| Term | Definition |
|---|
| boom | Time of fast economic or population growth. |
| prospector | People searching for gold, silver, or other minerals. |
| bust | Time of fast economic decline. |
| homesteader | Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862. This law gave 160 acres of land to any head of a family was more than 21 years of age and who live on the land for five years. Many American and immigrants rused to claim these plots of land, or homesteads, to start farms. These people were called homesteaders. |
| treaty | An agreeement between different countries or groups of people. |
| reservation | An area of land set aside by the government for use only by Native Americans. |
| cultural region | An area in which people share some ways of life. |
| sod | Layer of soil held together by the roots of grasses. |
| long drive | Between 1867 and 1890, ranchers drove about 10 million head of cattle north to the railroads. |
| panhandle | An area of land that sticks out like the handle of a pan. Juneau is on the Alaska panhandle. |
| George Custer | In 1876, attacked the Sioux and their allies at the Little Bighorn River. Custer and all of his men were killd by the Sioux. |
| Sitting Bull | One of 2 Indian Chiefs leading the Sioux against George Custer's attack. |
| Crazy Horse | One of 2 Indian Chiefs leading the Sioux against George Custer's attack. |
| Chief Joseph | Chief Indian of the Nez Perce Indian tribe in eastern Oregon. In 1877, the US government ordered the Nez Perce to move to a reservation in Idaho. The Nez Perce resisted and attempted to escape to Canada. They were stopped and forced onto a reservation in Washington state. |
| Nat Love | Well known-cowhand. He was born in Tennessee and worked as a cowhand for more than 20 years after he was freed from slavery at the end of the Civil War. He later wrote a book about his life. |
| Vaqueros | Mexican cowhands. Cowhands were used by ranchers to deliver their herds safely on long drives. |
| William Seward | Secretary of State. His support helped persuade Congress to agree to to buy Alaska. |
| Queen Liliukalani | Last Hawaiian monarch to rule the Hawaiian Islands. Christian missionaries were among the first Americans to settle in Hawaii. Other Americans followed and gained control of large parts of Hawaii's land and trade. In 1891, she tried to take back the control of Hawaii. She made decisions taht hurt American business owners. In 1893, a groups led by Americans took over the Hawaiian government. |
| Sewards Folly | In 1867, the US bought Alaska from Russia for about $7 million -- about 2 cents per acre. Many American thought it was foolish to buy land that was so far north. |
| The Alaskan Gold Rush | In 1880, gold was found in the area of of what is now the city of Juneau. After the Juneau discovery, gold was discovered near the present day cities of Nome and Fairbanks. Thousands of people moved there hoping to find gold and become wealthy. Thousands died or returned home, beaten by the cold weather and harsh land. Many stayed in Alaska to build new lives and start new businesses. Between 1880 and 1900, the population almost doubled and its economy grew rapidly. |
| Why was Alaska a good purchase? | Alaska brought gold and other wealth to the US. Alaska's earth holds deposits of many valuable minerals such as copper, silver and zinc. Its water are filled with many fish, especially salmon. |
| Early History of Hawaii | Independent country ruled by Kings and Queens. |
| How Hawaii became part of the US? | Christian missionaries were among the first to settle in Hawaii. Other Americans followed who gained control of large parts of Hawaii's land and trade. In 1893, a group led by Americans took over the Hawaiian government. Five years later, the US Congress decided to annex (add) Hawaii to the US. In 1900, Hawaii became a US territory. In 1959, it became 50th state. |
| The Mining Boom | After the California gold rush or 1849, new discoveries of gold and silver brought more people to the West. |
| What happened when gold or silver was discovered? | Miners claimed the land as their own and set up camps. These camps often grew into towns. These were called boom towns. |
| What happened when all the gold or silver was mined? | Miners left to look for new claims. The towns were left for bust. Some of the abandoned towns are called ghost towns. |
| What brought miners to the West? | Gold or silver discoveries. |
| What brought more settlers to the West? | Vast grasslands of the Great Plains. Adventure. Enslaved African Americans moved west to start new lives. |
| What is the Homestead Act? | Passed in 1862. This law gave 160 acres of land to any head of a family who more than 21 years of age and who live on the land for five years. Many Americans and immigrants rushed to claim these plots of land or homesteads to start farms. |
| What caused range wars? | Farmers and ranchers sometimes had disagreements. Both put up fences. The fences often kept one group or the other from reaching water. They began cutting one another's fences. Sometimes this led to fights. |
| What railroads did? | Helped transport people and goods between cities in the East and settlements in the West. Also provided ranchers with an easier way to transport cattle. |
| Why did Native Americans fight? | To preserve their way of life, their land, the buffalo and their customs. |
| The Nez Perce | Resisted Us government orders to move to a reservation in Idaho. They tried to escape to Canada, but were captured and moved to a reservation in Washington state. Their leader was Chief Joseph. |
| Why did many people move west in the late 1880s? | To mine gold or silver, farm, raise cattle or seek adventure. |
| How did prospectors cause booms in some areas? | They set up camps to mine gold or silver. These camps quickly became towns. People also built refineries. As towns grew, whole families began to arrive. The towns set up governments with police, schools, hospitals and churches. |
| How do you think the destruction of buffalo affected Native Americans? | The Native Americans depended on the buffalo for their basic needs. With fewer buffalo and the loss of their lands, many groups of Indians signed treaties with the US to set up reservations. |
| How did most settlers in the West earn a living? | Farmers or ranchers. |
| What was Homestead life like? | Living on the Great Plains was difficult. Most of the settlers were poor. Often, farming did not earn them much money. There were few streams for water or trees for wood. It was difficult for many homesteaders to get mail from the East. Many communities were far from each other. |
| Identify problems of Homestead life? | Sod houses weren't sturdy. Dirt from the sod often fell onto items inside the houses. In the winter, cold temperatures froze the region. Dorught, dust storms and insects were problems in the summer. In 1874, grasshoppers ate most of the crops. |
| Identify new technologies. | Improved steel plow to cut through the thick sod. Windmills to pump water. |
| What is dry farming method? | Plowing the land every time it rained to trap moisture in the soil. |
| Why did the plant Russian wheat? | Needed less water to grow. |
| How did conditions on the Great Plains affect settlers? | It made life difficult and farming challenging. |
| What happened in late 1860s that affected the cattle trails? | The first railroads were build in the West. This provided cattle ranchers a cheaper and faster way of moving cattle. |
| Where were cattle sent? | Chicago? |
| Where was the meat sent? | In refrigerated cars freight cars to markets in the East? |
| Who did American cowhands learn their skills from? | Vaqueros (Mexican cowhands) |
| Who was a well known cowhand? | Nat Love |
| What was life in the West like? | Challenging. |
| Explain long drive? | Between 1867 and 1890, ranchers drove 10 million head of cattle north the railroads. |
| How did ranchers move cattle to the East during the 1870s? | Railroads |
| How do you think living in the West gave people more freedom? | They gave people a new chance of owning land or becoming a rancher. |
| Why did the United States purchase Alaska from Russia? | To expand US borders. |
| Why did the US add new lands in the late 1800s? | To expand US borders. |
| How did Hawaii become a part of the US? | In 1893, a group led by Americans took over the Hawaiian government. Five years later, Congress decided to annex, or add, Hawaii to the US. |
| Use the word panhandle in a sentence about Alaska's geopgraphy? | Juneau is located on the Alaska panhandle. |
| How did the addition of Alaska and Hawaii expand the US borders? | These new lands increased the nation's size and wealth. |
| What happened in 1862? | Congress passed the Homestead Act. |
| When was Alaska purchased from Russia? | 1867. |
| What kinds of hardships did settlers of the Great Plains encounter? | Farming did not earn much money. There were few streams for water or trees for wood. Mil was difficult to get from the East. Winters were cold. Summer brought droughts, dust storms and insects. |
| How were Alaska and Hawaii added to the US? | They were annexed by Congress. |
| How did the Homestead Act help expand the US westward? | It encouraged people to settle the Great Plains. |
| What technologies helped settlers adapt to life in the Great Plains? | Steel plows and windmills. |
| Why was American expansion in the West and Hawaii met with resistance by the native peoples? | The settlers took their lands, their way of living and their cultures. |
| Why do you think many homesteaders chose to move west despite the many hardships | Adventure and a new beginning. |
| What are boomtowns and why did they develop in the West? | Boomtowns were started by miners when gold or silver was discovered. The miners camps quickly turned into towns. Families moved their and town governments were formed. |
| How did the loss of buffalo affect Native American groups on the Great Plains? | The Native Americans depended on buffalo for their basic needs. The loss of buffalo threatened their freedom and way of life. The Indians began to sign treaties with the US government to set up reservations for use only by the Indians. |
| How did technology help settlers adapt to life on the Great Plains? | Many settlers felt that the tough sod and dry soil were not good for farming. The steel plow helped cut through the thick sod. Windmills were used to pump water to the land. |
| What was Sewards Folly and why did it turn out to be a good idea? | William Seward was the Secretary of State. He helped persuade Congress to purchase Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7 million. Many people did not agree that purchasing Alaska was a good idea and that is why it was called Seward's Folly. Gold and other valuable minerals were found in Alaska. The waters were filled with fish. Alaska increased the US's size and wealth. |
| Why did some Americans lead a group to take over the government of Hawaii in 1893? | Queen Liliuokalani tried to take back the control of Hawaii in 1891. She made decisions that hurt American business owners. |
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