Travelling in a wagon was uncomfortable because of cramped space and bumpy rides.
100
What was the American settlers relationship like with the Mexicans?
The American settlers did not feel loyalty to Mexico. They did not speak Spanish and did not participate within the Mexican culture.
100
What does Manifest Destiny mean?
Americans believed that it was their God given right and duty to spread their culture across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. They thought their Democratic Government was the best in the world.
100
What was the easiest event to happen during the Mexican-American War and who was the general in charge?
General Kearney captured Santa Fe without firing a shot.
200
What is the weather like in Oregon?
Oregon has plenty of rain.
200
Death often occurred on the wangon trains. What were the causes of death?
Diseases like cholera and accidents caused many of the wagon train deaths.
200
Who was Santa Anna and what did he do?
Santa Anna became a Mexican dictator. He tried to force Americans to become Catholic and banned slavery.
200
Why did Americans support westward expansion?
The Americans were eager to gain control of ports in San Francisco and San Deigo. There was also good farming land. They thought between the ports and the farming it would help the economy grow.
200
Where did the Mormons journey end and who took them there?
Brigham Young took the Mormons to Salt Lake City, Utah.
300
What is the land like in Oregon?
Oregon has fertile soil which is great for farming.
300
Why did so many people die from disease on the wagon trains?
Diseases like cholera spread quickly among travelers because they lived so close together.
300
Why did Mexico stop sellers from coming to Texas?
Mexico was afraid if Americans kept coming to Texas they would try to make Texas part of the United States.
300
Why were the American settlers interested in the New Mexico Territory?
The Americans were interested in the New Mexico Territory because Santa Fe was a busy trading town located near the Rio Grande River. Being close the the river was good for shipping goods.
300
Where was the first gold nugget found?
The first gold nugget was found at Sutter's Mill.
400
What types of animals are found in Oregon?
Beavers and other fur-bearing animals are found in Oregon's forests.
400
What was the physical appearance of the Oregon Trail like?
There were rivers and mountains along the Oregon Trail.
400
What happened at the Seige at the Alamo in 1836?
There were 150 Texans in the fort waiting for the Mexicans to attack. Six thousand Mexicans surrounded the Alamo and bombarded them for 12 days. The Mexicans broke through the walls and launced an all out attack and won. 180 Texans died and 1500 Mexicans died.
400
What present day states were originally part of the New Mexico Territory?
Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado were all part of the New Mexico Territory.
400
What were the people joining the gold rush called?
The people joining the gold rush were known as the
forty-niners.
500
Who caught the fur-bearing animals and what did they do with them?
Trappers caught the fur-bearing animals and sold the furs to China for profit.
500
How many supplies did the settlers take and what happened to them?
The settlers took few supplies with them because they had limited space. Often the supplies made the journey harder because of the extra weight, so the settlers took them off the wagons and left them behind.
500
How did the Seige at the Alamo help rally settlers to gain Texas?
The Texans were furious. Their leader William B. Travis wrote a letter encouraging Americans to join the battle. Many people respected him for his bravery fighting a massive army with a small amount of people. A lot of volunteers joined Texas, captured Santa Anna, and took Texas back from Mexico.
500
Why were the missions in California considered to be sel-sufficient?
The California missions were considered to be self-sufficient because they produced enough grain, meat, and other food to satisify not only their needs, but the needs of others as well.
500
What did the women do during the gold rush?
Some women panned for gold but most created businesses sewing, cooking, or doing laundry.