Westward Expansion — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which statement best describes the idea of Manifest Destiny?
A) Native Americans should keep all western lands
B) Americans had a duty to expand across the continent
C) The United States should return land to France
D) Only farmers were allowed to move westward
Manifest Destiny was the belief that US expansion across the North American continent was inevitable and divinely ordained.
2. How did the Transcontinental Railroad most change the United States?
A) It replaced all wagon trails with paved roads
B) It connected the East and West coasts by rail
C) It gave free land to every American citizen
D) It ended all conflict with Native Americans
The Transcontinental Railroad (1869) connected the East and West coasts, reducing cross-country travel from months to days.
3. Why was the Trail of Tears harmful to the Cherokee people?
A) They chose to move but disliked the weather
B) They were forced from their homeland and thousands died
C) They lost a trade agreement with France
D) They had to build the Transcontinental Railroad
The Cherokee were forcibly removed from their lands. About 4,000 of 15,000 Cherokee died from disease, exposure, and starvation.
4. What was one negative effect of the California Gold Rush?
A) California never became a state
B) No one found any gold at all
C) It caused lawlessness and environmental damage
D) It decreased the population of California
The Gold Rush brought lawlessness (few laws in new settlements), environmental damage (rivers contaminated), and displacement of Native Californians.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Manifest Destiny encouraged Americans to expand from coast to coast.
'From sea to shining sea' — Manifest Destiny meant expanding the US from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
2. The government broke many treaties it had made with Native American tribes.
The US government signed hundreds of treaties with Native tribes but broke most of them as settlers demanded more land.
3. The Homestead Act offered 160 acres of free land to settlers.
The Homestead Act (1862) gave 160 acres to any head of household who would live on and farm the land for 5 years.
4. The word coined to describe the belief in westward expansion was Manifest.
'Manifest Destiny' was coined in 1845. 'Manifest' means obvious/clear — the destiny was considered clear and inevitable.
5. Native Americans lost their ancestral lands as settlers moved west.
As settlers moved west, Native Americans were forced from lands they had occupied for generations.