8/7/2019 America Episode3 Guide FIN

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/america-episode3-guide-fin 1/3

EdE 3: WEtWard

ntrductn

After the Treaty of Paris is signed in 1783 and the new American

nation is born, a vast continent lies to the west of the mountains,

waiting to be explored. This land is not empty – Native American

Indians are spread across the land mass, as are Spanish colonists

and French explorers.

The conquest of the West by pioneers and trailblazers is a story

marked by courage and hardship. Armed with knowledge from

hardened mountain men like Jedediah Smith, millions of Americans

keep heading westward in the hopes of claiming lands and nding

prosperity.

Their journeys by wagon train are fraught with danger, but the allur

of adventure, opportunity and economic gain is strong. While some

struggle to create new lives on the frontier, others are rewarded witriches as hundreds of thousands of people rush to mine California’s

gold in the mid-19th century.

America now stretches from “sea to shining sea.” The consequences

for Native Americans on the plains are severe.

tErm t KnW:

Before or after watching this episode,

encourage students to dene and

review the terms below. Students

may also want to make their own

lists of new vocabulary words and

identication terms as they watch.

Commodity

Convulsion

Cumberland Gap

Decree

Exploits

Frontier

Keelboat

Toil

Uncharted

America The Story of Us is useful for American

History, Social Studies, and Media courses. It is

appropriate for 7th grade students and above,

and is an excellent resource for professional 

development.

8/7/2019 America Episode3 Guide FIN

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/america-episode3-guide-fin 2/3

dcun QuEtn:

1. How would you describe Jedediah Smith? What do you think were his most

important characteristics?

2. Who was Susannah Dickinson, and what role did she play in the Alamo conict?

3. What was the signicance of Daniel Boone’s clearing of the Cumberland Gap?

How do you think this aected the Shawnee Indians and other native groups?

4. How did the Louisiana Purchase change the United States? Why was Thomas

Jeerson eager for Lewis and Clark to explore the West?

5. What were the most important items for trade during the time period

covered in this episode? Why do you think those items had value?

2amErca thE try f u Episoe 3: Wesw

8/7/2019 America Episode3 Guide FIN

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/america-episode3-guide-fin 3/3

1. What are some of the notable things Smith describes in

this entry?

2. Based on this reading, how would you describe Smith’s

personality?

frm JEdEdah mth’ JurnalEcnd ExEdtn t calfrna

dcun QuEtn:

rimary Source:

13 J ul  1827 – 3 J ul  1828

  20 th I  wen t wi th  the T ra  p pers wi thin a  mil e o f  

 the 

 pl a ce where I  s truck   th

e ri v er on  the l a s t A  pl . A bo v e 

 tha  t  there wa s no Bea  v er si gn bu t consid era bl e  f rom 

 the 

ca m p u p  to  tha  t  pl a ce.

  I  sa w some ind ia ns on  the o p posi te 

sid e o f   the ri v er 

bu t  the y  ra n o f  f . T he ri v er wa s qui te ra  pid  a 

nd   the 

rushin g o f   the wa  ter brou gh t  f r

esh  to m y  remembra nce 

 the ca sca d es o f  M  t. J ose ph a nd 

  the un pl ea sa n t  times I  

ha d   pa ssed   there when surround ed 

 b y   the snow which 

con tinued   f a l l in g. 

M  y  horses  f reezin g, m y  men d is

coura  ged  a nd  our 

u tmos t exer tion ne

cessa r y   to k ee p  f rom  f reezin g 

 to 

d ea  th. I   then  thou gh t o f   the  v a ni t y  o f  riches a 

nd  o f  a l l  

 those ob jec ts  tha  t l ea d  men in

  the  peril ous  pa  ths o f  

a d  v en ture.

  I  t seems  tha  t in  times l ik e  th

ose men re turn  to 

rea son a nd  ma k e  the  true es tim

a  te o f   thin gs. T he y   throw 

b y   the  ga ud  y  ba ubl es o f  a mbi ti

on a nd  embra ce  the sol id  

com f or ts o f  d omes tic l i f e. Bu

 t a   f ew d a  y s o f  res t 

ma k es  the sa il or  f or ge t  the s t

orm a nd  emba rk  a  ga in on 

 the  peril ous Ocea n a nd  I  su p p

ose  tha  t l ik e him I  woul d  

soon become wea r y  o f  res t.

furthEr Exlratn:

What else was going on during this period? Educators and students canexplore the sites below to learn morabout the era of U.S. history covered

this episode.

te W o 1812 e -pgBep://eiiso.si.e/ sspgebe

te eo Ge awkeig ibo is ep://eo.o.gov/e// oeios/w/iso8.

aew Jkso e Bk Veowww.e.gov/ews/ 

iies/2008-01/ KigaeweBk.

lacE t Vt:

Interested in what you saw in thisepisode? Visiting historic sites is a gway for teachers, students, and famito learn more about the past. Explorthese historic sites, or look for localhistoric sites in your town or city to

te aowww.ps.gov/iso/r/ve//29.

te t Gss iie nio esewww.ps.gov/p/ie.

te cbe Gpwww.ps.gov/g/ie.

amErca thE try f u Episoe 3: Wesw 3