The Cattle Boom and Railroad out West

Who discovered a 'lode' in the Sierra Nevada region in 1859?

• John Sutter

• Henry Comstock

• Levi Strauss

• James Marshall

What were towns called that sprang up around mining sites?

• Ghost towns

• Boomtowns

• Mining towns

• Gold towns

What happened to boomtowns if the mines were not profitable?

• They became ghost towns

• They grew larger

• They became cities

• They turned into tourist attractions

What did groups of vigilantes do in boomtowns?

• Create a sense of law enforcement

• Build schools

• Start businesses

• Organize festivals

In what year did two companies begin to build a transcontinental railroad system?

• 1849

• 1859

• 1863

• 1870

Where did the Union Pacific railroad begin?

• San Francisco

• Omaha, Nebraska

• Denver, Colorado

• Salt Lake City

What type of businesses were created in boomtowns to meet miners' demands?

• Saloons and boarding houses

• Banks and schools

• Factories and warehouses

• Farms and ranches

What happened to farmers and cattle ranchers due to the mining boom?

• They faced polluted water and lands

• They became wealthy

• They moved to cities

• They expanded their farms

What was a consequence of the mining boom on settlement governments?

• Permanent forms of settlement governments were adopted

• Governments were dissolved

• New countries were formed

• Governments became weaker

What was the main reason for the expansion of the western states after the Civil War?

• The discovery of oil

• The mining and railroad boom

• The gold rush

• The agricultural revolution