Yr11 January Mock Revision

Question 1

5 uses of the buffallo

Answer 1

skull in religious ceremonies
fur used for decoration on clothes pillows, and to make mittens + rope
tanned hide used for bags and bedding, clothes, dolls, tipi covers
even dung used for fuel
heart was cut from the body and left on the ground to give new life to the herd

Question 2

Importance of the buffallo

Answer 2

Buffalo Dances were ceremonial before a hunt

Inidegenous americans moved around depending on the location of the buffalo

The women and children butchered the buffalo after the hunt.

Buffalo Dances were to call upon the spirit world to help with the hunt call the herd of buffalo closer.

Some parts of the buffalo such as the liver and kidneys were eaten raw as delicacies. Drying meant the meat kept for a while. It could be made into pulp and mixed with berries. The hides were left to dry and were scraped of flesh. Some hides were tanned using the brains and were made into clothes and tipi covers.

Only two or three successful hunts a year were needed to feed and shelter the band.

The members of warrior societies would be in charge and the organisers of the hunt to make sure the buffalo were not scared off before everyone was ready and too many animals were killed in the excitement of the hunt

The warriors hunted with bows and arrows and each warrior marked his arrows so the buffalo he killed could be identified

The warriors would also gain honour for their skill in the hunt as the buffalo were strong animals and to get close enough to kill the buffalo was dangerous

Question 3

Destruction of the Buffalo info and timeline

Answer 3

Buffalo had been hunted for their warm coats before the 1870s.
1871 - process was discovered to turn hide into the right sort of leather for machine belts which powered US industrialisation.
Prices for a buffalo hide were between $1-$3 so people rushed to kill as many buffalo as they could.
The railroads brought hunters to the Plains and transported hides back to the cities. Efficient methods of killing were developed due to the Sharps’ rifle.
Many hunters killed more buffalo than they could skin - some inexperienced skinners wasted a lot of hides.

Hunting of the southern heard peaked 1872-74 when professional buffalo hunters killed around 4.5 million animals compared to 1 million killed by Plain Indians.
Northern herd was protected by the Great Sioux reservation til ‘76.
1876 marked the point from which the government began to break up the Sioux control of the northern Plains and also when the Northern Pacific Railroad reached Sioux lands and began to push west.
In 1880, an estimated 5,000 whites were killing and skinning buffalo. By 1883, the northern herd was gone.

Question 4

Destruction of the Buffallo dates

Answer 4

1869: Transcontinental railroad completed- this split the buffalo herds up

1871 Destruction of the southern buffalo herd began

1875
Destruction of the southern buffalo herd completed

1880
Destruction of the northern buffalo herd began
1883
Destruction of the northern buffalo herd completed

Question 5

Romanticisation of buffallo killing

Answer 5

William Cody was employed by the Kansas Pacific Railroad Company to clear buffalo from the tracks and supply workers with meat
He claimed he had killed 4,280 buffalo in 17 months - hence the nickname
As well as buffalo hunting for the railroad companies, Cody also served as an army scout in the 1860s and 70s
In 1883 he set up a touring show, ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West’, which reenacted scenes from the West using cowboys, Indigenous Americans and gunmen, including at times such notable figures as Wild Bill Hickok and Sitting Bull
This toured America and Europe and played a powerful role in building the myth of the West

Question 6

The factors encouraging migration west
Government promise of land

Answer 6

There was unsettled farmland in Oregon and California. 1842 the government passed a Pre-emption Bill which applied to land in Oregon. This stated that a settler could stake a claim of 160 acres and after living on it for fourteen months could buy it for the sum of just $1.25 an acre.

Question 7

The factors encouraging migration west
Economic crisis in the East

Answer 7

1837 there was an economic crisis which lasted until mid-1840s. Many banks collapsed, people lost their savings and businesses failed etc. In some places, unemployment was as high as 25%. Those employed faced wage cuts as high as 40%. This led to many to being forced out of the east to the West to seek a new life.

Question 8

The factors encouraging migration west
Manifest Destiny

Answer 8

The peoples of the US believed that they were destined to dominate the entire continent & saw their country as a shining example of freedom-loving people everywhere.
Their government was the perfect form of government and so it was their God-given duty to spread this across the continent.
As it was God’s will – all those involved in the movement West was doing God’s will and anyone opposed to it was a traitor to the USA and God.

Question 9

The factors encouraging migration west
Gold Rush

Answer 9

Gold had been discovered in the Sierra Nevada in California 1848. April 1849 100,000 people left the East to travel to California.
California’s population reached 300,000 by 1855.

Question 10

The factors encouraging migration west
Mountain Men- Farm land in Oregon

Answer 10

Mountain men had travelled to Oregon for many years. They passed back news of the rich farming land West of the Rocky Mountains. To add to this, in the east some farmers were really struggling to make ends meet as wheat and corn prices plummeted

Question 11

The factors encouraging migration west
Victory for California and Oregon In 1846 Oregon became a part of the US from negotiations with Great Britain which made it more accessible and attractive to settlers. 1848 California became a part of the US after a battle against Mexico making it also attractive for settlers.
Also Gov funding

Answer 11

In order to encourage people to settle in Oregon to make it a state, the US provided $30,000 for an expedition to map the Oregon Trail and publish reports to help migrants on the journey there.

Question 12

The Oregon Trail from 1836

Answer 12

In order to encourage people to settle in Oregon to make it a state, the US provided $30,000 for an expedition to map the Oregon Trail and publish reports to help migrants on the journey there. John Fremont led the expedition. His reports made the trail seem achievable and exciting. These reports became the guidebook that migrants used. By 1846 more than 5000 people had migrated West along the Oregon Trail. the Oregon Trail 3,490 km long

Question 13

The Gold Rush 1849-49 overview

Answer 13

in 1848, when it was widely publicised that gold had been discovered in Sutter’s Mill California, hundreds of thousands began the journey westward in order to pin their hopes onto striking it rich.News of this discovery spread slowly until it was picked up by a San Francisco newspaper.
Then it spread like wildfire across the USA and beyond. The first miners to arrive came from California.

Question 14

Consequences facts and figures of The Gold Rush 1849-49

Answer 14

Mass migration West
California becomes a state

40,000 by fall 1849
Hawaii, Chile, Italians, Germans, Chinese, Russian
More than half were in their 20s of those who had migrated to California
2/3s came from the US
Slaves, freed blacks. Cherokees had been forced out of Georgia when gold had been found on their land.
Everyone from every corner of the land had moved there - California had more immigrants than any other state in the US
1852 20,000 Chinese - 2000 in one day to California

Question 15

Name all the consequences of the discovery of Gold in California

Answer 15

Migration to California: 300,000 by 1855. California becomes a state.

Farming: A boom in California

Manifest Destiny: White Americans see their ‘destiny’ coming true.

Genocide of California’s Indegenous American population by migrants

Racial tension due to immigration.

Tensions with Indigenous Americans due to huge increase in migration along Oregon Trail.

Problems of lawlessness in the mining camps; gambling, prostitution, alcoholism

Gold from California boosts US economy - helps fund railroad.

Question 16

Problems with lawlessness and poor conditions in mining camps

Answer 16

they were often housed in provisional ‘towns’ which sprang up as a result of the Gold Rush and consisted of just one street filled with dust or mud, depending on the season. Scurvy, diarrhoea, dysentery and even malaria were common.Living in such conditions, it is hardly surprising that miners sought relief from a number of vices. Often they would frequent ‘saloons’ for their pleasures. On the days when they were not working, miners drank all day in the saloons.

Question 17

What were the main reasons why the Mormons were unpopular in the East?

Answer 17

-Belief that they were chosen by God angered people
-Bad leader who made unpopular decisions and angered non-mormons
-Polygamy
-Syphathies with indigenous Americans and slaves
-Bad luck - like the economic depression crashing their bank in Kirtland, Ohio

Question 18

Joseph smith strengthens and weaknesses

Answer 18

Main strengths and achievements
Clearly a very compelling leader because he gained many followers
Good at preaching
Was good at achieving things like the 4,000 men of Nauvoo legion and kirtland bank
When the Mormon Church began in 1830, many Americans said that it would not last; but they had not counted on Joseph Smith who started the Church.

Mormons worked hard in Ohio and became very successful.

His ideas appealed to many people. Controversial ideas.

In Nauvoo the Mormons est their own independent city state and their numbers grew to 35,000.

Sympathetic to slaves and Plains Indians.

Opened a bank open to Mormons and non-Mormons showing people trusted him.

Main weaknesses and failures
Overly ambitious e.g. running for president
Lacked diplomatic skill e.9 hostility created from polygamy annoucement
Lack of good judgment
Unconvincing origin story

Smith’s ideas upset many. EG ‘God’s chosen’,

Sympathetic to slaves and Plains Indians which was controversial

People became jealous of the success of the Mormons in Ohio.

The Mormon bank collapsed in 1837 and people lost their savings - they had to leave Ohio.

In Missouri, the Mormons had to flee due to rumours about the Mormons and the Plains Indians.

The persecution eventually led to his murder at the age of 38.

Non Mormons were shocked by polygamy in Nauvoo.

Thought he was above others.

Sent to prison 42 times.

Question 19

Brigham Young’ succession

Answer 19

After the death of Joseph Smith, Mormon homes were attacked in Nauvoo. Some thought this would be the end of Mormonism, but a new leader stepped forward with a plan. His name was Brigham Young.
Young decided that if the Mormons were to survive they needed to move west, to somewhere they could be left alone. He persuaded the Mormons to move to Great Salt Lake Valley, an area of land that nobody wanted. There were 4 main reasons for his choice:

It was isolated
Although some said it was not suitable land for making a living, reports suggested there was water and fertile farming available
Mormons could live close together to retain their distinctive religious beliefs and practices
Perhaps most importantly, at this moment it was not in the USA, but was in Mexico.

The trip would be difficult and dangerous, there were 16,000 Mormons and the journey was 1400 miles from Nauvoo to Great Salt Lake. So this created a new problem…

Question 20

The decision to migrate to the Great Salt Lake caused another major problem.. How were they going to reach their destination and settle successfully?
Solution:

Answer 20

Young organised the Mormons into small groups. Each group had a leader who had to look after the people in his section.
Everyone had a job to do on the trail to keep them busy and make sure they all behaved.
The Mormons learnt how to circle the wagons at night to keep themselves safe
Young planned out regular stopping places.

Question 21

Brigham young stengthens and weaknesses

Answer 21

Main strengths and achievements
Found a safe place for the Mormons
Successfully organised Mormons across 2,000 kilometres of plain to salt lake
Was a respected leader
Good and recruiting and sourcing converts from other places andd countrys

Main weaknesses and failures
Possibly relied on using visions to much like Smith
Didn’t want to associate or trade with non-mormons
which could have helped mormons with their industrial processes which were lacking and bad

Question 22

How did Young prepare the Mormons for their migration to the Great Salt Lake?

Answer 22

During the winter months of 1845-1846 oxen food and equipment were brought and wagons were built. Then in February 1846 the first band set out along the route to build a chain of rest camps in preparation for the others coming. The length of the trail was 1,238 miles

Question 23

What route was taken to travel West? By Brigham Young (the mormon trail)

Answer 23

Brigham chose a route on the north side of the Platte River to avoid travellers from the well-established oregon trial on the south side. Pioneer bands went along this trail their job was to make sure wagons could travel through i

Question 24

How successful was the Mormon settlement in Utah? food + water

Answer 24

Young decided that there be no private ownership of land or water
The Church would assign farmland to people according to their need
Mormons worked together to build a main irrigation ditch through the farming land. Snowmelt water from the mountains was brought into the city through a system of irrigation ditches.
Side ditches were then dug so that all land could be irrigated. Each person was given an exact time when they were allowed to draw water from the main ditch

Question 25

How successful was the Mormon settlement in Utah?
new town grids

Answer 25

The city developed a clear plan; at the centre was the temple (the main place of worship as well as the main square
Leading off from here were streets lined with plots of land for homes and gardens, and farms for larger families. The town was arranged with people’s jobs and family situation’s in mind bigger family’s had more land.

Question 26

How successful was the Mormon settlement in Utah?
The Perpetual Emigration Fund

Answer 26

More people were needed for the Mormon settlement to develop further
To achieve this, Young sent missionaries to Europe, the Far East and South America to win converts
They appealed especially to the poor and in England alone, 32,894 converts were ready t depart by the end of 1851
A Perpetual Emigration Fund was set up to help pay for the passage to Salt Lake. Money was lent to the emigrants which they repaid after reaching Utah. Every detail of the journey was organised for them. I

Question 27

How successful was the Mormon settlement in Utah? Housing?

Answer 27

Due to the lack of timber, the Mormons could not build the typical log houses which were common in other new settlements. However, they overcame this by making Spanish bricks and leaving these in the sun

Question 28

How successful was the Mormon settlement in Utah?
Limitations + Failures

Answer 28

Industry
Mormons not as successful in this area. Largely because they did not have enough money or workers
They were hoping to make all their own clothes and manufactured goods, so they setup pottery works, textile factories and ironworks but they had limited success
Education
Schools were badly equipped, and parents resisted the attempt to extend the school year beyond three months, insisting that their children were needed on their farms.

Question 29

What caused the American Civil War?(brief)

PS the end of the civil war encouraged migration West

Answer 29

The North was against slavery, and the South were pro-slavery. The North was industrialised, whereas the South was mainly agricultural and depended upon slaves for this agricultural work.

Question 30

American Civil War was from

Answer 30

1861 - 1865

Question 31

How did the ending of the Civil War encourage settlement West?

Answer 31

Towns and cities across the south were damaged, factories and crops were destroyed and railroad tracks torn up.
During the war, regular troops were withdrawn from service in the West and replaced with volunteer militias (with devastating consequences)
War ended in April 1865 – the reconstruction could begin.

The Union needed to be restored and defeated southern states needed to be reintegrated into political and economic life of country.
Discussions about the 3.5 million former slaves were needed too. The economic and social problems in the south led to many looking to start a new life in the West – many being ex soldiers or former slaves.
Settling in the west was made easier by a set of laws passed by the US government during the war…

Question 32

What was the Southern Homestead Act 1866?

Answer 32

a United States federal law enacted to break the cycle of debt during the Reconstruction following the American Civil War. Prior to this act, blacks and whites alike were having trouble buying land. Sharecropping and tenant farming had become ways of life.
This act attempted to solve this by selling land at low prices Many people, however, could still not participate because the low prices were still too high.

Question 33

What was the Desert Land Act 1877?

Answer 33

permitted an individual to acquire up to 320 acres of desert land and couple up to 640 acres. pushing more people towards the specific areas of Oregon and the High Desert. The homesteader must irrigate the land and produce a crop within three years. This act was important because it allowed an individual to obtain land from the original Homestead Act of 1862 and well as filing a claim under the Desert Act. Therefore, it was common for the homesteaders of the high desert to have two homestead claims.
However, water was scarce causing around 2/3 of the desert claims to give up between 1907-1912.

Question 34

what was the Exoduster movement?

Answer 34

Mass Migration (1879): Around 20,000 African Americans fled the South to Kansas, inspired by the promise of land and freedom. By 1880, Kansas had 43,107 Black settlers on 81 square kilometers of land.
Challenges: Migrants settled poor farmland in uplands, lacked funds for administrative fees, and faced illness, such as yellow fever. The Kansas governor provided temporary aid, but many struggled to survive.
Opposition: White Kansans resisted helping Exodusters, and unplanned migration strained resources. By 1880, migration slowed, with better-prepared groups moving later. Some Exodusters left Kansas for states like Nebraska or joined the Oklahoma Land Rush (1889).
Impact: Though poorer than white settlers, many Exodusters improved their lives compared to the South, establishing communities like Nicodemus.

Question 35

what caused the exoduster movement

Answer 35

Post-Civil War Challenges: After the Civil War (1865), African Americans faced systemic racism, violence from the KKK (founded in 1865), and economic hardship. Sharecropping trapped many in debt, and by 1877, Reconstruction ended, leaving them unprotected as Democrats regained control in the South.
Desire for Opportunity: Kansas, with its anti-slavery legacy, was seen as a “Promised Land.” Leaders like Benjamin “Pap” Singleton promoted migration. African Americans built over 1,000 independent Baptist churches, fostering self-reliance and education.
Federal Apathy: The federal government, focused on westward expansion and Indian Wars, abandoned efforts to enforce African American rights, pushing many to seek safety and land in the West.

Question 36

the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889-1893.

Answer 36

The Oklahoma Land Rush was a series of events between 1889 and 1893 in which vast areas of former Native American territory in Oklahoma were opened to settlers. This marked a significant moment in westward expansion and the displacement of Native populations.

The process began with the Dawes Act of 1887, which aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual plots. Surplus land was then allocated to settlers. In 1889, the U.S. government announced that 2 million acres of “Unassigned Lands” in central Oklahoma, previously ceded by tribes like the Creek and Seminole, would be available for settlement.

The first land rush occurred on April 22, 1889, with nearly 50,000 settlers racing to claim plots of land. Participants lined up at the borders, and at noon, a gunshot signaled the start of the chaotic rush. Disputes over claims were common, especially with “sooners” who illegally entered the area early to stake out prime plots. Subsequent land rushes, such as those in 1891 and 1892, added more territory for settlement.

The Oklahoma Land Rush was a series of events between 1889 and 1893 in which vast areas of former Native American territory in Oklahoma were opened to settlers. This marked a significant moment in westward expansion and the displacement of Native populations.

The process began with the Dawes Act of 1887, which aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual plots. Surplus land was then allocated to settlers. In 1889, the U.S. government announced that 2 million acres of “Unassigned Lands” in central Oklahoma, previously ceded by tribes like the Creek and Seminole, would be available for settlement.

The first land rush occurred on April 22, 1889, with nearly 50,000 settlers racing to claim plots of land. Participants lined up at the borders, and at noon, a gunshot signaled the start of the chaotic rush. Disputes over claims were common, especially with “sooners” who illegally entered the area early to stake out prime plots. Subsequent land rushes, such as those in 1891 and 1892, added more territory for settlement.

Question 37

Significance of the closure of the frontier

Answer 37

In 1890, the US census office declared the Indian Frontier was closed.Settlement of the West had been so rapid that ‘there can hardly be said to be a frontier line’ between white settled land and ‘wilderness’.
There were enough settlers for new states to be established in the West and cities had grown up.