American West Practice Revision Questions

Explain Consequences (8-mark question: 4 marks for each explained consequence)

Explain two consequences of the Indian Removal Act, 1830.
Explain two consequences of the American victory in the Mexican-American War.
Explain two consequences of the discovery of gold in California in 1848.
Explain two consequences of the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska act in 1854.
Explain two consequences of living and farming on the Great Plains.
Explain two consequences of the development of new technology for farming on the Plains.
Explain two consequences of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851.
Explain two consequences of the discovery of gold in Colorado in 1858.
Explain two consequences of the Mormon War, 1857-58.
Explain two consequences of the ending of the Civil War for the settlement of the West.
Explain two consequences of the discoveries of John Iliff and Charles Goodnight for the cattle industry.
Explain two consequences of the opening of the first Transcontinental Railroad in 1869.
Explain two consequences of the discovery in 1871 in an eastern tannery of a process to make high quality leather
from buffalo hides.
Explain two consequences of the development of refrigerated railcars at the end of the 1870s.
Explain two consequences of Little Crow’s War, 1861-62 (8 marks)
Explain two consequences of the Cheyenne Wars, 1864-67 (8 marks)
Explain two consequences of the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 (8 marks)
Explain two consequences of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 (8 marks)
Explain two consequences of President Grant’s Peace Policy, 1868 (8 marks)
Explain two consequences of the ending of the Civil War for African Americans.
Explain two consequences of the opening of land in Oklahoma by the government in 1889.
Explain two consequences of the Johnson County War in 1892.
Explain two consequences of the gunfight at the OK Corral.
Explain two consequences of the defeat of the Seventh Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
Explain two consequences of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890.

Narrative (8-mark question)

Write a narrative account analysing the main developments in US Government policy towards the Plains Indians in
the period 1836-61.
You may use the following in your answer:
- The movement of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
- The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851
You must also use information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the failed migration of the Donner Party, 1846-7
You may use the following in your answer:
- Chosen route.
-Weather.
You must also include information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing why Americans went west in the years 1836-49.
You may use the following in your answer:
- The Oregon Trail from 1836.
-The California Gold Rush of 1849.
You must also include information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the Mormon migration of 1846-7.

You may use the following in your answer:
- Winter shelter
-The leadership of Brigham Young
You must also include information of your own.
Write a narrative account analysing why the Mormons migrated West to the Great Salt Lake.
You may use the following in your answer:
- The murder of Joseph Smith
- Prejudice from non-Mormons.
You must also include information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the Gold Rush of 1848-52.
You may use the following in your answer:
- Discovery of gold in Sierra Nevada range, 1948
-Arrival of Chinese miners
You must also include information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the town of Aurora, 1860-64.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Discovery of silver
• Forces of law and order
You must also use information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the development of crime in the West after 1858.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Development of the railroads
• James-Younger gang
You must also use information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the development of law and order in the town of Abilene, 1868-1872.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Cattle drives
• Wild Bill Hickok
You must also use information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the North’s defeat of the South in the Civil War, 1861-65.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Destruction of the war
• Reconstruction
You must also use information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the railroads in the years 1860-75.
You may use the following in your answer:
• The Railroad Act, 1862
• The use of Chinese labour
You must also use information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the ways in which homesteaders solved the problems of farming on the Great
Plains in the years 1862-76.
You may use the following in your answer:
• The development of the railroads
• The invention of barbed wire
You must also use information of your own.

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the cattle industry between 1850 and 1877.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Goodnight and Loving
• Abilene
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the white settlers’ conflicts with the Plains Indians, 1861-
1868.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Little Crow’s War, 1861-62
• Red Cloud’s War, 1866-68
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the Cheyenne Wars, 1864-67.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Sand Creek Massacre, 1864
• Battle of Washita, 1868
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)
Write a narrative account analysing the development of the Exoduster movement after the Civil war.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Reconstruction in the South
• Exodus to Kansas
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the Lincoln County War in 1878.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Actions of The House
• Actions of John Tunstall
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of events which led to the gunfight at the OK Corral.
You may use the following in your answer:
• The growth of Tombstone
• Actions of the Earp brothers
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of rivalry between ranchers and homesteaders, 1870-1890.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Tension over land
• Barbed wire
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the Johnson County War, 1892.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Cattle rustling
• Invasion of Johnson County
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the Battle of Little Bighorn.
You may use the following in your answer:
• The actions of Custer
• The tactics of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the development of the Ghost Dance movement and the events at Wounded
Knee.
You may use the following in your answer:
• Spread of the Ghost Dance
• Wounded Knee massacre
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Write a narrative account analysing the reasons why the Plains Indians lost the war for the Plains.
You may use the following in your answer:
• The government’s use of reservations
• The extermination of the buffalo
You must also use information of your own. (8 marks)

Explain Importance (16-mark question: 8 marks for each bullet point factor below)
Explain the importance of the buffalo to the Plains Indians’ way of life. (Swap buffalo for tipi for practice)
Explain the importance of breeding and training horses to the way of life and means of survival of the Plains Indians.
Explain the importance of warrior societies to Plains Indian life.
Explain the importance of religion to the Plains Indians’ way of life.
Explain the importance of warfare to Plains Indian life.
Explain the importance of the Indian Appropriations Act 1851 to the Plains Indians’ way of life.
Explain the importance of the leadership of Brigham Young to the successful settlement of the valley of the Great
Salt Lake by the Mormons.
Explain the importance of the rapid growth of mining settlements for government efforts to bring law and order to
the West.
Explain the importance of the Homestead Act 1862 for the settlement of the West.
Explain the importance of the transcontinental railroad for the way of life of the homesteaders.
Explain the importance of Joseph McCoy to the development of the cattle industry.
Explain the importance of cowboys for the cattle industry.
Explain the importance of the Dawes Act, 1887 for the way of life of the Plains Indians.
Explain the importance of the strategy of total war for the US army’s defeat of the plains Indians. (8 marks)
Explain the importance of Red Cloud in the creation of the Great Sioux Reservation. (8 marks)
Explain the importance of President Grant’s Peace Policy in ending ‘wars of extermination.’
Explain the importance of the winter of 1886-87 for the cattle industry.
Explain the importance of the Battle of Little Bighorn, 1876, to the conflict between the Plains Indians and settlers.
Explain the importance of the extermination of the buffalo.
Explain the importance of government’s use of reservations in the destruction of Plains Indian culture.