ch 17

What significant event marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869?

• The 'Golden Spike' ceremony in Promontory, Utah

• The Battle of Little Bighorn

• The passing of the Homestead Act

• The invention of barbed wire

What role did forts play in westward migration, and why were they constructed?

• To serve as military outposts against foreign invasion

• To facilitate trade and limit conflicts with local American Indian tribes

• To provide shelter for settlers during harsh weather

• To establish educational institutions for migrating families

What event marked the end of the era of free-range cattle drives?

• Cattle rustling

• The Fence Cutting War

• Invention of barbed wire

• Completion of the transcontinental railroad

What term is used to describe larger commercial farms that began to develop in the late 19th century, benefiting from advancements in farm equipment?

• Homesteads

• Bonanza farms

• Sod houses

• Dry farms

Which legislation from 1862 aimed to encourage westward migration and a 'free soil' mentality across the West?

• Dakota War Act

• Chinese Exclusion Act

• Pacific Railway Act

• Mexican-American War Act

What policy aimed at assimilating Native Americans into American society through individual land ownership, Christian worship, and education?

• Homestead Act

• Dawes Severalty Act

• Indian Removal Act

• First Treaty of Fort Laramie

What weather-related challenges did settlers face in the Midwest, as mentioned in the text?

• Tornadoes, droughts, blizzards, and insect swarms

• Moderate temperatures year-round

• Consistent rainfall

• Lack of sunlight

Who coined the term “Manifest Destiny,” and what did it signify?

• John O’Sullivan; divine encouragement for territorial expansion

• Stephen Harriman Long; the promotion of the railroad industry

• Abraham Lincoln; the belief in the abolition of slavery

• Samuel S. Montague; the completion of the transcontinental railroad

What challenges did pioneer farmers, or 'sodbusters,' face as they settled in the Midwest according to the text?

• Abundant water sources for irrigation

• Frequent setbacks due to excessive rainfall

• Limited access to building materials

• Overwhelming support from the first railroad lines

What was the main idea behind the concept of Manifest Destiny?

• The desire to establish aristocracy and ancient history in the new world

• The belief in the superiority of Euro-American settlers and their technology

• The need to limit westward expansion during the Civil War

• The destiny of Native Americans to rule the continent