US 8NAME: ______

Buatti/Muson/Yulo

FORCES SHAPING A NEW WEST

Document Based Question

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In the years following the Civil War, the American West was transformed. Territory that had been peopled only by Native Americans and a few scattered white adventurers, miners and traders became American territory. The ideal of Manifest Destiny – that America should stretch from sea to shining sea – was realized by the end of the 19th century.

TASK

Using examples from the documents and your knowledge of Social Studies, write a well-organized essay explaining how the West was transformed.

Discuss the following in your essay

  • New industry in the West
  • New settlers in the West
  • Native Americans

DOCUMENT 1

See reverse side of this page.

Homesteading Certificate

This certificate was signed at the Land Office in Brookings, Dakota Territory (D.T.)

1. Who is the homesteader? What date did he sign for his homestead?

2. What does the signer have to swear to in order to qualify for his homestead?

  1. What is the purpose of the homestead, according to the document?


DOCUMENT 2

The Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, May 10, 1869 Promontory Summit, Utah

When the time care to drive the last spike, Governor Stanford, President of the Central Pacific Railroad, took up the sledge hammer. The first time he struck, he missed the spike and hit the rail.

What a howl went up! Irish, Chinese, Mexicans, everybody yelled with delight. “He missed it! Yeee!” The engineers blew the whistles and rang their bells. Then Stanford tried it again and tapped the spike, and the telegraph operators had fixed their instruments so that the tap was reported in all the offices East and West, and set bells to ringing in hundreds of towns and cities…

1. What immigrant groups were present at this ceremony? Why were they there?

2. How was the entire country notified that the Transcontinental Railroad was completed?

3. How did the Transcontinental Railroad help transform the West?

DOCUMENT 4

[GRAPH WILL BE INSERTED ASAP]

1. What three states had the greatest increase in population?

  1. What opportunities existed which drew people to these areas?

DOCUMENT 4

Cars coming out of mining shaft, Comstock Mine, Virginia City, Nevada 1867-68


  1. Describe the conditions in the mine, as seen in this photograph.


DOCUMENT 5

Has been damaged – I will fix it ASAP!