Chapter 2: American West Vocabulary

Front

stagecoach

Back

A horse-drawn coach that was used for transporting people or mail.

Front

transcontinental

Back

Extending across a continent.

Front

cowhand

Back

A person who tends cattle.

Front

prospector

Back

A person who searches an area for gold, silver, or other minerals.

Front

stampede

Back

A wild rush of animals.

Front

saloon

Back

A public building where people gathered to drink or gamble.

Front

homesteader

Back

A pioneer who owned land under the Homestead Act.

Front

sod

Back

Thickly matted grass and roots.

Front

windmill

Back

A wind-powered device used to pump water from a well.

Front

reservation

Back

Land set aside by the government for the American Indians.