Westward Expansion in the 19th Century

What was the population of San Francisco before the gold rush?

• C) 15,000

• D) 350,000

• B) 1,000

• A) 30,000

What event led to the dramatic increase in San Francisco's population in the 1850s?

• D) Arrival of European immigrants

• B) Discovery of gold

• A) Discovery of oil

• C) Construction of a railroad

What was the purpose of the Pacific Railway Act passed by Congress in 1862?

• D) To build a transcontinental railroad

• C) To establish trade routes with Asia

• B) To facilitate westward migration

• A) To grant land to farmers

What was the main reason for the increase in racial conflict in the West?

• A) Competition for land and gold

• C) Political disagreements

• B) Religious differences

• D) Language barriers

What was the purpose of the Homestead Act passed by Congress in 1862?

• B) To encourage westward migration

• D) To provide free education for settlers

• A) To grant land to Native Americans

• C) To establish new states in the West

What was the impact of the transcontinental railroad on travel time across the country?

• C) Increased from 2 weeks to 1 month

• D) Remained the same

• B) Reduced from 1 year to 3 months

• A) Reduced from 5 months to 6 days

What was the main economic opportunity that drew people to the West before the gold rush?

• B) Farming

• A) Mining

• C) Railroad construction

• D) Trading with Native Americans

What was the impact of westward expansion on the balance of power between free and slave states in Congress?

• A) It led to the abolition of slavery

• B) It increased tensions and ultimately led to the Civil War

• C) It had no effect on the balance of power

• D) It strengthened the influence of free states

What was the purpose of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882?

• D) To grant land to Chinese immigrants

• B) To provide citizenship to Chinese immigrants

• C) To restrict Chinese immigration

• A) To encourage Chinese immigration

What was the prevailing idea about the American West before the westward expansion?

• B) It was already populated by European settlers

• C) It was a dangerous and uninhabitable region

• D) It was controlled by Native American tribes

• A) It was an empty land with limitless resources