Exploring Westward Expansion and Impact

Explain how the beliefs of Manifest Destiny justified the westward expansion of the United States.

• It promoted the idea that the U.S. should expand to spread democracy and civilization.

• It was based on the belief that the U.S. had a divine right to expand across the continent.

• It suggested that the U.S. needed more land for agricultural development.

• It was a strategy to increase the U.S. military presence in the West.

Answer explanation

It was based on the belief that the U.S. had a divine right to expand across the continent.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Analyze the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad on Native American tribes in the Great Plains.

• It provided new trade opportunities for Native American tribes.

• It led to the displacement and loss of land for many Native American tribes.

• It helped Native American tribes to modernize their transportation methods.

• It had no significant impact on Native American tribes.

Answer explanation

The Transcontinental Railroad led to the displacement and loss of land for many Native American tribes, impacting their way of life and traditional territories.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Evaluate the role of the Exodusters in the westward expansion and how they contributed to the development of the American West.

• They were a group of Native Americans who resisted westward expansion.

• They were African Americans who migrated to the West to escape racial oppression in the South.

• They were European immigrants who settled in the West to start new businesses.

• They were government officials who promoted westward expansion policies.

Answer explanation

The Exodusters were African Americans who migrated to the West to escape racial oppression in the South, contributing to the development of the American West.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Discuss the importance of the Homestead Act in promoting westward expansion and its effects on American society.

• It provided free land to settlers, encouraging them to move west.

• It restricted land ownership to wealthy individuals.

• It required settlers to pay high taxes on the land they acquired.

• It limited the amount of land that could be owned by any one person.

Answer explanation

The Homestead Act provided free land to settlers, encouraging them to move west, which promoted westward expansion and had significant effects on American society.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Assess the economic and social impacts of the California Gold Rush on the American West.

• It led to the establishment of new cities and towns in the West.

• It caused a decline in the population of the Western states.

• It had no significant impact on the economy of the West.

• It resulted in the depletion of natural resources in the West.

Answer explanation

The California Gold Rush led to the establishment of new cities and towns in the American West, impacting its economic and social development.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

How did the beliefs of Manifest Destiny influence U.S. policies towards Native Americans during the westward expansion?

• It promoted peaceful coexistence and trade with Native Americans.

• It justified the removal and relocation of Native American tribes.

• It encouraged Native Americans to adopt European customs and practices.

• It had no influence on U.S. policies towards Native Americans.

Answer explanation

The beliefs of Manifest Destiny justified the removal and relocation of Native American tribes during westward expansion.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Analyze the role of the Transcontinental Railroad in the economic development of the American West.

• It decreased the cost of transporting goods and people across the country.

• It had no significant impact on the economy of the West.

• It increased the cost of goods in the Western states.

• It led to the decline of agriculture in the West.

Answer explanation

The Transcontinental Railroad decreased the cost of transporting goods and people across the country, thus playing a significant role in the economic development of the American West.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Evaluate the significance of the Exodusters' migration in shaping the social and cultural landscape of the American West.

• They introduced new agricultural techniques to the Western states.

• They established African American communities and contributed to the cultural diversity of the West.

• They played a minor role in the development of the West.

• They primarily worked as laborers in the mining industry.

Answer explanation

The Exodusters established African American communities and contributed to the cultural diversity of the West, shaping its social and cultural landscape.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Discuss the long-term effects of the Homestead Act on American agriculture.

• It led to the development of large-scale commercial farming in the West.

• It caused a decline in agricultural productivity in the Western states.

• It had no significant impact on American agriculture.

• It restricted the growth of small family farms in the West.

Answer explanation

The Homestead Act led to the development of large-scale commercial farming in the West, impacting the American agricultural landscape.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Analyze the social and economic consequences of the California Gold Rush on Native Americans.

• It provided new economic opportunities for Native Americans.

• It led to the displacement and decline of Native American populations.

• It had no significant impact on Native American communities.

• It resulted in improved relations between Native Americans and settlers.

Answer explanation

The correct choice highlights that the California Gold Rush led to the displacement and decline of Native American populations in the region.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking