Settlement of the West Quiz

What were the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada Mountains considered during the settlement of the West?

• A minor inconvenience

• A source of rich soil

• A big obstacle

• A popular meeting point

What was a major effect of the mining boom in the late 1800s?

• Decrease in population

• Development of "boom and bust towns"

• Reduction in gold value

• Increase in agricultural activities

Where were most of the populated cities located in the late 1800s?

• In the West

• In the East

• In the North

• In the South

What was the primary purpose of the transcontinental railroad?

• To connect the North and South

• To facilitate trade between Canada and Mexico

• To connect the United States from East to West.

• To connect Hawaii to the United States.

Before the transcontinental railroad, how did people primarily travel to the West?

• By airplane

• By steamship and wagon

• By submarine

• By foot

Which two immigrant groups significantly contributed to building the transcontinental railroad?

• German and Italian immigrants

• Irish and Chinese immigrants

• Mexican and Canadian immigrants

• Russian and Polish immigrants

How were Native Americans negatively affected by the Western Expansion?

• They were given new technologies

• Their hunting grounds were taken and buffalo were nearly exterminated

• They were enriched by trade

• They were unaffected

Which mineral prompted thousands to rush to the West?

• Silver

• Coal

• Gold

• Copper

Who were the Exodusters?

• European immigrants seeking religious freedom

• African Americans moving to claim land under the Homestead Act

• Native Americans displaced from the East

• Asian entrepreneurs opening businesses

What year was the Homestead Act passed, and what did it offer to settlers?

• 1862, 160 acres of public land for farming after paying a $25 fee

• 1850, 100 acres of public land for a $10 fee

• 1872, 200 acres of public land for farming after paying a $40 fee

• 1862, 150 acres of public land for a $30 fee