Moving West After The Civil War

Review Questions

What minerals were found in the West that attracted settlers?

• Gold and silver• Copper• Iron• Zinc• Coal

What are the Rocky Mountain states?

• WY• CO• MT• ID• UT• NM

What were dangers on the cattle drives?

• stampede

• rustlers

• no water

• Indians

How did cattle get from KS to Chicago, IL?

• Railroad

In what battle did the Indians defeat the army in 1876?

• Battle of Little Big Horn

Who were the 2 leaders at Little Big Horn?

• Sitting Bull-Sioux• George Custer-Army

What were Indian reservations?

• Land set aside for Indians • Ended their way of life

Who was Chief Joseph?

• Leader of the Nez Perce• Led long journey trying to escape the army• “I will fight no more forever!”

What happened at promontory Point, UT?

• Joining of the first Transcontinental RR• UP and CP RR Cos.

What 2 ethnic groups helped build the RR?

• Chinese • Irish

Why was the Homestead Act so important?

• Gave free land to settlers on the Great Plains

Why did the newly freed slaves move to the Great Plains?

• Homestead Act free land• Called Exodusters

Describe the Great Plains to each other

• Flatlands rising east to west• Grassland (prairie)• Low rainfall (dry)• Wind/water erosion• Dust storms

What are the Great Plains states?

Name the inventions/adaptations that made living on the Great Plains

possible• Windmills• Sod houses• Steel plow• Barbed wire• Railroad

• Dry farming• Beef cattle raising• Wheat farming

Why did the Homesteaders build sod houses?

• No trees available• Easiest natural resource

How did barbed wire end the open range?

• Cheap fencing that divided up the land

What crop worked well on the Great Plains?

• wheat

Make up a quote

• Indian• Cowboy• Sodbuster• Miner• RR Co owner• Soldier fighting the Indians

• Chief Joseph• George Custer• Ranch owner

Discussion

• All the reasons people moved West• How the railroad changed life in the West• All the ways the Indians used the Bison

Which would you be? Why?

RancherSoldierCowboyIndianSodbusterMiner