Westward expansion - causes and impacts

Question 1

Lewis and Clark

Answer 1

1804, 48 men, 4000 miles, returned with maps drawings and specimens

Question 2

Fur trappers

Answer 2

Furs - most valuable produce, brought back geographical information

Question 3

Farming

Answer 3

Land was more fertile in the west, and was offered at a reduced rate

Question 4

Gold discovery

Answer 4

1848 - Californian gold rush, population boomed

Question 5

Roads

Answer 5

1808 - national road funded by federal government - 800 miles long

Question 6

Steamboats

Answer 6

1807 - first commercially successful steamboat launched, cut the time and cost of transport

Question 7

Railways

Answer 7

Built by private companies, faster and greater range than canals

Question 8

Telegraph

Answer 8

1861 - completion of transcontinental telegraph line made mail services obsolete, allowed for long distance communication

Question 9

The Mormons

Answer 9

Religious group fleeing persecution, moving further and further west, until eventually settling in Utah

Question 10

Settlers - push

Answer 10

Poverty, due to insufficient land or unemployment

Question 11

Settlers - pull

Answer 11

huge economic opportunities, availability of free or cheap land

Question 12

Manifest destiny

Answer 12

USAs supposed right to take over North America

Question 13

Manifest destiny - example problem

Answer 13

Tensions rose between USA and Mexico over land disputes, led to Mexican War

Question 14

Incentives and escape

Answer 14

Many were going west so that they could have a better life

Question 15

Louisiana Purchase

Answer 15

James Monroe $10 Million France for New Orleans, Napoleon offers Louisiana for $15 Million, President Jefferson embarrassed - a lot of money, senate happy

Question 16

Florida

Answer 16

Owned by Spain - could attack, 1813 - US forces take over, Spain cannot do anything - at war with France, 1819 - Transcontinental treaty

Question 17

Texas

Answer 17

Americans settled in Texas - owned by Mexico, they American Texans then declared independence and applied to join the Union

Question 18

Mexican war outbreak

Answer 18

Tensions frayed, 1846 - US troops proclaim annexation of New Mexico and California. General Santa Anna refused to surrender

Question 19

Mexican war resolution

Answer 19

1848 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, USA keeps California and New Mexico but must pay $15 million

Question 20

Key question for new states

Answer 20

Would they be free or slave?

Question 21

Mail

Answer 21

Railways expand - so does mail service, guaranteed delivery within 25 days, boosted journalism

Question 22

Homestead Act

Answer 22

Allowed farmers to claim western land for free by staking a claim and living on it for 5 years

Question 23

Morrill Act

Answer 23

Provided land grants to colleges so that they could teach ‘agriculture and mechanic arts’

Question 24

Conservation

Answer 24

Fear natural resources would run out, lead to development of national parks, flood control, reforestation