Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was one of the main reasons for the migration of Americans to the West during the 19th century?
What was one of the main reasons for the migration of Americans to the West during the 19th century?
What was the primary purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862?
What was the primary purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862?
Which of the following best describes the term 'Manifest Destiny'?
Which of the following best describes the term 'Manifest Destiny'?
What was a significant impact of the Dawes Act of 1887 on Native Americans?
What was a significant impact of the Dawes Act of 1887 on Native Americans?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the intended outcome of the assimilation process for Native Americans as proposed by U.S. policies?
What was the intended outcome of the assimilation process for Native Americans as proposed by U.S. policies?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Westward Expansion - Government Policies
- Motivations for westward movement: Two primary reasons Americans moved west were the California Gold Rush and Manifest Destiny.
-
Homestead Act: This policy aimed to attract settlers and farmers west.
- Offered 160 acres of land for low cost, if the land was used for farming.
- Implementation occurred in the Great Plains and Midwest
- Purpose was to expand the country.
- Initiated in 1862.
-
Dawes Act: This policy targeted Native Americans.
- Broke up Native American reservations to assimilate them into American society.
- Forced relocation to individual plots of land, instead of shared lands.
- Encouraged the adoption of white culture, customs, and practices.
- Implementation occurred in the Great Plains and Midwest
- Instituted in 1887.
Defining Key Terms
- Manifest Destiny: The belief that Americans were destined to expand westward and settle the continent.
- Assimilation: The process of absorbing a minority group into the majority culture. This often involved changing cultural practices and customs.
- Union Pacific & Central Pacific: Two companies that built the transcontinental railroad. They met at Promontory Point, Utah, in 1869, completing the first railroad across the U.S.
- Great Plains: A vast flatland region between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.
- Transcontinental Railroad: The railroad that connected the East and West coast. Critically important to westward expansion. Built predominantly by Chinese immigrants.
Other Factors
- US government wanted to absorb Native Americans into the American population more easily by forcing assimilation.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
Explore the key government policies that shaped the westward expansion in America, including the Homestead Act and the Dawes Act. This quiz examines motivations for movement, major legislation, and their impacts on settlers and Native Americans. Test your knowledge of Manifest Destiny and its implications.
