wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Westward Expansion Study Guide

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

1. In the first half of the 1800s, more land was added to the United States.  Most of this land was in ______

a)

Canada

b)

the West 

c)

Alaska

2.

2. Why did thousands of settlers head west during the 1800s?

a)

The government was giving away free land.

b)

They wanted to be the first to finish the race.

3.

3. How did the Louisiana Purchase affect the size of the United States?

a)

The United States doubled in size.

b)

The United States became smaller

4.

4. Which area was explored by Lewis and Clark?

a)

California Territory

b)

Florida Territory

c)

Mexico

d)

Louisiana Territory

5.

5. How did Sacagawea help the Lewis and Clark expedition?

a)

Sacagawea led Lewis and Clark, through the Arizona desert.

b)

Sacagawea translated for Lewis and Clark and helped them cross the Rocky Mountains.

6.

6. Which direction did Lewis and Clark travel when they left St. Louis?

a)

East

b)

West

7.

7. The Indian Removal Act of 1831 forced Native Americans to move to Indian Territory.  This relocation was caused by _____.

a)

Westward Expansion

b)

the Gold Rush

8.

8. Which of the following could be an effect of Lewis' and Clark's expedition?

a)

Many new plants were discovered.

b)

The French sold a large territory to the United States.

9.

9. Which of the following physical barriers was the MOST challenging during the westward expansion movement of the mid-1800s?

a)

The Rocky Mountains

b)

The Great Plains

10.

10. In 1803 the U.S. purchased the Louisiana Territory from France.  Most Americans knew very little about this area.  President Thomas Jefferson made what decision to find out more about the territory?

a)

He traveled it himself.

b)

He funded the Lewis and Clark expedition.

11.

11. Which of the following happened after the War with Mexico?

a)

Slavery remained illegal in Texas.

b)

The United States gained land in the southwest

12.

12. Francis Scott Key wrote the words to a famous song during the War of 1812,  What was the song?

a)

Yankee Doodle Dandy

b)

America the Beautiful

c)

Georgia on my Mind

d)

Star Spangled Banner

13.

13. What caused the United States to enter the War of 1812?

a)

A tax on tea

b)

A tax on paper goods

c)

The French and English were attacking our ships and taking the sailors as prisoners

14.

14. Who was president during the war of 1812?

a)

Lincoln

b)

Washington

c)

Madison

d)

Biden

15.

15. Which state was the destination for a flood of prospectors during the Gold Rush of 1849?

a)

Oregon

b)

Mexico

c)

Arizona

d)

California

16.

16. Finish the sentence. Due to the discovery of gold in California, the population of California ____________________.

a)

came to an end to westward expansion

b)

increased by 80,000

c)

a rise in the number of slaves

d)

was given back to Mexico

17.

17. What was the Oregon Trail?

a)

the route Lewis and Clark followed on their expedition

b)

the first full railroad line from the East Coast to the West Coast

c)

the most popular path during the Gold Rush

d)

one route settlers followed during westward movement

18.

18. Pioneers faced many hardships along the Oregon Trail.  Why were people willing to make this journey?

a)

They wanted to live in an area that was not part of the U.S.

b)

They thought they could become rich by finding gold there.

c)

They thought they would have better opportunities in Oregon.

d)

They wanted to be as far away as possible from populated areas.

19.

19. Where did the Indian Removal Act force Native Americans to go?

a)

Arizona

b)

Oklahoma

c)

Oregon

d)

Florida

20.

20.  By 1840, what was happening to the nation's population?

a)

Increasing

b)

Decreasing