5.1 Westward Expansion and Immigration

Study the image below. As depicted in the painting, how did the physical landscape change as a result of the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?

• People were able to transport raw materials to markets back East.

• The land in the West continued to be developed into towns as more people moved there.

• Native Americans welcomed new settlers to their regions.

• The Transcontinental Railroad was not able to advance past the Rocky Mountains.

After analyzing the painting below and using your prior knowledge, what were the obstacles faced by the builders of the Transcontinental Railroad? Select all that apply.

• mountain ranges and canyons

• Native Americans and buffalo

• lakes and rivers

• flat and treeless land

Which group was most negatively affected by the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?

• Native Americans

• Mexican Americans

• African Americans

• White settlers

Which is the best description of how economic factors impacted westward expansion?

• As the region became more and more populated, the way of life of the Native Americans changed.

• People could use the land for its resources and make a living through ranching, mining, or farming.

• New land policies such as the Homestead Act of 1861 allowed “squatters” to claim land and keep it.

• Travelers to the West had to cross not only the plains, but also major rivers and the Rocky Mountains

Which of the following are reasons why immigrants came to the United States? Select all that apply.

• famine in the United States

• religious freedom in the United States

• discrimination in the United States

• personal freedoms in the United States

• economic opportunities in the United States

“The next morning, the children were enrolled in the public school. The first great ambition of Jacob and Sarah Saranoff had been realized. Their children were in school.”

What does this excerpt show as a pull-factor for many immigrants coming to America?

• Many immigrants came to America because they wanted jobs.

• Many immigrants came to America because they wanted freedom of religion.

• Many immigrants came to America because they wanted better opportunities for their children.

• Many immigrants came to America because they wanted better living conditions.

Why did many Americans move westward during the 1800s? Select all that apply.

• There was a need for slave labor.

• They believed in Manifest Destiny.

• They hoped to make fortunes from the gold mines.

• There was a large amount of farmland available.

• They were forced from their homes in the east

True or False: More than 12 million immigrants were processed through the Ellis Island Immigration Station.

• True

• False

Whose perspective during Westward Expansion does this statement represent?

“Our way of life has been forever changed. The buffalo, the basis of our lifestyle, have been decimated. The prairies where we resided have been torn up and lined with metal rail lines.”

• Asian immigrants

• European Americans

• Homesteaders

• Native Americans

Whose perspective during Westward Expansion does this statement represent?

“Moving to a new country for jobs on the railroad was not what we expected. We are doing dangerous work blasting tunnels for rails to be laid.”

• Asian immigrants

• European Americans

• Homesteaders

• Native Americans