US Westward Expansion

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson
Download our mobile app to listen on the go
Get App

Questions and Answers

What was the general perception of the land west of the Mississippi River by most Americans before the mid-nineteenth century?

  • A fertile land suitable for settlement
  • A mountainous region with limited accessibility
  • A dense forest with abundant resources
  • An arid wasteland suitable only for American Indians (correct)

What was Major Stephen Harriman Long's description of the Great Plains?

  • A fertile land suitable for farming
  • A great American desert (correct)
  • A region of dense forests
  • A region with abundant resources

What changed the way Americans thought of the West in the 1840s?

  • The completion of the transcontinental railroad
  • The Mexican-American War
  • The discovery of gold in California
  • A combination of economic opportunity and ideological encouragement (correct)

Who was unable to make the trip westward despite government aid?

<p>The truly poor (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a major reason for the prohibitive nature of the move westward for most Americans?

<p>The cost of moving an entire family westward (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary goal of the federal government's incentives for Americans to move westward?

<p>To make it viable for Americans to take on the challenge of seizing the West from its Native American and Hispanic owners (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a major obstacle for many people to pursue commercial farming in the West after the Panic of 1837?

<p>Lack of financial resources (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a fundamental aspect of the concept of Manifest Destiny?

<p>The idea that Americans were destined to expand democratic institutions throughout the continent (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who coined the phrase 'Manifest Destiny' in 1845?

<p>John O'Sullivan (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a major factor in the federal government's encouragement of westward settlement during the Civil War?

<p>Concerns over the expansion of slavery (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a primary goal of westward expansion, according to the concept of Manifest Destiny?

<p>To spread Protestant institutions (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a key motivation for land developers, railroad magnates, and investors in promoting westward settlement?

<p>Financial benefit (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards are hidden until you start studying

More Like This

Early American History
8 questions

Early American History

CohesiveMeerkat avatar
CohesiveMeerkat
US History: Westward Expansion
5 questions
Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser