Westward Expansion

Americans thought the U.S. should expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean. What idea made them think this way?

• Destiny of Life

• Manifest Destiny

• The Promised Land

• The Goals of the U.S.A.

Identify the type of trade that started in the early 1800’s that attracted many men to go west and become known as “Mountain Men”

• cattle trade, cows

• agricultural trade, corn

• fur trade, bear pelts

• fur trade, beaver pelts

What group of people spread religion out West to Native Americans and other pioneers?

• rural folk

• men of destiny

• missionaries

• cowboys

Why did pioneer families take the Oregon Trail and go West?

• participate in the fur trade

• convert people to Christianity

• acquire farmland/start a new life

• all of these!

How did most pioneers make their journey West?

• by foot

• wagon and oxen

• by train

• boats and canoes

Which one of the following best describes life on a western trail?

• boring, dull, unexciting

• simple, easy, relaxed

• fun, safe, restful, exciting

• slow, dangerous, exhausting, hazardous

What event in 1848 brought a rush of settlers to California?

• new farmland acquired

• fur traded exploded

• silver was discovered

• gold was discovered

What was the relationship between Native Americans and settlers in the West?

• Got along, but lived in uneasy peace

• Violent, Native Americans were angry that strangers were on their land

• No relationship because the settlers killed the Native Americans in the area

• All of these relationships existed

The Mexican-American War was started because Mexico wanted which present-day U.S. state back?

• Indiana

• Utah

• Texas

• New Mexico

The war between Mexico and the U.S. (1846-1848) ended with:

• A truce, neither Mexico nor the U.S. got land

• U.S. victory, new land (many current Western U.S. states)

• Mexican victory, got land back from the U.S.

• U.S. victory, new land (many current Eastern states)