Study Guide for Westward Migration
As more and more miners went west in search of gold and silver, demand for railroads across the
country increased.
The Transcontinental Railroad was built to connect the East and the West. The first Transcontinental
Railroad began in Omaha, Nebraska with African Americans and Irish immigrants contributing to the
construction of the railroad. From the West, construction began in Sacramento, California with Chinese
immigrants working to build the railroad. The railroad was completed in Promontory Point, Utah. Once the
railroad was completed more and more homesteaders moved west to settle on the Great Plains.
The Transcontinental Railroad was important because it stimulated the economy. The railroads helped
the economy grow because they carried manufactured goods and raw materials between the East and the
West.
The Homestead Act was passed to encourage Westward Migration. This law gave 160 acres of free
land to the settlers. Settlers included African Americans looking for new beginnings in the west and a chance
to escape from the discrimination in the South. Because there were few trees on the Great Plains settlers had to
adapt by building their homes using sod. Inventions that helped farmers to clear the land and pull thick roots
from the tall grasses was the steel plow. Because there was little water farmers adapted to the environment by
using dry farming methods and growing wheat and raising beef cattle which did not require as much water.
Windmills were used to pump water needed for farming. To protect crops, land, and cattle, farmers used the
new invention of barbed wire. The land was flat rising gradually from east to west.
As demand for Native American land increased, the US policy was to relocate Native Americans to
reservations which was land set aside for them. Treaties signed between the Native Americans and the US
were broken. The migration of settlers, farmers, and miners, as well as the development of railroads throughout
the country, led to conflict with the Native Americans. Buffalo were killed to feed the railroad workers and
hunted for sport, decreasing the major source of food for many Native Americans. The discovery of gold in the
Black Hills led to the Battle of Little Big Horn. This was the worst defeat for the US military by Native Americans.
Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull killed Colonel George Custer and his soldiers. This battle is also known as Custer’s
Last Stand.
The following year Chief Joseph, the leader of the Nez Perce Indians, was forced to surrender as he was
leading his people into Canada. As he surrendered, he gave a speech in which he said, “I will fight no more
forever.”
Several years later, in the Southwest Region of the US, Geronimo became the last Native American to
formally surrender.
The last armed conflict between the Native Americans occurred shortly after Sitting Bull’s death. The
conflict became known as the Battle or Massacre of Wounded Knee. The traditional life style for Native
Americans had ended. Their population had been reduced significantly.
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Westward Expansion Vocabulary Review
As more and more miners went west in search of gold and silver, demand for ________________across the
country increased.
The ________________________________was built to connect the East and the West. The first
Transcontinental Railroad began in____________________, Nebraska with ________________________ and
_______________________ immigrants contributing to the construction of the railroad. From the West, construction
began in _____________________, California with ___________________ immigrants working to build the railroad.
The railroad was completed in ______________________, Utah. Once the railroad was completed more and
more homesteaders moved west to settle on the Great Plains.
The Transcontinental Railroad was important because it stimulated the __________________. The railroads
helped the economy grow because they carried ____________________________ and
____________________________ between the East and the West.
The Homestead Act was passed to encourage Westward Migration. This law gave 160 acres of free
land to the settlers. Settlers included African Americans looking for new ________________________ in the west
and a chance to __________________________ from the discrimination in the South. Because there were few
trees on the Great Plains settlers had to adapt by building their homes using ____________________. Inventions
that helped farmers to clear the land and pull thick roots from the tall grasses was the ______________________.
Because there was little water farmers _______________________ to the environment by using ________________
farming methods and growing ___________________ and raising _______________________ cattle which did not
require as much water. __________________________ were used to pump water needed for farming. To protect
crops, land, and cattle, farmers used the new invention of __________________________________. The land was
flat rising gradually from ___________________ to ___________________________.
As demand for Native American land increased, the US policy was to _______________________ Native
Americans to _____________________________ which was land set aside for them.
__________________________signed between the Native Americans and the US were broken. The migration of
settlers, farmers, and miners, as well as the development of railroads throughout the country, led to conflict with
the Native Americans. ____________________________ were killed to feed the railroad workers and hunted for
sport, decreasing the major source of food for many Native Americans. The discovery of _____________________
in the Black Hills led to the ________________________________. This was the worst defeat for the US military by
Native Americans. _______________________________ and Sitting Bull killed Colonel
________________________________ and his soldiers. This battle is also known as Custer’s Last Stand.
The following year _______________________________, the leader of the ___________________ Indians, was
forced to surrender as he was leading his people into Canada. As he surrendered, he gave a speech in which
he said, “______________________________________________________________.”
Several years later, in the Southwest Region of the US, ________________________ became the last Native
American to formally surrender.
The last armed conflict between the Native Americans occurred shortly after ____________________’s
death. The conflict became known as the Battle or Massacre of ________________________________. The
traditional life style for Native Americans had ended. Their population had been __________________________
significantly.
Word Bank
adapted
railroads
African Americans
raw materials
barbed wire
reduced
Battle of Little Big Horn
relocated
beef cattle
reservations
beginnings
Sacramento
buffalo
Sitting Bull
Chief Joseph
sod
Chinese
steel plow
Crazy Horse
Transcontinental Railroad
Dry
treaties
East
west
Economy
wheat
Escape
windmills
George Custer
Wounded Knee
Geronimo
gold
Irish
I will fight no more forever
manufactured goods
Nez Perce
Omaha
Promontary Point