Silver & Gold
Of Hope & Homesteads
The Best Laid Plains
Moo-ving On Up
But Why?
100
This is the term for people who search for gold, silver, and other valuable ore.
What are prospectors?
100
This gave 160 acres of land to any person willing to farm it and live on it for at least 5 years.
What is the Homestead Act?
100
When the US government wanted to take Native American land, they forced the Native Americans to move here.
What is onto reservations?
100
This is a journey taken to herd and move cattle over long distances.
What is a cattle drive?
100
Why did the government break treaties, like the Fort Laramie Treaty, with Native Americans?
The government wanted Native American land for itself and its people. Native Americans are technically not American citizens.
200
This discovery produced over $300 million worth of silver in a 20-year period.
What is the Comstock Lode?
200
People who moved to territories covered by a think layer of dirt and grass were called this.
What are sodbusters?
200
In this agreement, the US government told Native Americans their lands would be protected if they stayed put. Soon after, the government allowed settlers to move onto NA lands anyway.
What is the Fort Laramie Treaty?
200
These Spanish cowboys taught Americans to lasso and herd cattle and introduced them to the style we now associate with cowboys.
Who are vacqueros?
200
Why were the National Grange and the Farmers' Alliance established?
To put farmers into communication with each other and help them push for fair treatment from railroads and warehouses.
300
This presidential candidate supported the use of both gold and silver in our national currency.
Who is William Jennings Bryan?
300
After the Oklahoma territory was split among homesteaders, this was officially closed.
What is the frontier?
300
This leader from the American military killed over 100 Native Americans after they raised a white flag in surrender.
Who is Colonel John Chivington?
300
These settlements developed at the end of cattle trails.
What are cow towns?
300
Why did railroads give land to farmers?
To make more business for themselves. More farmers means more grain, and grain is shipped over rail lines. That means more profit for railroads.
400
Why didn't most prospectors become rich?
Because ore was buried deep underground: it was expensive to retrieve, so most wound up selling their lands to people who could afford to mine it.
400
What's the difference between boomers and sooners?
Boomers waited their turn for a chance to claim land in the Oklahoma territory. Sooners snuck onto the territory before it was opened to claim land illegally.
400
This Native American tribe tried to escape to Canada in order to avoid being forced onto a reservation.
Who are the Nez Perces?
400
His Wild West show featured stunts performed by cowboys and Native Americans.
Who is William "Buffalo Bill" Cody?
400
How did railroads help usher in the cattle kingdom?
With a transcontinental railroad established, cattle ranchers could ship cows to the east or west and sell them for beef. That means a big profit could be made by getting in the cattle industry.
500
Why didn't Republicans want silver to be a basis for our national currency?
Because other nations used gold as the basis for their national currency; using silver would make it seem like our money was worth less comparatively.
500
List two reasons Exodusters were given their name.
- For the book of Exodus, which tells the story of Jews escaping slavery. - For the layer of dust that covers the Plains.
500
Although Native Americans defeated Colonel Custer in this battle, they were sent to reservations by American troops anyway about a year later.
What is the Battle of Little Bighorn?
500
The cattle boom ended because:
Cows could not survive by grazing alone, so farmers would have to buy feed for them: this was too expensive.
500
How did supply and demand bring about the grain crisis?
Because more farmers had moved west, more grain was being produced. The supply was high, but the demand hadn't changed. This meant that farmers had to charge lower prices if they hoped to sell their grain, and they went broke in the process.
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