Western Expansion -- Settlers and Native Americans

What did the west represent to settlers?

• • A chance to start over and/or strike it rich 

• • A chance to join the army

  
  

Most Western Settlers went as 

• Individuals

• Families

Who encouraged people to move west?

• • The  Native Americans

• The Government

What impact did railroads have on the American western settlers?

• • It allowed settlers to stay connected with the east by receiving and selling  goods   

• • It had very little impact because so few western settlers lived near railroads 

  
  

Why did the government move Native Americans off their land?

• • to find Native Americans better land to live on. 

• • white settlers wanted it 

The killing of what animal destroyed the way of life for the Native Americans of the Plains?

• Deer

• Buffalo

The majority of Native Americans were defeated and moved to reservations by what year?

• 1890

• 1900

What was one effect of the Dawes Act of 1887?

• Native American tribes were given more land as a group

• Land was allotted to individual Native American families rather than tribes

How much land did Native Americans lose after the Dawes Act?

• 52 million acres

• 86 million acres

What was the purpose of the U.S. government boarding schools for Native American children?

• To “civilize” children by removing them from families and culture

• To educate children while keeping them with their families