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Westward Expansion and Economic Concepts

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 8mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Why might a family living comfortably on the East Coast move west on the Oregon Trail?

a)

To get the best result

b)

To make the most money

c)

To get advice

d)

To see if the reward is worth the risk

2.

Why did Lewis and Clark explore the western United States?

a)

To find gold

b)

To find new land

c)

To find a waterway to the Pacific Ocean

d)

To find new ways to expand the United States

3.

Which country sold the Louisiana Purchase to the United States?

a)

Italy

b)

Spain

c)

France

d)

Great Britain

4.

Which event happened because of the Gold Rush?

a)

boomtowns

b)

immigration boom

c)

settlers moved east

d)

large number of farmers moved west

5.

When settlers moved west on the Oregon Trail, they considered opportunity costs. Which decision shows the relationship between opportunity cost and settling in the west?

a)

Deciding who goes on the trip

b)

Deciding if the journey is worth the risks

c)

Deciding if you can afford the trip

d)

Deciding if the travel time is worth it

6.

What is opportunity cost?

a)

Producing goods efficiently

b)

The value of what is lost when a decision is made

c)

Choices people make when prices change

d)

Benefits of exchanging goods

7.

What was the Texans' battle cry at the Alamo?

a)

Victory or Death!

b)

Defend the Alamo!

c)

Remember the Alamo!

d)

Never forget San Antonio!

8.

What was the importance of the saying, “Remember the Alamo” during westward expansion?

a)

It was a reminder of a battle won by the Americans.

b)

It motivated Mexican soldiers in future battles.

c)

It inspired Americans in future battles against Mexico.

d)

It was used when Texas declared independence from England.

9.

What was the impact of steamboats in the United States?

a)

They improved the steam engine.

b)

They made transporting goods and people easier.

c)

They made communication easier with more telegraph cables.

d)

They helped connect the United States with railroads.

10.

How are steam locomotives an example of technological improvement?

a)

They made processing cotton easier.

b)

They made communication across large areas easier.

c)

They made transportation of goods and people across land faster.

d)

They made transportation of goods and people across bodies of water faster.

11.

How did the Louisiana Purchase affect Americans?

a)

Americans had to pay more taxes.

b)

It added slave states to the country.

c)

It greatly increased the size of the US.

d)

Americans lost port cities for importing goods.

12.

What term describes the benefits people give up in the East when they move West during the Gold Rush?

a)

The fixed cost

b)

The economic cost

c)

The variable cost

d)

The opportunity cost

13.

How did physical barriers affect territorial expansion from 1801 to 1861?

a)

They did not affect territorial expansion.

b)

They made it easy to reach new territories.

c)

They made it easier to travel westward.

d)

They made it hard for settlers to cross mountains.

14.

Which physical gateway helped territorial expansion from 1801 to 1861?

a)

Dense forests

b)

Coal deposits

c)

Mountain ranges

d)

Access to waterways

15.

What was a major danger for wagons on the Oregon Trail?

a)

crossing deep rivers

b)

flat prairies with wildlife

c)

Native Americans along the trail

d)

few towns to restock supplies