Chapter 4 Study Guide—Go West!

Define the following terms: Compromise

• An agreement in which each side gives up something to settle a disagreement

• A loud argument that ends a meeting

• A strict law made by the national government

• A celebration after a vote

Why did companies start freight lines in Nebraska?

• To carry only passengers from town to town

• To carry supplies to small towns

• To explore for dinosaur bones

• To shut down trade along the trails

Railroads were often put through Native American territories, causing white American settlers to now live close to Native American tribes. How did the Native Americans feel about the railroads cutting through their territory?

• Pleased because it brought ferries to rivers

• Indifferent because it did not change anything

• Unhappy because it cut through their lands, scared away buffalo, and threatened their way of life

• Excited to ride trains for free across the Plains

Describe the tragedy at Ash Hollow. How did it start, who was involved, and how did it end?

• The tragedy at Ash Hollow was a peaceful negotiation between tribes in 1860.
• The event involved only local settlers and ended with a treaty in 1850.
• The conflict at Ash Hollow was a minor skirmish between two U.S. military units in 1855.
• The tragedy at Ash Hollow involved U.S. soldiers attacking a Lakota Sioux camp in 1855, resulting in significant loss of life.

What was a “free state,” and what part of the country was mostly considered a “free state”?

• A state where slavery was allowed; mostly in the South

• A state where slavery was not allowed; mostly in the North

• A state ruled by a king; mostly in New England

• A state open to anyone with no laws; mostly in the West

How long did it take for letters to travel from coast to coast along the Pony Express?

• 1 day

• 2 weeks

• 1 month

• 2 hours

What was a “slave state,” and what part of the country was mostly considered a “slave state”?

• A state where slavery was legal; mostly in the South

• A state where slavery was illegal; mostly in the North

• A state with no farms; mostly on the coast

• A state run by the army; mostly in the mountains

Why were many people worried about Nebraska becoming a territory, and how did the national government solve this problem?

• People worried there were not enough towns; Congress ordered every county to build a courthouse

• People worried about whether slavery would spread; Congress passed the Kansas–Nebraska Act letting settlers vote on free or slave status

• People worried the land had no rivers; the government dug canals across the Plains

• People worried trains were too slow; the government built new locomotives

Why did Mormons move west?

• To search only for gold

• To escape cold weather and find beaches

• To seek religious freedom and build their own community

• To fight in a war on the frontier

What are examples of items that people would have needed to successfully travel the Oregon Trail?

• Wagon, oxen, food, water, and tools

• Surfboards, beach umbrellas, and swim fins

• Airplanes, radios, and satellite phones

• Snowmobiles, skis, and winter lift tickets