Unit 3: Westward Expansion

Which statement best explains a reason for the different cultural characteristics of Fort Pierre and New York City that are shown in the images?

• Residents of Fort Pierre had greater opportunities to purchase manufactured goods from local markets.

• Residents of New York City were better able to maintain a similar set of customs and traditions.

• Residents of Fort Pierre were closer to other population centers where they could participate in trade.

• Residents of New York City had access to a larger variety of employment and leisure opportunities.

Answer explanation

As you get further away from the cities in the east, the less job opportunities you will have. Beginning settlements have very little resources.

What are two push factors which would lead to the increasing immigrant population in the 1800s.

• Potato famine

• Land ownership

• Religious freedom

• Political persecution

• Economic freedom

Answer explanation

Push factors are negative reasons for being "pushed" away from your home.

Use the excerpt and your knowledge of social studies to answer the question.

Adapted from Luzena Stanley Wilson ’49er: Her Memoirs as Taken Down by Her Daughter in 1881

 This excerpt is from the memoirs of Luzena Stanley Wilson, who traveled from Missouri to Sacramento, California, with her family in 1849. We bought an interest in the hotel, which stood on what is now known as K Street. The kitchen was my special area. It was a motley crowd1 that gathered every day at my table, but respect was given to me. Women were scarce in those days. I lived six months in Sacramento and saw only two women. There was no time for visiting or gossiping. It was hard work from daylight till dark, and sometimes long after. Yes, we worked; we did things our servants would now look at and say it was impossible for a woman to do. Later the “flush” times 2 came, when the miners and everyone had money.

1 motley crowd: mixed group of diverse people 2“ flush” times: times when people had abundant amounts of money

Which statement best explains why women like Luzena Stanley Wilson decided to move west during the California Gold Rush?

• Women could manage mines and oversee the work of miners.

• Women could earn income by cooking and washing for miners.

• Women could work side by side with men in the mines.

• Women could learn new ideas and skills from the men in the mines.

Answer explanation

The new towns that popped up in the west brought more economic opportunities, especially for women!

Which statement explains how the relationship between the United States and Great Britain was most likely affected by the Oregon Treaty, as shown in Source 1 and Source 4?

• Relations improved because both nations were better able to participate in the trade of North America’s resources.

• Relations grew worse because the two nations began to focus on new border disputes in the Northeast.

• The United States supported Great Britain in its ongoing trade war with France.

• Great Britain provided the United States with troops for its war with Mexico.

Answer explanation

Signing a treaty would indicate a positive relationship between the two countries.

Which statement best explains how the idea of Manifest Destiny mentioned in Source 1 contributed to the Mexican- American War?

• The United States wanted to limit the spread of slavery.

• The United States wanted to recover from an economic depression.

• The United States wanted to adopt cultural ideas from other countries.

• The United States wanted to take over the territories of other countries.

Answer explanation

To accomplish westward expansion, the U.S. would need to take territory from Mexico to complete the west coast.

Using Source 2, which statement best describes the military campaigns of the Mexican-American War?

• The United States captured major cities in Mexico.

• The Mexican Army drove U.S. troops out of Mexico.

• Most major battles of the war were fought on U.S. territory.

• U.S. troops were unable to invade the lands south of the Rio Grande.

Which statement best describes the actions of the United States during the Mexican-American War?

• The United States declared war to punish Mexico for previous economic and political disputes.

• The United States sought to liberate Mexico from a dictatorship and make it a democracy.

• The United States showed a willingness to use military force to protect and expand borders.

• The United States focused on defending its territory from an invasion by Mexico.

What was one effect of the Mexican-American War?

• Mexican troops fire on U.S. troops in Texas.

• The U.S. Congress votes to annex Texas.

• The United States becomes a more powerful nation.

• The U.S. abolishes slavery.

Using Source 4, which statement best explains how the economy of the United States was affected by the invention of the cotton gin?

• It decreased the price of cotton, causing the Midwest to become the main textile producer in the country.

• It reduced the supply of cotton harvested, resulting in the Northeast declining as a region for textiles.

• It decreased the production time for cotton, causing cotton to become the main cash crop of the South.

• It reduced the dependence on cotton, resulting in the South developing a large industrial base.

Answer explanation

The faster cotton can be cleaned, the faster it can be sold (it becomes more profitable).

Based on Source 2, which statement best describes an effect of the economic developments in the Northeast?

• Some northeastern farmers migrated to cities to take manufacturing jobs.

• Northeastern farmers increased competition by beginning to produce wheat.

• Northeastern farmers moved farther west to gain access to markets for their goods.

• Some northeastern farmers dug canals to access markets in the middle of the country.

Answer explanation

As farmland in the east became harder to find, and less profitable in the north, many farmers switch to manufacturing jobs.