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American History Quiz: 1800s Challenges

Total questions: 10

Worksheet time: 5mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

In the early 1800s, Americans did not think cattle ranches on the Great Plains were practical because

a)

Cattle could not survive on tough prairie grasses.

b)

There was no demand for beef in the eastern states.

c)

There was not enough grass to support large cattle herds.

d)

Wagon trains had stripped the land of needed resources.

2.

The 'long drive' was when

a)

Cowboys herded cattle hundreds of miles to a railroad line.

b)

Lewis and Clark mapped their journey to the Pacific Ocean.

c)

Native Americans traveled on their forced westward migration

d)

Wagon trains traveled through the Rocky Mountains.

3.

What effect did the use of barbed wire to fence off land on the open range have on cattle ranching?

a)

It harmed cattle, reducing the number that made it to market

b)

It blocked cattle trails, making it difficult to get cattle to market

c)

It prevented cattle from finding food, reducing the number of cattle that survived each year

d)

It required too much effort to maintain, so ranchers abandoned their ranches

4.

In the 1890s, some farmers tried to survive by mortgaging their land because

a)

a series of floods destroyed several years of crops.

b)

a glut of wheat on the world market caused prices to drop

c)

prices for wheat dropped when demand for corn grew

d)

they needed money to grow cotton instead of wheat

5.

Which of the following was a hardship faced by settlers on the Great Plains?

a)

Flooding

b)

Drought

c)

Prairie Fires

d)

Too many trees

6.

Before the Sand Creek Massacre, why did Chief Black Kettle and the Cheyenne go to Fort Lyon?

a)

To negotiate

b)

To attack

c)

To surrender

d)

To defend their land

7.

The confrontation at Wounded Knee occurred because the Sioux

a)

Continued hunting buffalo

b)

Left the reservation

c)

Performed a ritual

d)

Raided nearby farms

8.

Many Mexican Americans lost their lands in the West because

a)

Mexican courts forced them to sell to American settlers

b)

They decided to leave the area before new settlers arrived

c)

They fought against U.S. troops during the War with Mexico

d)

The U.S. Courts would not recognize the Spanish land grants

9.

The Texas (a)   was a breed of cattle descended from Spanish cattle that had been brought to Mexico two centuries earlier

10.

Many (a)   became rich when the mines they created generated huge profits