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Westward Expansion Introduction

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Who led the famous expedition to explore the new Louisiana territory?

a)

Bonnie and Clyde

b)

Speers and Kraus

c)

Washington and Jefferson

d)

Lewis and Clark

2.

Why was the Louisiana Purchase so important for U.S. history?

a)

It led to the independence of Texas.

b)

It doubled the size of U.S.

c)

It started the Civil War.

d)

It created a majot alliance between France and the U.S.

3.

What does Manifest Destiny mean?

a)

The goal of achieving wealth by digging for gold

b)

The U.S. was "meant" to expand from coast to coast

c)

The idea that Mexico was "meant" to expand from coast to coast

d)

The idea that Native American tribes should take back all U.S. land

4.

Why was New Orleans so important to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase?

a)

It was an indeal port for shipping and trading goods.

b)

It was a key geographic area for military power.

c)

There was a legend that New Orleans had a lot of gold.

d)

New Orleans had great food.

5.

What was the primary purpose of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?

a)

To find a direct water route to the Pacific Ocean

b)

To establish trade with Native American tribes

c)

To claim land for the British Crown

d)

To study the flora and fauna of the American West

6.

How much money did the U.S. spend on the Louisiana Puchase?

a)

10 million

b)

15 million

c)

100 million

d)

10 dollars

7.

Where did the expedition through the Lousiana Purchase end? What was its final desitination?

a)

The Pacific Ocean

b)

Washington D.C.

c)

Mount Rushmore

d)

Santa Cruz, Mexico

8.

What was the most common transportation people used to reach Oregon and California on the Oregon Trail?

a)

Wagon trains pulled by mules

b)

boats

c)

Train

d)

airplanes

9.

Which of the following was a problem that travellors faced on the Oregon Trail?

a)

Disease (like cholera)

b)

Weather (getting trapped in winter in mountains)

c)

Running out of supplies

d)

All of these

10.

Which of the following is a reason for the start of the the Mexican War?

a)

fighting broke out over gold

b)

Alamo

c)

new leadership in Mexico

d)

border disputes between Mexico and the U.S.

11.

What territory did the U.S. add at the end of the Mexican War in the Mexican Cession?

a)

California

b)

New Mexico

c)

Nevada

d)

All of these

12.

In which state did the Gold Rush take place?

a)

Minnesota

b)

California

c)

Texas

d)

Washington

13.

Which of these was NOT a reason why people moved West?

a)

To find gold

b)

To get land

c)

To escape religious persecution (Mormons)

d)

To create a new U.S. capital

14.

Which French leader sold land to the United States that would later be known as the Louisiana Purchase?

a)

Emmanuel Macron

b)

George Washington

c)

Napoleon

d)

Meriwhether Lewis

15.

On the Oregon Trail, how long was the average journey to reach Oregon and California?

a)

2 months

b)

1 week

c)

4-6 months

d)

2 years

16.

Who discovered gold at Sutter's Mill, beginning the Gold Rush?

a)

Santa Anna

b)

James Polk

c)

James Marshall

d)

Sam Houston

17.

Who mas MOST likely to become rich from the Gold Rush?

a)

ALL 49ers

b)

People who sold supplies

c)

Women miners

d)

Chinese miners

18.

Which document outlined the process for admitting a new state into the Union?

a)

Declaration of Independence

b)

Treaty of Ghent

c)

Northwest Ordinance

d)

Louisiana Purchase Territory

19.

How did the provisions of the Northwest Ordinance affect U.S. expansion?

a)

By funding a transportation network in uninhabited regions

b)

By establishing a process for territories to govern themselves

c)

By promoting the growth of southern plantation economies

d)

By creating a national bank to loan money to land investors

20.

What was the main motivation for settlers to move west during the Westward Expansion?

a)

To escape religious persecution

b)

To find gold and other valuable resources

c)

To establish new trade routes with Asia

d)

To join the military efforts against Native American tribes

21.

Which U.S. President is most associated with the concept of Manifest Destiny?

a)

George Washington

b)

Thomas Jefferson

c)

James K. Polk

d)

Andrew Jackson

22.

What was the significance of the Homestead Act of 1862?

a)

It provided free land to settlers willing to farm it for five years

b)

It established the first national park in the United States

c)

It granted citizenship to Native Americans

d)

It created the Transcontinental Railroad

23.

Which trail was primarily used by settlers moving to the Oregon Territory?

a)

Santa Fe Trail

b)

Oregon Trail

c)

Mormon Trail

d)

California Trail

24.

What was the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad on westward expansion?

a)

It slowed down the movement of settlers

b)

It made travel to the West faster and more accessible

c)

It led to the decline of the fur trade

d)

It caused the U.S. to lose territory to Mexico

25.

Which event marked the end of the American frontier?

a)

The completion of the Erie Canal

b)

The Battle of Little Bighorn

c)

The Oklahoma Land Rush

d)

The 1890 Census announcement