Westward Expansion and the Pioneer Era: think and write
Grades 4–6 · Use with kidinfo.com/learn/american-history/westward-expansion/
Name(s): Date:
- Read the KidInfo page first, then answer in full sentences.
- Use the key words where you can.
Think and write
- Draw a simple map showing the Louisiana Purchase, the Oregon Trail and the route of the transcontinental railroad.
- Why did people move west? List at least four different reasons.
- What did Sacagawea and York contribute to the Lewis and Clark expedition?
- How did westward expansion look to a pioneer family compared with a Lakota or Cherokee family?
- What did the Homestead Act promise? Who was able to use it, and who was left out?
- Why were bison so important to Plains nations, and what happened when the herds were destroyed?
- Explain 'Manifest Destiny' in your own words. Why do historians say it was an idea, not a fact?
- Who built the transcontinental railroad? Describe one challenge the workers faced.
Key words
| Word | What it means (in your own words) |
|---|---|
| Pioneer | |
| Territory | |
| Expedition | |
| Homestead | |
| Manifest Destiny | |
| Removal | |
| Reservation | |
| Treaty | |
| Prairie schooner | |
| Exodusters |
Free for home and non-commercial classroom use. Sources for every fact are listed on the web page.