The Westward Expansion Quiz

What technological advance made traveling across the country easier during the westward expansion?

• Steamboats

• Automobiles

• Telegraph

• Transcontinental Railroad

What invention by John Deere helped in farming the tough soil of the Midwest?

• Steel Plows

• Windmills

• Sod Houses

• Dry Farming

Which best describes the purpose of barbed wire in the open spaces of the Plains?

• To mark property lines

• To keep out wild animals

• To prevent soil erosion

• To build fences

What type of farming was used in areas with little rainfall during the westward expansion?

• Sod Farming

• Wheat Farming

• Corn Farming

• Dry Farming

What provided free land to homesteaders?

• The Dawes Act

• The Free Land Act of 1863

• The Homestead Act of 1862

• The Homestead Act of 1865

Which crop grows best in drier climates on the Great Plains?

• Barley

• Wheat

• Corn

• Rice

What was the purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862?

• To promote industrial development

• To offer free land for settlement beyond the Mississippi

• To establish new trade routes

• To encourage people to move east

What were the 'soddies' mentioned in the text?

• A type of crop grown on the Great Plains

• Easy-to-build homes made of sod

• A type of livestock raised by settlers

• A method of transportation used by settlers

What was the role of Chinese immigrants in building the Transcontinental Railroad?

• They were involved in negotiating with the Native American tribes

• They were involved in laying the tracks

• They were responsible for managing the finances of the project

• They provided medical assistance to the workers

Choose the answers choices that describes the climate of the Great Plains.

• Tropical with consistent rainfall throughout the year
• Polar with hot summers and mild winters

• Temperate with no extreme temperatures and frequent tornadoes

• Low rainfall, very dry, and frequent duststorms