Government Acts & Policies
160 acres of land to anyone who paid a small fee, lived on it for five years, and improved it.
What did the transcontinental railroad connect?
The eastern United States to the western territories.
Who were the Exodusters?
Freed African Americans who moved west to escape discrimination and find opportunity.
What method was used to deliver mail before the telegraph and railroad?
The Pony Express
What material was used to build homes when wood was scarce on the plains?
What did the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 authorize?
Construction of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad.
How long did it take to cross the country before the transcontinental RR?
4-6 months
What was the main goal of the Grange Movement?
To fight unfair railroad practices and support cooperative farming.
What was one major problem with the Pony Express?
It was slow and dangerous—riders faced attacks and long travel times.
What were "Hell on Wheels" towns?
Temporary railroad towns filled with saloons, bars, and entertainment for workers.
What was the purpose of the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862?
To fund state colleges that taught agricultural and mechanical (industrial) skills.
What was one major economic benefit of the railroads for farmers?
They could ship crops to more markets quickly and cheaply.
How many new states were added to the Union between 1865 and 1900?
Nine new states.
How did the telegraph improve national communication?
It allowed messages to be sent across the country in minutes instead of weeks or months.
Why did “Hell on Wheels” towns often become violent?
Because of the lack of law enforcement, abundance of alcohol, and large numbers of young men.
How did the Pacific Railway Act encourage both communication and transportation development?
It provided land and funding for railroads and called for telegraph lines to be built alongside them.
How did land grants to railroads promote western settlement?
Railroads sold unused land to settlers, creating towns, farms, and businesses along the routes.
Why were farmers frustrated with large corporations and railroads during this period?
Because railroads charged high shipping rates and the government offered more support to railroads than to farmers.
How was the telegraph system connected to railroad construction?
The Pacific Railway Act ordered telegraph lines to be built alongside the railroad tracks.
What was the system many freedmen who didn’t migrate became tied to?
sharecropping
How did these federal acts collectively shape westward expansion and economic development?
They provided land for settlement, funded infrastructure for transportation, and supported education.
Explain how the expansion of the railroads transformed the geography and economy of the American West.
Turn areas into farmland, created towns, mass migration and reduced travel costs.
How did western migration and organizations like the Grange shape U.S. politics and society?
IT lead to demands for railroad regulation, early populist movements, and expanded democratic participation.
Why was the combination of railroad and telegraph technology so important to America’s growth?
They connected the entire country physically and digitally and enabled faster business transactions.
how many bison are left by 1900s?