Living/ Farming on Plains

Question 1

Give 4 reasons why people moved to The Plains.

Answer 1

1.) The Homestead Act: offered 160 acres of land to people.
2.) Advertisement: great place to farm.
3.) Railroads: allowed people to sell farmed goods to cities.
4.) Unemployment due to Banking Crisis.

Question 2

Why were the conditions on The Plains difficult to farm in?

3

Answer 2

1.) Winds = destroy crops.
2.) Extreme heat caused fires.
3.) Buffalo trampled on farmland.

Question 3

Give 3 difficulties homesteaders faced.

Answer 3

1.) Getting supplies = difficult.
2.) Lack of clean water (cholera/ typhoid.)
3.) No trees –> building houses = difficult.

Question 4

What were 4 solutions homesteaders found to deal with issues on The Plains?

Answer 4

• Buffalo chips –> burnt and used for cooking/ heating.
• Homesteads (houses built of earth.)
• Barbed-wire fencing: cheap/ easy way to enclose land.
• Wind pumps: used wind to get water from deep underground.