Westward Expansion Inventions and Adaptations

Allowed food to be grown in dry areas

• sod houses
• barbed wire
• steel plow
• dry framing

Allowed quicker and more efficient way to transport people and goods in and out of Great Plains

• steel plow
• cattle raising
• railroads
• windmills

Gave practical solution to discovery of local wild cattle (longhorns)

• cattle raising
• dry framing
• wheat farming
• barbed wire

Planted before harsh winter and harvested before hot, dry summer

• railroads
• wheat farming
• dry framing
• windmills

Provided shelter is area with few trees

• windmills
• steel plows
• sod houses
• railroads

Provided a source of water

• windmills
• barbed wire
• steel plows
• sod houses

Broke through tough sod

• sod houses
• steel plows
• barbed wire
• windmills

Created pastures-keeps thing in- at first created to keep things out (cattle trails)

• barbed wire
• sod houses
• steel plows
• windmills

1874-twisted wire with spokes

• barbed wire
• steel plows
• dry framing
• sod houses

1860s-took off because of the railroad

• dry framing
• sod houses
• cattle raising
• wheat farming