THE CHANGING NATION

Crossing the Continent

Transcontinental Railroad

There was no way to across the US in the 1850’s, except by _________or _________ South America or through Central America.

The _________ started delivering mail in 1860 from _________ to _________ in 10 days. Riders rode on _________ 75 miles, then handed his mail pack to the next rider.

The Pony Express was put out of business when the _________ was invented by _________. Morse ____________could be sent from coast to coast in just a few minutes.

The best way to link the _________ and the _________ was to build a _________ across the continent- _________ _________

The UNION PACIFIC RR and the CENTRAL PACIFIC RR raced against each other.

The CENTRAL PACIFIC built tracks going _________ from _____________________________ The UNION PACIFIC built track

_________ from ________________

EAST

WEST

The UNION PACIFIC had an advantage building across the ______________________________.

The CENTRAL PACIFIC had a difficult job building through the _______________________________.

Both teams had troubles Finding _________ __________________

________ as tracks cut across Indian hunting grounds

On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific met at _________________________________________

A special ________________________ was made to symbolize the success of the project.

Pioneers and the Great American Desert

In the mid 1800’s the plains were seen as _________ with few ______, harsh _______ and low _________

The government wanted to encourage _________ to _________ on the _________ and turn it into _________

The government wanted to _____________. Lincoln signed the Homestead Act in 1862. It gave _________ to American citizens and immigrants who would start _________ on the Plains.

A person could claim 160 acres of land for about _________ if they _________ the land and live on it for 5 years.

These new settlers were called _____________.

Before they could plant crops, homesteaders had to rip up the _________ on their land. This gave the pioneers the nickname “_________”.

They used the sod to _______________.

The soil ended up being very fertile (not like the desert they thought it would be).

News of the great fertile soil on the Plains spread to _________. Families from Germany, Norway, Russia, and other countries came by boat to _____________.

Many ______________moved to the Plains also to start new lives as _________.

Life on the Plains was hard: Bitter _________ Deadly _________ Tornadoes _________ Flooding Blazing _________ Little _________ Fires Dreaded ___________________________in its

path

The new railroad lines brought thousands of people to Washington, Oregon, and California. Many important cities were created such as Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA.

Cowboys and Miners

_________ were needed to _________ to the East where they could be sold for huge profits.

Cattle was driven from _________ to towns along the railroad. The RR took the cattle to _____________.

Cowboy life was _________ and _________. They worked _________ a day on horses, _________ a week, for _________

Many cowboys were _________ -American or _________ -American

Cattle drives ended by _________ because conflicts between ranchers and farmers who wanted to ____________________________________.

Many people moved ____________________

The _________ gold rush changed the West as thousands of people moved to California to search for _________. Miners searched for gold from the mountains to the deserts.

Small mining camps often grew into _________ of diverse people.

Overtime boomtowns grew into important cities such as Denver, Colorado and Sacramento, CA.

War in the West

Settlers moving to the Great Plains in the 1860’s led to conflicts between _________ and ___________________

The US supported the _________ and wanted the land to be used for RR, ____________, ranches, and _________

The government decided to move ______________ off their land to ______________(land set aside for Indian use)

Most Native Americans realized they could not defeat _______________ and moved willingly

Chief _________ of the Lakota refused to make peace with the _________ and move to a _______________

Colonel ____________of the US cavalry was sent to defeat ________________l and his tribe.

A young warrior named ___________led the Lakota in a _________ at Little Big Horn.

This was called “_______________” because Custer was _________ along with his entire troop of more than 200 soldiers.

By the _________ the US had all _________ on reservations