American History Quiz

In which year was the Homestead Act signed into law, offering 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee?

• 1862

• 1876

• 1890

• 1905

What strategy did business tycoons like Andrew Carnegie use to control all aspects of the steel industry?

• Vertical integration

• Horizontal integration

• Laissez-faire

• Social Darwinism

What was the goal of the reservation policy in the late 19th century?

• To provide Native Americans with vast territories for self-governance

• To concentrate Native Americans on specific lands and assimilate them into American culture

• To establish independent nations for Native American tribes

• To encourage Native Americans to become homesteaders

What was the purpose of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

• To preserve Native American languages and cultures

• To assimilate Native American children into mainstream American culture

• To promote Native American spirituality

• To provide vocational training for Native Americans

What animal was central to the ranching industry in the West during the late 19th century?

• Sheep

• Horses

• Cattle

• Buffalo

Which event is often considered the last major conflict in the Indian Wars, where the U.S. Army defeated the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes?

• Battle of Little Bighorn

• Wounded Knee Massacre

• Sand Creek Massacre

• Battle of the Rosebud

Which technological innovation played a crucial role in making farming more efficient in the arid West?

• Steam engine

• Cotton gin

• Mechanical reaper

• Barbed wire

What was the primary purpose of the Dawes Act of 1887?

• To promote mining in the West

• To encourage ranching in the West

• To assimilate Native Americans by dividing their lands into individual allotments

• To provide land to homesteaders for farming

The Dust Bowl in the 1930s was primarily caused by:

• a) Massive industrialization

• b) Widespread use of pesticides

• c) Severe drought and poor farming practices

• d) Economic depression

Horizontal integration in business involves:

• Controlling all stages of production from raw materials to finished products

• Consolidating similar businesses to eliminate competition

• Expanding a company's influence globally

• Encouraging competition to drive innovation