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Settling in the West
Transportation
Cowboys
Native Americans
Transcontinental Railroad
100
Abraham Lincoln signed this law in 1862 to encourage people to settle the western frontier. It promised 160 acres of land for only $18!
The Homestead Act
100
Before the Transcontinental Railroad, people had to travel in a _________ to get from Missouri to California.
Stagecoach, covered wagon
100
This was how cowboys transported cattle from Texas to the trains by this method.
Cattle drive
100
Define the word reservation.
a place the US government forced Native American people to live
100
The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad allowed people and goods to travel from coast to coast in as little as a _______.
a week
200
This was the MAIN purpose of the Homestead Act.
To expand out west, to settle the Great Plains
200
Explain how covered wagons would cross over rivers.
Remove the wagon wheels, then float the wagon across
200
This is why cattle drives profitable for Texas ranchers.
Cattle was sold for money to people in the eastern part of the country
200
How did westward expansion affect Native Americans?
they were pushed further and further west and onto reservations
200
This railroad company starting building in California and laid track east toward Missouri. They faced the challenge of building through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains.
the Central Pacific Railroad
300
These were challenges faced by many homesteaders.
Harsh weather conditions, thick sod to bust through, starvation, sickness, rough terrain
300
Most pioneers crossed the Plains using this method.
Covered wagon and walking
300
This was a common pasttime of cowboys after a long, hard day of work.
Sitting around a campfire, eating, and singing songs
300
These are ways that Native Americans are keeping traditions alive today.
gaining control of more land, passing down tribal languages to their children, and sharing tribal stories
300
80% of the Central Pacific's workforce was made up of these immigrants.
Chinese immigrants
400
Name a Pass that became well known because of the tragedy that occurred there.
Donnerś Pass
400
This innovation allowed people and goods to travel across the country in just a week!
Transcontinental Railroad
400
This is the reason cattle drives came to an end.
Railways were built off of the main transcontinental railroad and cowboys would just load the cattle onto trains nearby.
400
Native Americans opposed the building of the transcontinental railroad because...
the railroad/trains scared away the buffalo herds, which the Native American people hunted
400
This railroad company starting building west from Missouri. The workers often faced conflicts with Native Americans.
the Union Pacific Railroad
500
Describe with three adjectives what it would take to be a pioneer.
Hard working, brave, crazy, intelligent, skillful, must have perseverance,
500
Name a mountain range the pioneers would potentially have to cross before reaching the far west.
Sierra Nevada Range, the Rocky Mountains
500
This substance was commonly used by cowboys to keep fires burning in the Plains.
Cow dung
500
General Custer fought in the Battle of Little Bighorn. Why is this battle known as "Custer's Last Stand?"
because Custer was killed along with his entire forces
500
The two companies finally met in this town in Utah in 1869.
Promontory Point, Utah