Chapter 5 - Becoming a State

Define homesteader.

• A person who travels frequently

• A person who works in a factory

• A person who settles on land for farming

• A person who teaches at a school

Define amendment.

• A change or addition to a legal or statutory document.

• A type of government policy.

• A historical event.

• A scientific theory.

What does this list tell us about: had to be at least 21 years old, had to live on the land for five years, had to build a house on the land, had to pay a very small fee?

• The Civil War

• The Kansas-Nebraska Act

• The Homestead Act

• The 14th Amendment

Which of the following is an example of an immigrant?

• Marta moves from Germany to Nebraska to build a new home.

• Sandy travels to Alaska to visit his family and friends.

• Heidi moves from Kansas to Nebraska to start a farm.

• David goes to a new school in the middle of the year.

What sentence best completes the following list: create a constitution, make a new state government?

• Ratify new amendments

• Prove up the land for five years

• Ask US Congress for permission to be a state

• Vote for local government leaders

Why did Nebraska’s leaders choose to put the state capital in the east? (Choose three)

• Democrats in the western part of the state wanted to rename the capital.

• Nomadic Indian tribes sometimes raided western settlements.

• The rivers in the western part of the states were too salty.

• There were only a few stations in the western part of the state.

• The land in the western part of the state was too dry to grow crops.

Why were towns so important to homesteaders living in Nebraska?

• They provided social and economic opportunities.

• They were places to hide from wild animals.

• They were the only places to find water.

• They were the only places to grow crops.

Answer explanation

Even though most towns were far away, they were important to homesteaders. Towns had mills to grind corn or flour. General stores had tools and cloth that homesteaders could not make themselves.

Why do you think Nebraska’s state legislature chose “Equality Before the Law” as the state motto?

• To promote fairness and justice for all citizens.

• To encourage people to move to Nebraska.

• To make Nebraska sound more interesting.

• To attract more businesses to the state.

Answer explanation

The territory voted not to allow slavery. African Americans had more rights here than other parts of the United States. They could vote on statehood, and the state legislature passed laws to protect their rights.

What is the 14th Amendment, and why is it important?

• It grants citizenship and equal protection under the law.

• It allows people to vote at age 18.

• It establishes the right to free speech.

• It limits the terms of the President.

Answer explanation

The 14^th Amendment was a law ratified after the Civil War that said all people born in the United States are citizens. It gave the rights of citizens to African American men who were formerly enslaved.

How did Nebraska change from a territory to a state?

• By meeting the requirements set by Congress.

• By declaring independence from the U.S.

• By winning a war against neighboring states.

• By purchasing land from another country.

Answer explanation

Answers will vary but should include the following information Nebraska territory had to have a decent population. They then had to have create a constitution. After that, they had to set up a new state government. Finally, they had to ask the US Congress for permission to be a state.