or a better life.
What did settlers have to do with their land under the Homestead Act?
Settle on it and improve
What does assimilate mean?
To integrate or be absorbed into another culture.
What was one major hardship settlers faced on the Great plains?
Limited water, little rainfall, tough soil, dust storms, or lack of wood.
What does nomadic mean?
Moving from place to place without a permanent home.
What railroad made it easier for people to travel from the East Coast to the West Coast?
The Transcontinental railroad
What did the government give railroad companies to encourage railroad construction?
Thousands of acres of land.
Why did westward migration create conflict with Native Americans?
Settlers wanted land and resources that Native Americans already lived on and depended on.
What did settlers use to build houses when when wood was scarce?
Sod.
What is sod?
The upper layer of soil that has grass growing on it.
How did railroads make moving West easier and more profitable?
They made it easier to transport people, crops, raw materials, and finished goods.
What did the Morrill Land Grant Act provide federal land for?
Funding Univerities
What happened to Native American land as more settlers moved West?
Native Americans lost access to much of their traditional land.
What farming technique was developed to help farmers deal with limited rainfall?
dry farming
What is Allotment?
A recipient's portion or share of something that is given out.
Why did different groups of people move West after the Civil War?
They were seeking opportunities, including land, farming, jobs, mining, freedom, adventure, and a better life.
How did government land policies encourage westward settlement?
They made land available and created opportunities for farming, transportation, education, and economic growth.
What was one major effect of westward expansion on Native American communities?
They lost land and resources, and their traditional ways of life were disrupted.
Name TWO ways settlers adapted to life on the Great Plains.
Sod houses, windmills, steel plows, dry farming, mulching, growing wheat, or using buffalo chips for fuel.
What does in perpetuity mean?
Forever.