Westward Migration

Question 1

What are push factors for moving west?

Answer 1

• Collapse of wheat prices
• Overpopulation
• Freedom and independence
• Persecution
• Unemployment

Question 2

What are pull factors for moving west?

Answer 2

• Fertile land
• Space

Question 3

Who rediscovers the South Pass through the Rocky Mountains?

Answer 3

Explorer Jedediah Smith in 1824

Question 4

What significant event occurred in 1841 regarding the Oregon Trail?

Answer 4

Government-funded expedition maps the Oregon Trail and publishes guide book for migrants

Question 5

What financial crisis occurred in the East in 1837?

Answer 5

A financial crisis caused economic depression leading to unemployment reaching 25% in some areas

Question 6

What motivated many Americans to migrate west during economic difficulties?

Answer 6

Reports from the West of land and gold

Question 7

What was the belief in Manifest Destiny?

Answer 7

The belief that it was God’s will for white Americans to settle over all of America

Question 8

What crisis did farmers in the Midwest face in 1837?

Answer 8

Corn prices collapsed, leading to ruin for many farmers

Question 9

What discovery in California occurred in 1848?

Answer 9

Gold is discovered

Question 10

When was gold discovered in the Rocky Mountains?

Answer 10

1858-59

Question 11

What event led to the Mormons being told to leave Illinois?

Answer 11

Governor of Illinois told them to leave in 1846

Question 12

Fill in the blank: In 1837, a financial panic in the East led to _______ reaching 25% in some areas.

Answer 12

unemployment

Question 13

True or False: The belief in Manifest Destiny justified taking land from Indigenous Americans.

Answer 13

True

Question 14

What did some farmers believe they could find in the West?

Answer 14

Better farmland

Question 15

Between which years did thousands of people migrate from China to the West?

Answer 15

1849 and the following years

Question 16

What was the impact of the financial crisis on businesses in the East?

Answer 16

Businesses closed and many people lost their jobs

Question 17

What was a consequence of the overcrowding in the Midwest for farmers?

Answer 17

Some farmers began to migrate west

Question 18

What event led to a huge increase in migration to the West in 1849?

Answer 18

The California Gold Rush

The discovery of gold in California in 1848 was a key trigger for migration.

Question 19

How many migrants used the Trail between 1836 and 1846?

Answer 19

5000

This number significantly increased after 1849.

Question 20

What was the estimated number of Chinese migrants to California in 1852 due to famine?

Answer 20

20000

This migration was part of a larger trend of international migration during the Gold Rush.

Question 21

Who were the prospectors during the Gold Rush?

Answer 21

People who looked for gold on the surface, especially in streams and river beds

Prospectors often did not have the means to mine underground.

Question 22

In what year did California become a state?

Answer 22

1850

This was shortly after the Gold Rush began.

Question 23

What was the population of California by 1855?

Answer 23

300000

This rapid population growth was largely due to the Gold Rush.

Question 24

What were some social issues faced in the mining camps?

Answer 24

Lawlessness and racial tension

These issues arose between American settlers and foreign workers.

Question 25

What economic impact did gold from California have on the US?

Answer 25

Boosted the US economy and helped fund railroads ## Footnote This economic growth was significant in the context of Manifest Destiny.

Question 26

What does 'Manifest Destiny' refer to?

Answer 26

The belief that white Americans were destined to expand across North America ## Footnote This belief increased confidence for migration and settlement.

Question 27

What was a consequence of the increased migration along the Oregon Trail?

Answer 27

Tension with Indigenous Americans ## Footnote This tension often escalated into violent conflicts.

Question 28

What does the term 'genocide' mean?

Answer 28

The deliberate killing of large numbers of people, usually because of their ethnicity ## Footnote This definition applies to the treatment of Californian Indians by white migrants.

Question 29

True or False: Most migrants during the Gold Rush found gold.

Answer 29

False ## Footnote Most migrants did not find gold despite their hopes.

Question 30

What was the Donner Party?

Answer 30

A group of travellers took the “shortcut” on the Oregon trail leading to death and suffering

Question 31

What was the Oregon Trail?

Answer 31

The way that most migrants had travelled west

Question 32

How long was the Oregon Trail?

Answer 32

3200km or 3800km for those who take it to go on to California

Question 33

What were reasons for Mormon persecution?

Answer 33

Other religious groups disagreed with their beliefs They married multiple wives Some were violent

Question 34

Who led the Mormons to Great Salt Lake?

Answer 34

Brigham Young

Question 35

What were some problems with settling in the plains?

Answer 35

Weather Lack of trees Crops were vulnerable Thick sod Lack of water Climate Insect pests

Question 36

What was the Indian Appropriations Act, 1851?

Answer 36

The government paid Indigenous Americans on the Plains to give up lands that white people wanted and to move to smaller areas called reservations

Question 37

Why was there tension between the migrants and the Plains Indians?

Answer 37

Pressure on food supply White peoples fear of attack Discovery of gold Concerns over resources

Question 38

What did tension between the migrants and Plains Indians lead to?

Answer 38

The first Fort Laramie Treaty, 1851