Ch. 17: The American West Quiz

What was the primary reason for the westward migration of Mormons?

• To work on the railroads

• To establish cattle ranches

• To escape religious persecution

• To find gold and silver

What was the main purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862?

• To establish national parks

• To encourage settlement by offering land to citizens

• To relocate Native American tribes

• To provide land for railroad construction

Which event marked the end of sustained armed Native American resistance on the Plains?

• The Long Walk of the Navajo

• The Wounded Knee Massacre

• The Sand Creek Massacre

• The Battle of Little Bighorn

What was the Dawes General Allotment Act designed to do?

• Establish Native American schools

• Provide federal jobs to Native Americans

• Divide Native American lands into individual family plots

• Create large reservations for Native Americans

Who was the leader of the Nez Perce during their attempted escape to Canada?

• Crazy Horse

• Quanah Parker

• Chief Joseph

• Sitting Bull

What was the significance of the transcontinental railroad?

• It was built entirely by American laborers

• It was the longest railroad in the world

• It connected the West Coast with the eastern rail networks

• It was the first railroad to reach the East Coast

What was the primary economic activity that replaced bison on the American grasslands?

• Ranching

• Agriculture

• Logging

• Mining

What was the main theme of Frederick Jackson Turner's 'frontier thesis'?

• The frontier was a barrier to American progress

• The frontier was irrelevant to American history

• The frontier was a source of American democracy and innovation

• The frontier was a place of constant conflict

What was the purpose of the Indian Peace Commission created in 1868?

• To negotiate new treaties with European powers

• To oversee the assimilation of Native Americans

• To study and prevent further violence with Native Americans

• To expand the reservation system

What was the Ghost Dance movement?

• A military strategy used by Native Americans

• A religious revival that promised the return of ancestors and buffalo

• A cultural festival celebrating Native American heritage

• A dance competition among Native American tribes