WorksheetsThe Cattle Boom and Railroad out West
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 8mins
Who discovered a 'lode' in the Sierra Nevada region in 1859?
John Sutter
Henry Comstock
Levi Strauss
James Marshall
What were towns called that sprang up around mining sites?
Ghost towns
Boomtowns
Mining towns
Gold towns
What happened to boomtowns if the mines were not profitable?
They became ghost towns
They grew larger
They became cities
They turned into tourist attractions
What did groups of vigilantes do in boomtowns?
Create a sense of law enforcement
Build schools
Start businesses
Organize festivals
In what year did two companies begin to build a transcontinental railroad system?
1849
1859
1863
1870
Where did the Union Pacific railroad begin?
San Francisco
Omaha, Nebraska
Denver, Colorado
Salt Lake City
What type of businesses were created in boomtowns to meet miners' demands?
Saloons and boarding houses
Banks and schools
Factories and warehouses
Farms and ranches
What happened to farmers and cattle ranchers due to the mining boom?
They faced polluted water and lands
They became wealthy
They moved to cities
They expanded their farms
What was a consequence of the mining boom on settlement governments?
Permanent forms of settlement governments were adopted
Governments were dissolved
New countries were formed
Governments became weaker
What was the main reason for the expansion of the western states after the Civil War?
The discovery of oil
The mining and railroad boom
The gold rush
The agricultural revolution
Where did the Pacific railroad begin?
Sacramento, California
Salt Lake City, Utah
Denver, Colorado
Omaha, Nebraska
What role did the federal government play in the construction of the railroad system?
Provided labor
Funded the construction with subsidies
Built the tracks
Managed the railroads.
In what year did the two railroad companies meet in Utah?
1864
1869
1876
1889
What was a significant impact of the railroad system on western territory?
Decrease in population
Growth and new settlement
Decline in trade
Isolation of communities
Which of the following states gained statehood in 1889?
Nevada
Colorado
North Dakota
Idaho
