American West US History Quiz

What role did "long drives" have in the development of the American ranching industry?

• The United States Government used long drives to remove Native Americans from ranches.

• Cowboys walked cattle long distances from the Great Plains in order to reach the railroad.

• Factory owners tested farm vehicles during long drives to the West.

• Sharecroppers used steel plows on long drives through fields of wheat and corn.

What was the main purpose for the development of the reservation system for American Indians in the United States?

• Americans wanted to stop American Indians from interfering with white settlers in western lands.

• Americans wanted to invite American Indians into white society and culture.

• American Indian victories forced the United States to give them full ownership of Native American land.

• American Indians wanted to live apart from the settlers who claimed their land.

Select the option that does not describe a reason for the rapid settlement in the west in the late 1800s.

• The Gold Rush

• Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

• The Transcontinental Railroad

• The search for economic success

In addition to the immigrants arriving from across the world, many Americans migrated to the west in the late 1800s. Select the options that describe the reasons for this internal migration.

• The availability of new land and adventure

• The overcrowding of land in the east

• The search for economic success

• The climate in the east was not conducive to farming

Read the description of The Homestead Act. The Homestead Act, signed into law on May 20, 1862, provided 160 acres of public land to settlers willing to move west. A small fee and five years of residence were required before homesteaders would officially own the land. By 1900, 80 million acres of public land had been distributed through the Homestead Act.

• The purpose of the Homestead Act was to encourage Americans to settle in Western territories.

• Land distributed under the Homestead Act was given away at no cost.

• The Homestead Act granted public land to settlers.

• To earn full ownership rights of Homestead Act land, settlers had to live on it for five years.

• The Homestead Act went into effect in 1900.

Explain the influences on the development of the American West during the second half of the 19th century.

Which of the following was the MAIN purpose for cattle drives in the United States during the 19th century?

• to bring cattle to markets

• to take cattle to safer ranch land

• to exchange cattle with other owners

• to move cattle away from harsh weather

Which statement bests represents the United States’ view on land acquisition (getting land) in

the 1800’s?

• America’s attitude toward completing Manifest Destiny was to get all land they wanted through any means needed

• America was not willing to get into wars or battles attempting to gain land

• America thought that all nations had the right to keep the land they controlled

• America was ready to fight to ensure the Native Americans kept a fair share of the western land

This gave 160 acres of land for free to anyone willing to work the land for 5 years

• The Trail of Tears

• The Homestead Act

• The union Pacific RR company

• Prospectors

to absorb a group into the culture of another population

• annex

• assimilate

• effect

• immigration