Chapter 17 Review

Question 1

What is a vigilante?

Answer 1

A self-appointed law keeper or someone who takes justice into his/her own hands.

Question 2

What is a transcontinental railroad?

specifically the Pacific Railroad

Answer 2

A railroad line that spanned the North American continent

Question 3

A grant of land or money, usually given by a government is known as what?

Answer 3

a subsidy

Question 4

True or false: Ghost towns usually started out as a camp near a mine, but very quickly developed into towns.

Answer 4

False

Boomtowns usually started out as camps near mines, but very quickly developed into towns.

Question 5

What is a ghost town?

Answer 5

A nickname for a town where the mine has shut down and all the miners and residents have left.

Question 6

What is a manual laborer?

Answer 6

Someone who does laborious work with his/her hands.

Question 7

Why did boomtowns use vigilante justice?

Answer 7

Mining towns (boomtowns) sprouted so fast that law and order was hard to find

It was rare to find sufficient sherifs roaming the nomadic-like civilizations, so vigilantes stepped up, hunting down bandits and imposing their own rough brand of justice.

Question 8

What incentives did the government offer to railroad builders?

Answer 8

For every mile of railroad track, builders gained ten square miles of land next to the track.

The government also helped cover the cost of construction

Question 9

Why were railroads eager to serve new mining centers?

Answer 9

They were a great source of passenger traffic. Railroads gained more customers who needed to travel and ship goods (like gold and silver), which increased profits immensely.

The more the mining centers used the railroads, the more profits the railroads made.

Question 10

How did railroads change the West?

Answer 10

They caused new towns to develop, leading to rapid population growth that helped western territories become states.

Question 11

Possible Bonus Question

What were the two railway companies that built the Pacific Railroad?

Answer 11

• Central Pacific Railroad
• Union Pacific Railroad

Question 12

What lifestyle did the Plains people follow for centuries?

Answer 12

They were hunter-gatherers

They gathered wild foods, hunted, and fished

Question 13

What two significant introductions did Europeans make to the Plains people?

Answer 13

Horses and guns

Question 14

What was the purpose of the Fort Laramie Treaty signed in 1851?

Answer 14

To protect Native American lands

The Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1851 was an agreement between Native American tribes of the northern Great Plains and the United States government. It aimed to resolve disputes between the two groups and to establish boundaries between the tribes.

Question 15

What happened after the Fort Laramie Treaty was signed?

Answer 15

Settlers moved onto Native American lands

Question 16

What significant event occurred in 1864 involving Colonel John Chivington?

Answer 16

The Sand Creek Massacre

Colonel John Chivington and 700 voluneers attacked a band of Cheyennes at Sand Creek in eastern Colorado in 1864. These Cheyennes were friendly and under army protection. They raised a white flag to signal peace, but Chivington ordered his men to attack.

Question 17

What was the result of the Sand Creek Massacre?

Answer 17

It helped ignite an era of war

Question 18

Where were many Southern Plains nations moved to?

Answer 18

Reservations in Oklahoma

Question 19

What made life on reservations in Oklahoma difficult?

Answer 19

Poor soil made farming difficult

Question 20

Which area was set aside for the Sioux and Cheyenne?

Answer 20

the Black Hills of South Dakota

Question 21

After a gold strike in 1874 brought a flood of miners to the Black Hills, who led attacks to keep the whites out?

Answer 21

Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull

Question 22

What event in 1876 involved Colonel George Armstrong Custer?

Answer 22

The Battle of Little Bighorn

Question 23

What happened to Colonel Custer and his men during the Battle of Little Bighorn?

Answer 23

They all died

Colonel Custer tried to force Native Americans onto a reservation, which did not end up working well for him.

Question 24

Who was Chief Joseph?

Answer 24

Leader of the Nez Percés

Question 25

Where did Chief Joseph lead the Nez Percés?

Answer 25

To Canada

Question 26

What happened to the Nez Percés near Canada?

Answer 26

The U.S. Army caught them, and they were forced to surrender

Question 27

What happened to the Navajos in 1864?

Answer 27

They were defeated and forced to surrender ## Footnote After years of war, the Navajos were defeated in 1864.

Question 28

# Possible Bonus Question Where were the Navajos forced to move?

Answer 28

Near the Pecos River

Question 29

What was the Ghost Dance?

Answer 29

A Native American ritual believed to bring back ancestors and buffalo ## Footnote The Native Americans believed the Ghost Dance would cause white people to leave the Plains

Question 30

What did soldiers think of the Ghost Dance?

Answer 30

They saw it as the beginning of an uprising

Question 31

What happened to Sitting Bull?

Answer 31

He was killed in a struggle after the government feared he was involved in the Ghost Dance movement

Question 32

What tragic event occurred at the Battle of Wounded Knee?

Answer 32

Nearly 200 Sioux men, women, and children were killed ## Footnote The Battle of Wounded Knee, also known as The Wounded Knee Massacre, was the deadliest mass shooting in American history.

Question 33

# Possible Bonus Question Colonel John Chivington attacked a Native American group called the _________ at Sand Creek.

Answer 33

Cheyennes

Question 34

In 1887, what Act did Congress pass? ## Footnote Hint: It was meant to make Native Americans more like white people

Answer 34

The Dawes Act

Question 35

What did the Dawes Act do for Native Americans?

Answer 35

* It gave Native American men 160 acres to farm * It set up schools for Native American children

Question 36

True or false: The Dawes Act ended up succeeding in its goal to immerse Native Americans in white culture.

Answer 36

False. ## Footnote The Dawes Act, which was supposed to encourage the breakup of Native American tribes and create farmers out of Natives, did not end up working successfully.

Question 37

Why did the Dawes Act fail?

Answer 37

Native Americans didn't take to farming and sold their land cheaply to dishonest whites

Question 38

``` "I shall fight no more forever." ``` Who said this quote?

Answer 38

Chief Joseph, when he surrendered to the U.S. Army.

Question 39

``` "Fearful of further violence, a band of Sioux tried to flee to safety. Army troops surrounded them at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. As the Sioux were giving up their guns, a shot rang out. The men, women, and children were killed." ``` What battle is being described?

Answer 39

The Battle of Wounded Knee

Question 40

``` "A people's dream died there." ``` What was the Native American chief who stated this referring to?

Answer 40

The Battle of Wounded Knee

Question 41

What is the open range?

Answer 41

The unfenced land in the west that was owned by the government ## Footnote The term refers to vast areas of land where cattle could graze freely.

Question 42

What is a cow town?

Answer 42

A settlement at the end of a cattle trail ## Footnote Cow towns were crucial for cattle drives as they served as supply points and markets.

Question 43

What is a cattle drive?

Answer 43

The herding and moving of cattle over long distances ## Footnote Cattle drives were essential for transporting cattle to railroads for shipment.

Question 44

What is a cattle kingdom?

Answer 44

The region dominated by the cattle industry and its ranches, trails, and cow towns ## Footnote This term describes areas where cattle ranching was the primary economic activity.

Question 45

What does the term vaquero mean?

Answer 45

The Spanish word for cowhand or cowboy ## Footnote Vaqueros played a significant role in shaping the skills and techniques of American cowboys.

Question 46

Who was Joseph McCoy?

Answer 46

He founded Abilene, Kansas, the first cowtown ## Footnote McCoy's efforts were pivotal in establishing cow towns as key points in the cattle trade.

Question 47

Why did cattle drives cover long distances?

Answer 47

Some rail lines (the key destinations) were as far away as 1,000 miles, necessitating long herding journeys ## Footnote Ranchers hired cowhands to move the cattle to rail lines in Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming.

Question 48

What skills did American cowboys learn from Spanish and Mexican vaqueros?

Answer 48

They learned how to ride, rope, and brand ## Footnote These skills were essential for managing cattle effectively.

Question 49

How true was the myth of the Wild West?

Answer 49

The Wild West had some basis in fact, but was often exaggerated ## Footnote In reality, the West was being transformed into more peaceful communities.

Question 50

What factors ended the cattle boom?

Answer 50

Too many cattle, harsh weather conditions, and simultaneous economic depressions ## Footnote These factors led to overgrazing, cattle deaths, and decreased beef prices.

Question 51

What is a homesteader?

Answer 51

A settler who acquired free land in the Great Plains from the government ## Footnote Homesteaders were part of the Homestead Act, which aimed to encourage settlement in the West.

Question 52

Define sod in the context of agriculture.

Answer 52

A surface layer of earth in which the roots of grasses tangle with soil ## Footnote Sod is crucial for farming as it provides a base for crops.

Question 53

Farmers on the Great Plains who broke through the sod were also known as what?

Answer 53

sodbusters ## Footnote Sodbusters used machinery to cultivate land that was difficult to farm.

Question 54

What does the term 'sooner' refer to?

Answer 54

someone that cheated during the Oklahoma Land Rush ## Footnote Sooners illegally claimed land before the official start of the land rush.

Question 55

What is a farm cooperative?

Answer 55

Groups of farmers who pool their money to make large purchases of tools, seed, and other supplies at a discount ## Footnote This helps farmers save costs and improve their operations.

Question 56

Groups of farmers who met for lectures, sewing bees, and other events were part of…

Answer 56

granges ## Footnote Granges aimed to foster community and support among farmers.

Question 57

What is inflation?

Answer 57

A general rise in prices ## Footnote Inflation affects purchasing power and can impact economic stability.

Question 58

Who was William Jennings Bryan?

Answer 58

Democratic candidate for president in 1896 known as 'the Great Commoner' ## Footnote He was supported by the Populists and advocated for using silver to back money.

Question 59

Fill in the blank: The Homestead Act gave a _______ acre plot to anyone who voluntarily resided on the land for five years.

Answer 59

160

Question 60

What challenges did homesteaders face according to the Homestead Act?

Answer 60

There was not enough fertile land for farmers to turn profits ## Footnote Most homesteaders (3/5) did not make the five-year mark due to these challenges.

Question 61

Who were the Exodusters?

Answer 61

African Americans who emigrated from the South into the Plains ## Footnote Primarily settled in Kansas, Exodusters sought better opportunities.

Question 62

What demands did the Populists make?

Answer 62

* social reforms * public ownership of railroads and warehouses * tax on income to replace property tax * an eight-hour workday * doing away of foreclosure ## Footnote These demands aimed to support farmers and laborers, creating overall social reformations.

Question 63

What types of machinery did sodbusters use?

Answer 63

* steel plows to break through the tough layer of sod * drills to bury seeds deep in the ground below the sod

Question 64

# Possible Bonus Question In the late 1870s, a group called the Farmers’ _________ organized to help farmers by setting up farm cooperatives.

Answer 64

Alliance

Question 65

True or false: Populists wanted to use silver in addition to gold as a basis for money supply, with the hope of steady inflation.

Answer 65

True

Question 66

# Possible Bonus Question How much land did the government claim was available in Oklahoma?

Answer 66

2 million acres

Question 67

# Possible Bonus Question Why were the African American settlers in Kansas given the name ‘Exodusters’?

Answer 67

they believed that they were like the Jews freeing slavery in Egypt, which was told in the book of Exodus

Question 68

# Possible Bonus Question Who invented barbed wire?

Answer 68

Joseph Gidden ##footnote Joseph Gidden, an Illinois farmer, invented twisted metal wire in 1874 to keep cattle from trampling crops.

Question 69

# Possible Bonus Question Who invented the steel sodbusting plow?

Answer 69

John Deere of Illinois

Question 70

# Possible Bonus Question Who was a prominent figure that helped promote the ‘Wild West’ fantasy?

Answer 70

William “Buffalo Bill” Cody

Question 71

Complete the map with the Native American trails.

Answer 71

1. Goodnight-loving trail 2. Western trail 3. Chisholm trail 4. Shawnee trail

Question 72

What was the last major battle between settlers and Native Americans?

Answer 72

the Battle of Wounded Knee

Question 73

True or false: Settlers in the Great Plains often had to face grueling weather such as hurricanes.

Answer 73

False

Question 74

In 1851, ten thousand people from many Plains nations gathered near _______________ in Wyoming for a big talk with U.S. officials.

Answer 74

Fort Laramie

Question 75

# **READ ONLY: PREPARING FOR ESSAY, RATE 5 IF YOU ARE GOOD** * **Allotment and Surplus Land Sales:** The [Dawes] act divided tribal territories into individual allotments for Native American families, reserving only a fraction of the total land for them. After these allotments were assigned, the so-called “surplus” land—land that was previously part of tribal holdings—was sold to non-Native settlers and speculators at low prices. This transaction allowed the government and private interests to acquire valuable land that once belonged to Native communities, drastically reducing the amount of land under Native control. * **Erosion of Tribal Sovereignty:** By dismantling the traditional system of communal land ownership central to many tribes’ cultures, the government undermined the authority of tribal councils and leaders. This weakened the collective political and social structures that helped Native Americans maintain their identity and economic independence, leaving them more vulnerable to outside influence and economic exploitation. * **Forced Cultural Assimilation:** The policy aimed to “Americanize” Native Americans by pushing them to adopt farming on small plots and integrate into non-Native society. In many cases, this agricultural lifestyle was ill-suited to the local environment or to tribal traditions. The government’s insistence that Natives abandon their communal ways and embrace American-style landownership left them at a disadvantage, often without the proper resources, training, or support to succeed. This cultural imposition further solidified the power imbalance and economic dependence on the government and non-Native institutions.

Answer 75

{rate 1,2,3,4,5 based on how many times you want this to re-pop up}