Chapter 19 - Growth in the American West

What was the purpose of the Homestead Act?

• To give settlers free land on the Great Plains

• To encourage farming on the Great Plains

• To provide new technology for farmers

• To build railroads across the country

What technology helped farmers on the Great Plains?

• Windmills

• Barbed wire

• Steam engines

• Railroads

What was the main purpose of building the Transcontinental railroad?

• To connect New York and California

• To transport goods across the country

• To provide jobs for immigrants

• To explore the American West

What led to the decline of mining towns on the Last Frontier?

• All the metals were found

• The towns were attacked by Native Americans

• The towns were abandoned by settlers

• The towns were destroyed by natural disasters

What was the purpose of barbed wire on the Great Plains?

• To prevent fights over cattle

• To protect crops from animals

• To mark property boundaries

• To provide materials for construction

What was the main source of food for Native Americans on the Great Plains?

• Buffalo

• Cattle

• Fish

• Corn

What event led to the defeat of General Custer at the battle of Little Big Horn?

• The Sioux and Cheyenne fought back

• The U.S. Army had better weapons

• The Native Americans surrendered

• The battle was a misunderstanding

What did the Dawes Act do for Native Americans?

• Allowed them to become U.S. citizens

• Provided them with free land

• Protected their rights on reservations

• Gave them control over their own government

What was the outcome of the Wounded Knee Massacre?

• More than 200 Sioux were killed

• The Native Americans won the battle

• The U.S. Army surrendered

• The Sioux agreed to live on reservations

By the 1890s, what happened to most Native Americans on the Great Plains?

• They were forced onto reservations

• They were given their own land

• They were allowed to live freely

• They were integrated into white society