Reasons for migration up to 1851 Flashcards

1
Q

Explain the difference between a “push factor” and a “pull factor”

A

Push factor = when someone is “pushed out” of the area where they are currently living

Pull factor = when someone is “pulled towards” a new area

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2
Q

Describe two consequences of the economic crisis that hit the east and south of the United States in 1837

A

1) Banks collapsed - people lost their savings

2) Businesses failed - unemployment reached 25%

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3
Q

What happened to the price of corn in southern states like Mississippi during the economic crisis of 1837?

A

It started to fall

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4
Q

What did traders and fur-trappers say about the land and climate in California and Oregon?

A

There was rich farming land and the sunny climate was ideal for fruit farming

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5
Q

Give two reasons why the sea route to Oregon was inconvenient for potential migrants

A

1) It cost $300 (a farm labourer earned $11 a month)

2) It took a whole year to make the trip

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6
Q

What was the name of the only practical overland route for migrants to travel West through the mountains before 1851?

A

The Oregon Trail

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7
Q

How many migrants had used the Oregon Trail by 1869?

A

400000

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8
Q

Why did the first migrants to travel the Oregon Trail with a wagon make the journey?

A

To convert tribes in Oregon to Christianity

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9
Q

How many people used the Oregon Trail to migrate in:

1841
1842
1843

A

1841: 60 people
1842: 100 people
1843: 900 people

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10
Q

Why did the US government encourage migration to Oregon in the 1840s?

A

They wanted to establish Oregon as US territory, rather than sharing it with the British

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11
Q

How much money did the government provide in 1841 to help map the Oregon Trail?

A

30000

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12
Q

Who led the government-funded expedition to Oregon in 1842?

A

John Fremont

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13
Q

How did John Fremont encourage other people to travel along the Oregon Trail?

A

He wrote reports that made the trail sound exciting and achievable, which were made into a guidebook for migrants to use

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14
Q

Which state became part of the US in 1848?

A

California

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15
Q

How many people had travelled to California in pursuit of gold by April 1849?

A

100000

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16
Q

What was California’s population by 1855?

17
Q

How did the growth of California’s population affect the economy?

A

It grew rapidly as the prospectors needed equipment, food, drink and entertainment

18
Q

Describe “Manifest Destiny”

A

It was God’s will for white Americans to populate all areas of America from coast to coast

19
Q

What would happen to Indigenous peoples under Manifest Destiny?

A

They would be cleared out of the way

20
Q

Why was the landscape of the Oregon Trail a problem for migrants?

A

It was very rocky, which damaged wagons

21
Q

What diseases did migrants encounter on the Oregon Trail?

A

Dysentery, cholera and typhoid

22
Q

What did migrants on the Oregon Trail need to ensure they took enough of to last the journey?

23
Q

Why were accidents common on the Oregon Trail?

A

The wagons were heavy and difficult to control

24
Q

What would often break out between migrants on the Oregon Trail?

A

Arguments and fights