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Settling The West 1865-1900

Total questions: 28

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
The trans-continental railroad..
a)
led North.
b)
led South.
c)
connected East and West.
d)
was completed in the 1900's.
2.
The Cattle industry in the West began when..
a)
cowhands began to herd cattle on the Chisholm and Goodnight-Loving trails.
b)
longhorns that escaped from Spanish ranches formed stray herds.
c)
new railroads made it possible for ranchers to ship beef to both eastern and western markets.
d)
the open ranch was fenced in by homesteaders and other settlers.
3.
The Homestead Act encouraged people to move West because it..
a)
established ranching towns for cattle drivers.
b)
offered free land to those willing to farm it.
c)
offered land to gold prospectors.
d)
promised protection from Native Americans.
4.
What did Native Americans hope to gain in return for agreeing to stay in one place?
a)
The right to be undisturbed on their land.
b)
The return of the buffalo herds.
c)
Rights to mine gold and silver.
d)
The passage of the Dawes Act.
5.
Colonel George Armstrong Custer is best known for his..
a)
support of the rights of Native Americans.
b)
disastrous loss in Battle of the Little Bighorn.
c)
defeat of the Sioux and Cheyenne in the Indian Wars.
d)
unsuccessful bid for the presidency.
6.
Native Americans living on the Great Plains relied on which of the following to meet many of their basic needs?
a)
Cotton
b)
Deer
c)
Buffalo
d)
Gold
7.
The Homestead Act..
a)
set a price for land.
b)
promised land only to African Americans.
c)
helped farmers settle the East.
d)
promised land to people who would farm it for five years.
8.
Early American cowboys learned many of their skills from..
a)
Mexican and Spanish cowboys.
b)
Native American horsemen.
c)
settlers from New England.
d)
veterans of the Civil war.
9.
The "Wild West" was a..
a)
humerous Stephen Foster song.
b)
a myth about a place of violence, adventure, and opportunity.
c)
a Native American dance.
d)
`a hotel in Abilene, KS.
10.
Settlers moving west did not think the Great Plains were fit for farming because..
a)
only the Spanish and DNative Americans had settled there.
b)
the area recieved little rainfall and had few trees.
c)
the region was home to many dangerous wild animals.
d)
most of the land was too far from existing towns.
11.
One of the primary purposes of the Dawes Act was to..
a)
turn Native Americans into farmers.
b)
rebuild the Native American nations.
c)
restore the tribal ownership of land.
d)
encourage the Native American population to increase.
12.
What major development that occurred in the 1860's helped stimulate the cattle-raising business?
a)
Native Americans began working as cowboys.
b)
Railroads made it possible to ship beef to eastern markets.
c)
Hardy new cattle were imported from Europe.
d)
Large areas of the country had been fenced off.
13.
The Comstock Lode was a..
a)
treaty.
b)
silver mine.
c)
tent city.
d)
weapon.
14.
What was the main reason why it was necessary to drive cattle such long distances in the 1860's?
a)
The cattle needed to be fvattened up along the way.
b)
The cattle had to be driven to where the railroads began.
c)
The government allowed ranches only in isolated areas.
d)
The cattle drives had to avoid crossing Native American lands.
15.
Which of the following factors contributed to the demise of the open-range system and the need for cowboys?
a)
The use of sod for houses
b)
The invention of barbed wire
c)
The development of railroads
d)
The disappearance of big mining companies
16.
Grazing cattle on government property for free with no restrictions was called
a)
open season
b)
open range
c)
open opportunity
d)
open ranching
17.
What act divided up Indian reservations into plots of land to be given to the Indian families?
a)
Hayes Act
b)
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
c)
Bland-Allison Act
d)
Dawes Act
18.

What famous general was killed at Little Big Horn?

a)

Crazy Horse

b)

George Custer

c)

Phil Sheridan

d)

Sitting Bull

19.

Who was the field commander for the Native Americans at Little Big Horn?

a)

Crazy Horse

b)

George Custer

c)

Phil Sheridan

d)

Red Cloud

e)

Geronimo

20.

Chief Joseph was the last major Native American Chief to surrender to the United States. What tribe did he lead?

a)

The Sioux

b)

The Lakota

c)

The Nez Perce

d)

The Cherokee

e)

The Pequot

21.

The discovery of ______________________ in the Black Hills region of South Dakota brought prospective miners into the area and onto the hunting grounds of the Sioux Indians.

a)

Silver

b)

Diamonds

c)

Copper

d)

Gold

22.

The Dawes Act was an attempt by the US Government to force ________________________ on American Indians.

a)

assimilation

b)

urbanization

c)

industrialization

23.

The Dawes Act helped to reduce tribal ways of life.

a)

True

b)

False

24.

The Dawes Act forced Native Americans to be treated as individuals rather than tribes.

a)

True

b)

False

25.

The official stated purpose of the residential school system was to

a)

civilize the Indians to live in white American society.

b)

provide jobs for teachers.

c)

to provide employment opportunities for indigenous people.

d)

to satisfy the demand for skilled labor.

26.

The real official purpose of the residential school system was to

a)

to provide employment opportunities for teachers

b)

to stimulate the construction industry

c)

bring about the end of the native american

d)

to give support to government policies from white people

27.
Why did the U.S. government support the slaughter of buffalo?
a)
The slaughter of the buffalo was seen as a convenient way to supply western settlers with food and shelter
b)
The slaughter of the buffalo was seen as a way to bring the Native Americans of the Plains under control
c)
The Slaughter of the buffalo provided supplies to states in the East
28.

What animal was introduced to the plains tribes by the Spanish?

a)

Texas longhorn

b)

sheep

c)

pig

d)

horse

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