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Westward/Pony/Notes

Total questions: 88

Worksheet time: 56mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What did the Pony Express deliver?

a)

Telegraphs

b)

Horses

c)

Mail

d)

Fresh fruit

2.

Around how long was the route covered by the Pony Express?

a)

900 miles

b)

1900 miles

c)

50 miles

d)

100 miles

3.

The easternmost point of the Pony Express was in what state?

a)

Missouri

b)

North Carolina

c)

Maine

d)

Ohio

4.

What city in California did the Pony Express route end at?

a)

Los Angeles

b)

North Hollywood

c)

San Francisco

d)

Sacramento

5.

Hundreds of Pony Express riders were killed while trying to deliver the mail.

a)

True

b)

False

6.

What year did the Pony Express begin?

a)

1960

b)

1860

c)

1912

d)

1876

7.

What new invention caused the Pony Express to become obsolete?

a)

Email

b)

Automobile

c)

Telephone

d)

Telegraph

8.

Around how long did it take for mail to travel along the entire Pony Express route?

a)

three days

b)

six days

c)

9 days

d)

1 month

9.

How much was a Pony Express rider paid per month?

a)

$25

b)

$100

c)

$500

d)

$1,000

10.

Pony Express riders were typically skinny teenagers who weighed less than 125 pounds.

a)

True

b)

False

11.

Brands are used to

a)

show ownership

b)

steal cattle

c)

keep count of cattle

d)

create artwork

12.

Gave 160 acres of western land to anyone who promised to farm for 5 years

a)

Homestead Act

b)

Freeland Act

c)

Haymarket Act

d)

Indian Removal Act

13.
The transcontinental railroad met at Promontory Point, Utah.
a)
false
b)
true
14.

Which are had Sod houses and barbed wire fences ?

a)

the mountains of the west

b)

the open range

c)

Great Plains

d)

Native American Reservations

15.

In order to settle the West the government broke its promise to

a)

Homesteaders

b)

Prospectors

c)

Sod Busters

d)

Native Americans

16.

Why did many Native Americans not like the white settlers?

a)

they killed their buffalo

b)

they broke promises and treaties

c)

they took their land

d)

All of the above

17.
 What year did the gold rush in California begin? 
a)
1492
b)
1619
c)
1776
d)
1848
18.

What was the nickname for people who moved to California during the gold rush?

a)

Raiders

b)

Carpet Baggers

c)

Surfers

d)

Forty Niners

19.
What were towns called that grew rapidly when gold was discovered nearby? 
a)
Rush towns
b)
Cities of gold
c)
Boomtowns
d)
Ghost towns
20.

What were towns called that were abandoned once the gold was gone?

a)

Empty cities

b)

Ghost towns

c)

Lonelyvilles

d)

Boomtowns

21.

What state boomed in 1849 due to the Gold Rush?

a)

Texas

b)

Florida

c)

Oregon

d)

California

22.

 Where was gold first discovered in California?

a)

Sutter's Mill

b)

Sacramento

c)

Comstock Lode

d)

San Francisco

23.

True or False: Some store owners became rich selling gold prospectors their supplies.

a)

True

b)

False

24.

What was it called when miners used pans to separate dirt from gold?

a)

Panning for gold

b)

Dirt panning

c)

Gold sifting

d)

Panning for dollars

25.

Around how many people moved to California in 1849 to mine for gold?

a)

1,000

b)

20,000

c)

50,000

d)

90,000

26.

True or False: Despite the hype, very little gold was mined during the California gold rush.

a)

True

b)

False

27.

What was a typical job for a cowboy in the American West?

a)

 Herd cattle

b)

Take care of horses

c)

Repair fences

d)

All choices

e)

No choices

28.

What was it called when a large herd of cattle was moved from the ranch to the market?

a)

Wrangling

b)

Cattle drive

c)

Market run

d)

Roundup

29.

What was the job of the wrangler?

a)

Cook the meals

b)

Brand the cattle

c)

Keep track of the extra horses

d)

Lead the cattle drive

30.

How did cowboys know which cattle belonged to what ranch?

a)

By the brand

b)

By the color

c)

By the hooves

d)

By the ears

31.

Besides the horse, what was the most important possession of a cowboy?


a)

Saddle

b)

Boots

c)

Chaps

d)

Hat

e)

Spurs

32.

What was the punishment for stealing a cowboy's horse?

a)

Slap on the hand

b)

Month in jail

c)

Hanging

d)

No punishment as horses were free

33.

What did cowboys wear to protect their legs from sharp bushes and cacti?

a)

Wranglers

b)

Chaps

c)

 Bandanas

d)

Leggings

34.

What is a sports competition designed around the daily jobs of a cowboy called?

a)

Rodeo

b)

Western

c)

Horse match

d)

Rancher

35.

Which of the following was NOT a term used to describe an experienced cowboy?

a)

Cowhand

b)

Cowpoke

c)

Buckaroo

d)

Tenderfoot

36.

What was a popular musical instrument for cowboys?

a)

Piano

b)

Trumpet

c)

Bass

d)

Harmonica

37.

What was one of the first things a farmer had to do when starting his farm?

a)

Build a barn

b)

Plant trees

c)

Take a nap

d)

Buy a tractor

38.

True or False: All of the family had to work on a farm for them to survive.

a)

True

b)

False

39.

True or False: The Native Americans often helped settlers.

a)

True

b)

False

40.

True or False: Frontier women seldom worked and had a comfortable life.

a)

True

b)

False

41.

What did frontier people do for fun?

a)

Watched TV

b)

Held a dance

c)

Went to the movies

d)

Played video games

42.

Who invented the steel plow in 1837?

a)

Thomas Edison

b)

Alexander Bell

c)

John Deere

d)

Samuel Morse

43.

How big was a typical frontier school?

a)

1 room

b)

3 rooms

c)

Several buildings

44.

When did frontier children attend school?

a)

Never

b)

Year round

c)

Fall & Spring

d)

Winter & Summer

45.

What was a typical job for a frontier child?

a)

Getting water

b)

Tending the fire

c)

Milking the cow

d)

Churning cream

e)

All choices

46.

What did farmers make from lye, water, and ashes?

a)

Make-up

b)

Candles

c)

Soap

d)

Perfume

47.
Land set aside for Native Americans to live on.
a)
farm cooperative
b)
sooner
c)
Chisholm Trail
d)
reservation
48.
When the mines ran out in Boom-towns and the people moved on it often created ____________
a)
Slow towns
b)
Small towns
c)
Ghost towns
d)
Mini towns
49.
___________ played a major role in the mining and cattle industry for transporting
a)
wagon trains
b)
railroads
c)
trucks
d)
tractors
50.

What famous explorers traveled up the Missouri River and to the Pacific Ocean?

a)

Louis, Jones & Sacagawea

b)

Smith, Wesson & Sacagawea

c)

Lewis, Clark & Sacagawea

d)

Holmes, Watson & Sacagawea

51.

What did the Homestead Act give to U.S. citizens?

a)

Cash

b)

Food

c)

Land

d)

Wood to build homes

52.

A law that gave settlers 160 acres of land for $10

a)

homesteaders

b)

drought

c)

Homestead Act

d)

Proclamation

53.

What nickname was given to people who snuck onto land to claim it early?

a)

Okies

b)

Landers

c)

Sneakers

d)

Sooners

54.

Travelers moved west using what?

a)

cars

b)

planes

c)

Covered wagons

d)

ship

55.
Which of the following is NOT something that would have happened to a Pioneer?
a)
A family member dying
b)
A family member catching a disease
c)
Getting directions from their phone
d)
Having their wagon break
56.
 What year did the gold rush in California begin? 
a)
1492
b)
1619
c)
1776
d)
1848
57.

What was the nickname for people who moved to California during the gold rush?

a)

Raiders

b)

Carpet Baggers

c)

Surfers

d)

Forty Niners

58.
What were towns called that grew rapidly when gold was discovered nearby? 
a)
Rush towns
b)
Cities of gold
c)
Boomtowns
d)
Ghost towns
59.

What were towns called that were abandoned once the gold was gone?

a)

Empty cities

b)

Ghost towns

c)

Lonelyvilles

d)

Boomtowns

60.

True or False: Native Americans were happy to have the railroad running through their land.

a)

True

b)

False

61.

Transcontinental means...

a)

across the U.S.A.

b)

over the U.S.A.

c)

near the U.S.A.

d)

beside the U.S.A.

62.

Around how long is the Oregon Trail?

a)

100 miles

b)

500 miles

c)

1000 miles

d)

2000 miles

63.

In what state did the Oregon Trail begin?

a)

New York

b)

Missouri

c)

Florida

d)

California

64.

_____________________ signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862.

a)

Abraham Lincoln

b)

Thomas Jefferson

c)

Meriwether Lewis

d)

William Clark

65.

The law gave settlers the chance to get __________ acres of free land from the federal government

a)

100

b)

120

c)

140

d)

160

66.

The Homestead Act had many goals. Select all that apply.

a)

to encourage settlement of the West

b)

to prepare for the Civil War

c)

to rebuild the economy after the Civil War

d)

to help African Americans and other poor people own land

67.

What did the Homestead Act give to U.S. citizens?

a)

Cash

b)

Food

c)

Land

d)

Wood to build homes

68.

|A law that gave settlers 160 acres of land for $18

a)

homesteaders

b)

drought

c)

Homestead Act

d)

Proclamation

69.

What nickname was given to people who snuck onto land to claim it early?

a)

Okies

b)

Landers

c)

Sneakers

d)

Sooners

70.
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.
71.

The Homestead Act offered free land in hopes to encourage what?

a)

western settlement of the U.S.

b)

nothing

c)

people from the west to move back east

d)

people from the South to move to the North

72.

 Who was eligible to receive a Homestead?

a)

Men

b)

Women

c)

Immigrants

d)

Former slaves

e)

All Choices

73.

What was it called when people raced to get the best plots of land?

a)

Land Rush

b)

Homestead

c)

Horse race

d)

Gold Rush

74.

How long did people have to live on the land in order to keep it?

a)

1 Year

b)

5 Years

c)

10 Years

d)

15 Years

75.

True or False: Northerners wanted small farmers to own the land in the Midwest to try and keep out slavery.

a)

True

b)

False

76.

True or False: Homesteading is still a popular way to get land in the U.S. today?

a)

True

b)

False

77.

Transcontinental means...

a)

across the U.S.A.

b)

over the U.S.A.

c)

near the U.S.A.

d)

beside the U.S.A.

78.

True or False: Native Americans were happy to have the railroad running through their land.

a)

True

b)

False

79.

In what town did both parts of the railroad met?

a)

Omaha, Nebraska

b)

Houston, Texas

c)

Sacramento, California

d)

Promontory, Utah

80.

After the railroad was built, travel time went from 6 months to _____________________.

a)

6 weeks

b)

6 days

c)

6 hours

d)

6 minutes

81.

There was over ___________________ miles of track on the Transcontinental Railroad.

a)

1000

b)

3000

c)

2000

d)

300

82.

During which decade was the First Transcontinental Railroad constructed?

a)

1820s

b)

1860s

c)

1910s

d)

1940s

83.

Which route did Congress select for the First Transcontinental Railroad?

a)

Southern route

b)

Northern route

c)

Middle route

d)

Central route

84.

Which president signed the Pacific Railroad Act into law?

a)

Abraham Lincoln

b)

James Polk

c)

John Tyler

d)

Andrew Johnson

85.

What railroad company started in California and worked their way east?

a)

West Coast Railroad

b)

Central Pacific Railroad

c)

California Railroad

d)

Union Pacific Railroad

86.

How were the railroad companies paid?

a)

By the year

b)

By the mile

c)

By the day

d)

By the hour

87.

Most of the workers for the Union Pacific Railroad came from what country?

a)

Ireland

b)

Italy

c)

Russia

d)

Africa

88.

Which of the following was NOT a state that the railroad passed through?

a)

Utah

b)

California

c)

Oregon

d)

Nebraska

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