FIFTH GRADE

Social StudiesWeek Two

Using the map above, what mountain range must the

pioneers cross when on the Oregon Trail?

The Rocky Mountains

What city was known as the “Gateway to the West”

because it was where pioneers came to form wagon trains and leave

on their trip west?

St. Louis, Missouri

Why was it important for settlers heading to

Oregon to leave from Missouri in the Spring?

They wanted to get through the Rocky Mountains before winter.

Why did the trails to the West often follow

riverbeds?

These routes were generally easier than going over the

mountains.

How did climate in the west affect the pioneers’

trips?

Hot, dry summers brought droughts, dust storms and insects. Winters brought snow that caused spring

floods. Storms brought tornadoes and hail which could ruin crops.

What Native American resource on the Great

Plains did settlers hunt to near extinction?

The bison or buffalo

Where were many Native Americans forced to live

when they were driven off their land?

Reservations

What was the most positive impact that the trans-

continental railroad had on the growth of the

West?

It was an easy way to travel

and a cheaper way to get cattle and goods to

markets.

How did the development of the railroads impact

immigration to the United States?

Immigration increased due to the high demand

for low-cost labor to build the

railroads.

How did railroads impact the environment?

More fuel was needed which meant more mining which

stripped the land. More factories were built which polluted the air

and water.

What widely used invention created conflict

between ranchers and farmers in the West?

Barbed wire for fencing

Why were Native American driven out of the Black

Hills?

Silver was discovered there and the settlers wanted the land.

What cultural group which lived in the Southwest were driven

from their land and discriminated against after the

Mexican War?

Mexican Americans

Which battle ended Native American resistance to the Reservation policy?

Wounded Knee-South Dakota

What was the name of the school where Native American children were sent to learn the “ways of

white children”?

The Carlisle School in Pennsylvania

What was the name of Henry Ford’s method

of building cars that was quicker and made cars

cost less?

The moving assembly line

What were two forms of communication invented

during the Industrial Revolution and who

invented them?

•Telegraph – Samuel Morse•Telephone – Alexander

Graham Bell

Who invented the electric light bulb?

Thomas Edison

Who used the Bessemer Process to convert iron (a raw material) to steel

(consumer product)?

Andrew Carnegie

How did electricity positively impact the

U.S. economy during the Industrial Revolution?

Electricity improved productivity of factories,

transportation with streetcars, and made life easier

at home with vacuum cleaners and washing machines.