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Westward Expansion

Total questions: 33

Worksheet time: 33mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following is one reason the United States and Great Britain fought during the War of 1812?

a)

The United States was trying to take over British colonies in North America.

b)

The United States wanted Europeans to stay out of the Western Hemisphere.

c)

Great Britain was making it hard for the United States to trade with other countries.

d)

Great Britain was trying to gain control of all trade on the Mississippi River and in the Louisiana Territory.

2.

Which of the following was a major event during the War of 1812?

a)

British soldiers set fire to the White House and the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

b)

British soldiers launched a surprise attack on the Erie Canal causing it to shut down.

c)

The United States surprise attacked the British at Lexington and Concord.

d)

The United States defeated the British at Yorktown with help from the French.

3.

What was an action employed by Great Britain that played a major role in causing the War of 1812?

a)

The British captured Americans and forced them to sail on British ships and serve the Royal Navy in its war against France.

b)

The British raided American towns along the Atlantic Coast, stealing food and other important resources that their sailors needed.

c)

The British stole cargo from American ships and then forced the sailors to buy back the cargo in order to raise money for their war against France.

d)

The British established ports in Boston and began to sell goods cheaper than local merchants, driving many Americans out of business.

4.

What song was inspired by the events of the War of 1812?

a)

America the Beautiful

b)

My Country Tis of Thee

c)

The Star Spangled Banner

d)

The Stars and Stripes Forever

5.

What was one of the government's reasons for forcing American Indians to leave their homelands during the 1800s?

a)

to punish them for not fighting in the American Revolution

b)

to give them better access to education and job opportunities

c)

to open American Indian lands for settlement by white settlers

d)

to allow the government to sell American Indian land to Canada

6.

Why did General George Custer and the US Army attack the Lakota, the Cheyenne, and other American Indians during the Battle of Little Bighorn?

a)

The US government wanted to end a war between the Lakota and the Cheyenne.

b)

The American Indians would not give up their land and move onto reservations.

c)

The US government wanted the American Indians to move from Little Bighorn to Georgia.

d)

The American Indians took over the town of Little Bighorn and forced the settlers to leave.

7.

Forcing the Cherokee from their lands in Georgia was a part of what larger forced relocation effort?

a)

The Long March

b)

The Trail of Tears

c)

The Reservation Trail

d)

The Battle of Little Bighorn

8.

Use the map to answer the question.

What event is the subject of this map?

a)

The Alamo

b)

The Oregon Trail

c)

The Trail of Tears

d)

The Battle of Little Bighorn

9.

How did the Louisiana Purchase affect American Indians?

a)

American Indians were only allowed to keep their lands if they bought the land around them.

b)

As more Americans settled in western territories American Indians peacefully integrated into American society.

c)

American Indians were forced off their lands as more Americans moved into the Louisiana Purchase territory.

d)

Many American Indians became wealthy by selling their land to Americans that wanted to settle in the American West.

10.

Use the map to answer the question.

Which of the following correctly identifies the shaded area on the map?

a)

The Trail of Tears

b)

The Texas Acquisition

c)

The Louisiana Territory

d)

The New Indian Reservations

11.

Use the newspaper headline to answer the question.

Which of the following is an impact of this event?

a)

The U.S. lost access to the Mississippi River.

b)

The U.S. gained more land and expanded further west.

c)

The U.S. gained the Oregon Territory with this purchase.

d)

The U.S. paid too much money for the land and lost money.

12.

What was the MAIN goal of Lewis and Clark’s expedition?

a)

They wanted to build forts and open a trading post.

b)

They wanted to claim the new lands and pan for gold.

c)

They wanted to map the new territory and study natural history.

d)

They wanted to find religious freedom and build new settlements.

13.

Use the graphic organizer to answer the following question.

Who is being described?

a)

Andrew Jackson

b)

Thomas Jefferson

c)

Merriwether Lewis

d)

George Washington

14.

Why was the Louisiana Purchase geographically important to the United States?

a)

It ended British involvement in North America.

b)

It lessened the United States’ control over Mexico.

c)

It led toward westward expansion for the United States.

d)

It eased problems between settlers and American Indians.

15.

Use the graph to answer the question.

What led to the growth shown on the graph?

a)

The discovery of gold in California.

b)

The battle of the Alamo in California.

c)

The expedition of Lewis and Clark to California.

d)

The relocation of American Indians to California.

16.

What was the immediate outcome of the battle at The Alamo?

a)

The Texans lost the battle.

b)

The Texans won the battle.

c)

The Texans gained new soldiers.

d)

The Texans formed a new government.

17.

What did the slogan “Remember the Alamo” inspire others to do?

a)

search for the Oregon Trail

b)

purchase the Louisiana Territory

c)

fight for independence from Mexico

d)

force Native Americans onto reservations

18.

What were pioneers seeking at the end of the Oregon Trail?

a)

reservations for Native Americans

b)

independence from Mexico

c)

rich soil for new farms

d)

large deposits of gold

19.

Use the map to answer the question.

Which of the following major physical features of the United States is highlighted on this map?

a)

the Great Plains

b)

the Continental Divide

c)

the Atlantic Coastal Plain

d)

the Appalachian Mountains

20.

Use the map to answer the question.

What physical feature is circled on the map?

a)

Great Lakes

b)

Great Plains

c)

Rocky Mountains

d)

Continental Divide

21.

Which of the following physical features is the furthest west in the United States?

a)

Great Lakes

b)

Great Plains

c)

Gulf of Mexico

d)

Continental Divide

22.

Use the map to answer the question.

What body of water is circled on the map?

a)

The Erie Canal

b)

The Great Lakes

c)

The Panama Canal

d)

The New York River

23.

Use the map to answer the question.

Which of the following correctly identifies the location of Washington, D.C.?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

24.

Use the information to answer the question.

Which economic concept BEST describes the decision making process necessary for this family?

a)

Specialization

b)

Price incentive

c)

Opportunity cost

d)

Voluntary exchange

25.

Use the chart to answer the question.

What is MOST LIKELY the cause of these changes?

a)

The invention of the cotton gin.

b)

The opening of the Erie Canal for trade.

c)

The new farms at the end of the Oregon Trail.

d)

The removal of Native Americans from their lands.

26.

What role did price incentive play in the changes shown in the chart?

a)

As the cost of cotton production increased, plantation owners purchased less land and cotton.

b)

As the cost of cotton production decreased, plantation owners bought more land and planted more cotton.

c)

As the cost of cotton production decreased, plantation owners planted less cotton in order to focus on crop rotation.

d)

As the cost of cotton production increased, plantation owners purchased more land and planted more cotton.

27.

Which of the following is one reason why was The South specialized in cotton production?

a)

The region’s mild climate and fertile soil

b)

Gold Miner’s need for new mining clothes

c)

The region’s dry winters helped with production

d)

Pioneers’ need for new clothes to move westward

28.

Use the information to answer the question.

Which of the following BEST completes the graphic?

a)

Textiles

b)

Cash Crops

c)

Price Incentives

d)

Opportunity Costs

29.

Use the situation to answer the question.

Who benefited from this voluntary exchange?

a)

Only the miner benefited

b)

Only the store owner benefited

c)

Both the miner and store owner benefited

d)

Neither the miner nor the store owner benefited

30.

Which of the following BEST describes the impacts of trade between the U.S. and Europe in the 1800s?

a)

Southern states imported cotton from European countries; European countries also imported finished textiles from northern states.

b)

Southern states exported cotton to European countries; European countries also imported finished textiles from southern states.

c)

European countries exported cotton to the southern U.S.; Southern states made textiles with the cotton and exported the finished goods to European countries.

d)

European countries imported cotton from the southern U.S.; European countries made textiles with the cotton and exported the finished goods back to the U.S.

31.

Which of the following was one impact of the invention of the cotton gin?

a)

It increased the number of small farms.

b)

It increased the number of slaves in The South.

c)

It decreased the number of slaves in The South.

d)

It decreased the size and number of plantations.

32.

Use the graphic to answer the question.

Which of the following BEST completes the graphic?

a)

European countries imported less cotton.

b)

Textiles become the United States’ number one export.

c)

Cotton becomes the United States’ number one export.

d)

European countries decreased their trade with the United States.

33.

Which of the following is one way the telegraph could help a business owner in the 1800s?

a)

The owner can ship more heavier loads of goods up the Mississippi River.

b)

The owner can quickly communicate with customers across the country.

c)

The owner can transport more goods to multiple cities to reach a lot more customers.

d)

The owner can specialize in producing one item and expect to make a lot more money.