American West

Question 1

Indian Removal Act

Answer 1

1830

Frontier established, Indians would stay west of the Mississippi River and Americans would not cross to the west

Question 2

Economic Depression

Answer 2

1837

Much unemployment and poverty in the East, push factor

Question 3

Great Migration

Answer 3

1843

1000 pioneers set of west despite the Indian frontier that they had agreed not to cross

Question 4

Fort Bridger established on the Oregon trail

Answer 4

1843

Pioneers could set out on the trail with more chance of safety and protection

Question 5

Joseph Smith shot dead in Illinois

Answer 5

1844

Mormons would now be pushed wast away from persecution

Question 6

John O’Sullivan coins the phrase Manifest Destiny

Answer 6

1845

The idea that the US was destined by God to stretch across the whole of North America, push factor

Question 7

First Mormons began the journey to Salt Lake

Answer 7

1846

Brigam Young assured that there were supplies and repairs available all along the trail so it was a success

Question 8

Gold discovered in California

Answer 8

1848
Lead to a massive gold rush from people across the whole world, trails became very busy and annoyed Indians, massive pull factor

Question 9

First Fort Laramie Treaty

Answer 9

1851

Large ares of land were given to the Indian tribes and no whites on trails would be attacked, soul given black hills

Question 10

Pony Express Founded

Answer 10

1860

It was a company that took mail west in a record 10 days, it made to government able to control the west better

Question 11

Transcontinental Telegraph finished

Answer 11

1861

Government could control the west quickly and people could communicate with loved ones and feel closer.

Question 12

The Homestead Act

Answer 12

1862

Anyone who went west could claim 160 acres of land from the government for a tiny fee, big pull factor

Question 13

Little Crows War

Answer 13

1862
Sioux were starving and had no supplies promised from government, they attached warehouse and settlers for food, 700 whites were killed

Question 14

Sand Creek Massacre

Answer 14

1864

Indians camped peacefully, drunk American soldiers massacre almost all of the Indians, mostly women and children

Question 15

Joseph McCoy founded town of Abilene

Answer 15

1867

First cow town, stared of the cattle runs, cows would come here then be shipped by rail to the East

Question 16

Red Clouds War

Answer 16

1867

Wagons using Bozeman Trail across Sioux land, red cloud attached, US built forts, Red Cloud stopped negotiations

Question 17

Second Fort Laramie Treaty

Answer 17

1868

Stopped Bozeman Trail, US abandoned forts along it, US government could punish both whites and Indians

Question 18

Transcontinental Railroad Finished

Answer 18

1869

Settlers no longer had to travel on trails, buffalo could not migrate past the railroad so was separated into 2 herds

Question 19

Timber Culture Act

Answer 19

1873

Trying to get trees on plains to slow wind, you could claim extra 160 acres as long as 40 was planted with trees

Question 20

Gold Discovered in Black Hills

Answer 20

1874

The was the Indian holy area and whited were digging it up for gold, lead to much tension between US and Sioux

Question 21

Barbed Wire Invented

Answer 21

1874

It meant animals were enclosed, less need for cowboys, harder for buffalo, invented by Isaac Ellwood

Question 22

Battle of Little Big Horn

Answer 22

1876
Custer and his 263 soldiers were surrounded and killed by Indians to try and preserve their way of life and as revenge for sand creek

Question 23

Destruction of the Buffalo Herds

Answer 23

c1870-c1895

The buffalo were killed by whites for their hides and also to spite Indians, by 1895 less than 1000 remained

Question 24

Desert Land Act

Answer 24

1877

Homesteaders could purchase 640 acres of desert land and irrigate it for crops, ect.

Question 25

General Allotments Act (Dawes Act)

Answer 25

1887

Indian lands would be split up into allotments, individual Indians could claim them but if they did not whites could

Question 26

Wounded Knee Massacre

Answer 26

1890

US troops were taking weapons from Lakota, one weapon fired by mistake, US troops killed all unarmed Indians