5th Grade History/Social Studies: Englewood Elementary School Ms. Mahoney

Hello Everyone! I miss all of you and wish that each day is even better than the one before!

This week, April 20-24, I have assigned an optional Social Studies/History review through reading

text, comprehension questions, followed by answers and explanations.

How to begin (Please note/read all available options):

• Upon reaching the McMinn County Schools site and clicking 5th grade with Englewood Elementary

School, once you look under the Social Studies/History tab, you will find a file named “Week of April

20 20 Industrialization, Growth, & Expansion.” This lesson has 3 parts and is designed to last all week,

or you may choose to complete in any time-frame that you deem appropriate or necessary.

• You can print these pages off at home and then write on those.

• If you cannot print at home, you have some options.

o You can label a piece of notebook paper by the name of the assignment at the top of the page.

Then you could write responses on the notebook paper.

o You may pick up hard copy at the school on Thursdays from 9:30-12:30

If you’re having trouble on the assignment:

• You may email me at the following address. hmahoney@mcminnschools.com

o I can answer specific questions

o We can set up a time for me to call you and discuss the material further

• Currently, my “office hours” are 8:30-12:30. I will reply to emails more quickly during that time and

can call you if an appointment time is needed. If you need an appointment time outside of that time

range, we can do that, too.

Please understand, this work is considered optional and will not be held against you. I am here to

help you in any way I can. Although, this current situation has us in a different “school classroom

setting,” I am still your teacher and I am always here for you and happy to help! Please let me

know. I miss you all, and look forward to talking to you soon!

Sincerely,

Ms. Heather Mahoney

5th Mahoney-Social Studies – Part 1

Industrialization, Growth, and Expansion from the 1850s-1910

Week of April 20-24, 2020

Industrialization, Growth, and Expansion

During the last half of the 19th century, many people moved to areas in the western part of the

United States. New territories were opened up for settlement, and new technologies made it

easier for people to farm in this area.

Miners and Prospectors in California

In 1848, a man named James Marshall found gold at Sutter's Mill in California. Hoping to

strike it rich, thousands of people came to California. Many of them came in 1849 and

therefore received the nickname "49ers." Very few of them actually found gold, but they

caused the population in California to grow quickly. Businesses that sold goods and services

to miners often charged very high prices. Many of the first people to get jobs in the mining

industry in the West were Mexican immigrants.

Homesteaders on the Great Plains

Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862. The act let settlers claim up to 160 acres of

surveyed federal lands. After the homesteaders had lived on the land for five years and

improved it (such as by building a house), they could pay a small registration fee and get the

title for the land.

When the Civil War ended, many people moved to the West. These settlers often chose a new

place to live because of access to natural resources such as water. Many settlers started farms

on the Great Plains. With no trees nearby, settlers built their homes out of cut sod, big blocks

of dirt, and grasses that were stacked like bricks.

African Americans leaped at this opportunity to own their own land, and many moved out

West. The Homestead Act also allowed unmarried women age 21 and up to claim

homesteads. This allowed women to become more independent and have more of an effect on

the U.S. economy at the end of the 19th century.

Improvements in Technology

In 1874, Joseph Glidden invented barbed wire. It is strong material made of heavy wire with

smaller pieces of wire twisted into "barbs." Barbed wire was an affordable and effective way

to fence off large areas, and it was strong enough to keep cattle in an enclosed space. Barbed

wire was one of the inventions that reshaped life on the Great Plains because it allowed settlers

to protect their property.

The steel plow was another invention that greatly impacted farming and ranching out

west. Invented by John Deere in 1837, the steel plow efficiently turned the hard and heavy

prairie soil.

Great Plains Environment

The Great Plains covers a large area in the middle of North America just east of the Rocky

Mountains. The region is made of flatlands that slowly rise from east to west.

Cattle herds thrived in the Great Plains. The grasslands were perfect for cattle

ranching. Cattle were able to find plenty of food and water.

Before American settlers began moving to the Great Plains, buffalo numbered in the

millions. Settlers hunted buffalo because there was a high demand for their hides. They hunted

the buffalo so much that the buffalo nearly became extinct.

Lack of rainfall in the Great Plains caused problems for Americans settling in the region. The

westernmost part of the region received less than 20 inches of rainfall each year, and the

eastern part of the region often experienced droughts, some of which lasted for years. The dry

land of the Great Plains and the lack of rainfall made it difficult for settlers to establish farms.

In spite of this, rivers were numerous in the plains. They served as an important source of

water. The Missouri River runs through the northern part of the Great Plains and connects to

the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River connects to the Gulf of Mexico and allows

goods from the Great Plains to reach world markets. Many modern cities began as settlements

along these rivers.

Irrigation also made it possible for large farming operations to be built in the Great Plains. By

drilling into underground aquifers (water sources), enough water is drawn out to farm the

land. The Ogallala Aquifer lies under Nebraska, Kansas, and the Texas and Oklahoma

Panhandles and provides water for one-fifth of all irrigated land in the United States.

Railroads

Because the federal government felt that the construction of railroads was important for the

American economy, the government played a major role in the financing of projects such as

the Transcontinental Railroad.

During the last half of the 19th century, railroad companies benefited greatly from subsidies

from the U.S. government. The Pacific Railway Act of 1862 gave railroad companies land

and money for each mile of track that they built. Railroad companies then sold this land to

settlers for a profit.

Many Chinese had immigrated to California for job opportunities, and the Central Pacific

Railroad hired Chinese immigrants to build the railroad. Eventually, the Chinese became the

overwhelming majority of workers on the railroads. This led to a very harsh discrimination

against the Chinese, as the white settlers fought for the railroad jobs. Eventually, this

discrimination led to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which banned Chinese laborers from

immigrating to the United States.

American Indians

During the settlement of the Great Plains, the property rights of American Indians were

ignored. This was one reason why they viewed the settlers as a threat. The American Indians

sometimes attacked the settlers to try and keep them out of American Indian land. American

Indians had already been forced to leave their homelands and live on reservations. In 1887, the

Dawes Act broke up reservations so American Indians could enter mainstream society. The

lands that had been used for reservations, however, were usually bought by white speculators.

Buffalo Soldiers

A special group called the Buffalo Soldiers patrolled the American West after the Civil

War. This group was made of all African American soldiers, and they were the first unit of

their kind to be chartered during peacetime. They served as guards for wagon trains and

helped develop western towns.

Group of Buffalo Soldiers

Technological Innovation

During the 19th century, the United States experienced a great number of changes as people

came up with new inventions and innovations. There were advances in transportation,

communication, and manufacturing. Listed below are some of the ways in which society changed

during this time period.

Transportation Railroads grew rapidly in the 19th century. Between 1860 and 1880, railroad lines tripled, from

30,000 miles to 90,000 miles. By the year 1900, there was a nationwide network of railroads that

made shipping and transportation easier and contributed to industrial growth and an increased demand

for goods. The Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869. This was the first railroad that

connected the east and west coasts of the United States. Additionally, electric trolley cars were

developed in the 1860s, making it much easier for people to travel within large cities.

Business The role of businesses expanded in the late 1800s. Large corporations were formed, and some

business were able to create monopolies. A monopoly is a business that completely controls an

industry. An example of a monopoly was the Standard Oil Company, owned by John D. Rockefeller.

Materials The increased use of stronger materials like glass, steel, and concrete allowed for taller buildings to be

constructed. Taller buildings meant that more people were able to live in small areas.

Processes and Machines The moving assembly line, farm machinery, flying shuttle, spinning jenny, textiles, sewing machines,

and interchangeable parts contributed to rapid industrialization and the mass production of goods.

Mass production led to cheaper and faster production of goods. As more people found jobs in

factories, fewer people worked on farms. Unskilled workers could, with the aid of machines, produce

more goods in a shorter time than ever before. This drove down prices and made more goods available

to a larger pool of consumers.

Energy Sources New energy sources powered the factories of the industrial age. Steam and coal replaced water power

during the Industrial Revolution. They gave power to factory machinery, ships, and trains. Oil and

electricity would be the energy sources of the future. Thomas Edison started the nation's first electric

generating station and developed many inventions such as the light bulb and record player that ran on

electricity. George Westinghouse developed alternating current of electricity that could travel long

distances.

Communications Technologies that were developed to ease communications during the Civil War became useful to

everyday people and business. Samuel F. B. Morse developed the first telegraph in 1844. In 1876,

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Both innovations stimulated growth of businesses.

5th Mahoney -History – Part 2

Industrialization, Growth, and Expansion

Week of April 20-24, 2020

Copyright © 2020 Edmentum - All rights reserved.

1. The U.S. Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862. It said that any citizen of the United

States could choose 160 acres of land. The land had to be west of the Mississippi River. If they

paid a little money and improved the land, they could keep it. What of these was a way the

settlers could improve their land?

A. befriend the neighbors

B. cut the long grass

C. build a new house

D. feed the wild animals

2.

http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndirs/exhibitions/pioneer/camera/46.htm

The picture above shows pioneers in front of their house. The house is made of sod. Sod is a

thick piece of dirt with grass and roots attached. Which of these is one of the main reasons that

some pioneers built sod houses?

A. They thought sod houses were more beautiful than wooden ones.

B. They thought sod houses were stronger and would last longer.

C. In some areas, there were few trees to use for building.

D. They could not afford an axe to cut down trees.

3. The invention of the flatboat improve the economy in early 19th century America by

A. enabling goods to be transported more easily than could be done by wagon.

B. enabling goods to be transported easily on rivers both upstream and downstream.

C. providing an easy way to transport goods between major ocean ports.

D. providing an easy way to transport goods from farms to railroad stations.

4. Which type of transportation helped the U.S. expand to the west in the 1800s?

A. automobile

B. airplane

C. train

D. ship

5. Throughout United States history, which of these factors has been most responsible for the

country's population growth?

A. high immigration

B. mild climate

C. an industrial economy

D. low birth rate

6. Why was the National Road important in U.S. history?

A. It opened the Ohio River Valley to settlement.

B. It enabled Americans to settle in Texas.

C. It opened the Sierra Nevada to gold prospectors.

D. It provided a passage through the Appalachian Mountains.

7. Why did the Southern states need to industrialize after the Civil War?

A. They realized that they needed a new way to employ ex-soldiers.

B. New jobs had to be created because there was little land suited to growing cotton.

C. New federal laws forbade the international sale of cash crops.

D. The end of slavery forced them to find other ways to be economically competitive.

8. When the Civil War ended, many people moved to the West. These settlers often chose a new

place because of its natural resources. The most important natural resource for their survival was

A. water.

B. fish.

C. gold.

D. timber.

9. During the early 19th century, a manufacturing economy became even more important to

agriculture. Factories were needed to

A. distribute crops to the people.

B. produce farming tools.

C. convince Americans to buy imported goods.

D. discover new inventions.

10.

Which of these best completes the diagram?

A. Cotton plantations

B. Improved transportation

C. Improved reapers

D. Tobacco plantations

11.

I see over my own continent the Pacific Railroad, surmounting every barrier; I see continual trains of cars winding along the Platte, carrying freight and passengers; I hear the locomotives rushing and roaring, and the shrill steam-whistle ...

The poet Walt Whitman wrote these lines in 1900. In this poem, he described the wonders of the

new Transcontinental Railroad. The railroad connected the eastern and western parts of America.

Many people built the railroad. It was dangerous and hard work. Which of these groups did most

of the work to build the railroad?

A. women who needed jobs in the West

B. children from pioneer families

C. immigrants from Europe and Asia

D. men who were tired of their office jobs

12. Transportation systems changed both how and where people live. Transportation allowed people to expand throughout a country. It also let people live in areas far from factories and farms. The growth and expansion of the United States was due to the type of transportation at the time.

According to the passage, what happened as transportation improved?

A. People stayed in the area where they grew up.

B. The United States got less spread out.

C. The United States grew and expanded.

D. People moved closer to farms and factories.

13. Why were the Buffalo Soldiers important to Western expansion efforts?

A. They reorganized the American Indian reservations.

B. They helped build new towns for American Indians.

C. They protected settlers from American Indian attacks.

D. They encouraged American Indians to join their forces.

14. What is one reason that the Buffalo Soldiers and American Indians had a tense relationship?

A. The Buffalo Soldiers refused to respect the traditions of the American Indians.

B. The government broke their promises to the American Indians which caused conflicts.

C. The American Indians were upset that they could not to live in frontier towns.

D. The Buffalo Soldiers refused to enlist American Indian soldiers into their forces.

15.

• corporations • technology • manufacturing

Which key to early U.S. expansion is described in the box?

A. agriculture

B. industrialization

C. transportation

D. settlement

5th Mahoney – History Part 3

Industrialization, Growth, and Expansion (Answers & Explanations)

Week of April 20, 2020

1. C

2. C

3. A

4. C

5. A

6. A

7. D

8. A

9. B

10. A

11. C

12. C

13. C

14. B

15. B

Explanations

1. By the end of the 19th century, there were millions of unsettled acres of land in the American

West. The Homestead Act allowed many people to have their own farms. There are many ways

to improve a piece of land and give it more value. One is to build a house. Another way is to

plant crops.

2. Many pioneers in the West lived on land that had few if any trees. This made farming easier,

but it made it hard to find materials to build a home. It cost a lot of money to have lumber sent

by train or wagon from another place. The cheapest building material was the earth itself so they

built their houses from sod.

3. The invention of the flatboat improved the economy in early 19th century America by

enabling goods to be transported more easily than could be done by wagon. Flatboats could

carry larger loads faster than could horse-drawn wagons traveling over poor roads.

4. Settlers had migrated west before trains arrived in America, but the railroad technology made

the journey easier and much more popular. In 1869, the United States completed its first

Transcontinental Railroad, connecting the North American continent from the east coast to the

west coast.

5. Early American settlers came from Europe in order to start a new life in a new area. Other

immigrants have since come to the United States from different parts of the world, and a large

portion of America's population has historically come from immigration.

6. The National Road was important in U.S. history because it opened the Ohio River Valley to

settlement. The road, which was begun in 1811, eventually extended from Maryland to Illinois.

7. Before the Civil War, the Southern states had a strong agricultural-based economy. They used

slaves to cultivate their crops. During the war, the Emancipation Proclamation was passed, which

began the process for abolishing slavery in the United States. After the war, the Southern states

found it hard to recover. The end of slavery forced them to find other ways to be

economically competitive. Eventually, the Southern states had no choice but to industrialize.

8. Water was a resource all settlers needed in order to survive. They needed it for drinking,

cooking, and watering farm crops. Their horses, cattle, and sheep also needed water.

9. During the early 19th century, many new tools made farming easier. Most of these tools, such

as the steel plow and the cotton gin, were manufactured in factories.

10. Making textiles (clothes and fabric) was a process that required both agriculture and

manufacturing. Cotton was grown on plantations in the southern states. Northern states

manufactured this cotton into a finished product.

11. The railroad was built as a result of the hard work and sacrifices of the workers. Most of the

workers were immigrants. They slept in crude tents without protection from the cold. They had

to lay tracks across rivers, canyons, and mountains. They worked very long hours, from sunup to

sundown. Some workers even lost their lives while working on the railroad.

12. The passage says that the transportation of the time helped the U.S. grow and expand. People

were able to move away from the cities because the transportation could carry them outside the

city.

13. Buffalo soldiers were African American soldiers who served along the Western frontier once

the Civil War ended. Their main responsibility was to protect settlers from American Indian

attacks.

14. The United States view of American Indians during this time were that they were not

civilized. On the other hand, the American Indians were frustrated that the United States federal

government broke their promises regarding their land, in addition to the challenges they

faced while on Indian reservations. Both views caused a tense relationship, which caused the

different battles between American Indians and the Buffalo soldiers, called the Indian Wars.

15. Industrialization led to corporations forming. Americans moved from agriculture to

manufacturing as the country expanded and technology improved.