USA HISTORY

WESTWARD EXPANSION INDUSTRIALIZATION URBANIZATION 1870 1900

WESTWARD EXPANSION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Despite the harsh and dangerous circumstances, why do people continue to head west during the late 1800s?
A
The chance for adventure, cheap land, and freedom
B
City life was not very exciting.
C
Native Americans are no longer an issue.
D
They are promised free land automatically, .
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Gold rush and mining opportunities (silver in Nevada) The opportunity to work in the cattle industry; to be a “cowboy” Faster travel to the West by railroad; availability of supplies due to the railroad. The opportunity to own land cheaply under the Homestead Act.

Detailed explanation-2: -One of the main reasons people moved west was for the land. There was lots of land, good soil for farming, and it could be bought at a cheap price. In addition, it was very crowded living on the East Coast. The population of the United States was growing at a very fast rate.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Homestead Act encouraged western migration by providing settlers with 160 acres of land in exchange for a nominal filing fee.

Detailed explanation-4: -As settlers and homesteaders moved westward to improve the land given to them through the Homestead Act, they faced a difficult and often insurmountable challenge. The land was difficult to farm, there were few building materials, and harsh weather, insects, and inexperience led to frequent setbacks.

There is 1 question to complete.