Problems of setting the Plains

Question 1

Name the problems on the Plains

Answer 1

Low Rainfall:
- very few rivers / streams
- very little surface water
Few Trees
- too dry for trees away from rivers
- PI set fired to promote grass , killing saplings
Extreme Climates
- very hot summers
- extremely cold winters
- hailstorms, thunderstorms
- Prairie Fires
- Thick Sod
- soil was hard to plough - tangled mass of grass roots

Question 2

what was the consequence of low rainfall on farming

Answer 2

• too dry for crops
• not enough water for livestock
• frequent droughts
• no rivers to transport people / products across the Plains

Question 3

what was the consequence of few trees on farming

Answer 3

• no timber for building houses
• no timber for fences (hard to protect crops from animals
• no wood to burn for cooking / heating

Question 4

what was the consequence of extreme climate on farming

Answer 4

• crops shrivelled in the summer heat
• Hailstorms + fires destroyed crops
• v. difficult living conditions in summer + winter

Question 5

what did the settlers do as there was no wood for fuel

Answer 5

burned buffalo chips / dung that had been dried in the Sum

Question 6

what did settlers make their houses out of since there was no timber

Answer 6

sod houses - made of earth
- were good insulation, warm, fire-proof
- but always dirty, infested with insects
- started to turn into mud in heavy rain

Question 7

what was another problem the settlers faced regarding water

Answer 7

• on the Great Plain, water could be 300 feet down
• well that deep were expensive to dig and winching up enough water for people, animals and crops each day was hard work

Question 8

was visiting family accessible for settlers

Answer 8

• families often miles apart –> life very lonely
• transport not yet efficient - nearest town could be several days of travel

Question 9

what was the problem of ploughs for farmers on the Great Plains, what did they then have to do

Answer 9

• soil was full of deep-tangled grass roots –> normal ploughs broke under strain
• had to dig up the grass by hand using spades or hire a professional ‘sod-buster’ with a heavy plough + team of oxen –> but v. expensive

Question 10

what was the difficulty regarding crops for farmers in the Great Plain

Answer 10

• previous species did not thrive –> Plain were too dry + cold in winter, lack of water or eaten by insect infestation (grasshopper)

Question 11

how were grasshoppers a major problem

Answer 11

• some years, vast clouds of grasshoppers destroyed crops, grass, wool in sheep
• grasshopper droppings turned everything brown + polluted any water sources
• blacked out the Sun

Question 12

why were prairie fires a problem

Answer 12

• after long, hot , dry summer, long grass burned very easily
• fires also burned crops could kill livestock and people

Question 13

how could prairie fires start

Answer 13

• lightning strike
• spark from campfire
• steam train
• Plains Indians start a fire to encourage new grass growth

Question 14

list the problems settlers faced

Answer 14

• no timber : housing + fuel
• lack of water
• ploughing / soil
• grasshoppers
• prairie fires