Settlement and Conflict on the plains

Question 1

What was the Homestead Act and why was it important

Answer 1

• Passed by Lincoln in 1862 and gave each settler 160 acres of land if they farmed it for 5 years.

Question 2

What was the Pacific Railroad Act?

Answer 2

1862 passed by Lincoln and it authorised two companies (The Central Pacific and The Union Pacific) to build a transcontinental railroad.

Question 3

What were some difficulties faced by Homesteaders living on the plains

Answer 3

• Lack of water more specifically clean water which led to the spread of diseases such as cholera and typhoid
• Risks of buffalo stampedes
• Native American Attacks
• Locusts (ate all crops)
  -Homesteaders were isolated miles away from their neighbours
• Extreme weather - freezing winters and scorching summers
  -The ground was dry and tough to farm. The dryness also led to prairie fires.

Question 4

How did the Homesteaders overcome their difficulties on the plains?

Answer 4

• People made their houses out of sod (lack of wood) which made their houses relatively cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
• Fenced their land - protected against wild animals.
  -Acts such as The Timber Culture (1873) and Desert Land Act 1877 gave settlers who lived in less fertile areas more land.
  New Crops - e.g Turkey Red Wheat could survive the harsh climate of the Plains
  -Church groups were formed to combat loneliness
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Question 5

What were four of the Conflicts during Indian Wars

Answer 5

Little Crows War
Sandcreek Massacre
Red Clouds WAR
The Great Sioux War

Question 6

What were the positives of the Pacific Railroad Act

Answer 6

• Cities like Denver, Dallas and LA grew along the train networks
  -Cattle could be moved by trains
  -People could travel from east to west in 4-10 days compared to 6 months.
  -Opened up the Great Plains to settlers
  -Helped the West become law-abiding (law officers, judges, gov officials and teachers could get there more easier.
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Question 7

What were the Negatives of the Pacific Railroad Act

Answer 7

• Railroads passed through the Indians Land causing tribes to move. The Indians hated the noise and pollution that trains brought
• Bison were disrupted
• ## Railway workers treated their workers horribly (poor wages and horrible hours)