This document discusses the key factors involved in westward expansion in the United States during the 19th century. It describes the physical obstacles like mountains and rivers that settlers had to overcome in crossing the country. It also discusses the major role of the transcontinental railroad in facilitating faster and cheaper travel west, as well as how it impacted the environment. Additionally, it examines how immigrants from China, Europe and other places contributed to westward expansion through helping to build the railroad and settling on the Great Plains, despite facing discrimination. Finally, it analyzes the negative effects of expansion on native Americans, including being forced onto reservations and having their children educated in white schools.

1. AMERICA CHANGING:
WESTWARD EXPANSION
5th Grade – American History

3. TO CROSS THE COUNTRY…
 What affected the settlement of the
west?
 Physical Obstacles:
 Mountains
 Plains (“The Great American Desert”)
 Weather Conditions
 Rivers

4. THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD
 How did the railroad affect Americans?
 It Became Faster, Easier, and Cheaper to
Travel Across the US
 Farmers Could Now Trade in More Markets
 How did the railroad affect the environment?
 Cities Created→ Factories Built → Air and Water
Pollution

5. HOMESTEADING – WHAT A DEAL!
 Some Technology to Help…

6. WITH THE HELP OF IMMIGRANTS…
 How did immigrants impact westward
expansion?
 Transcontinental Railroad
 Chinese Helped Build the Central Pacific
 They Faced Discrimination Because of Their Culture
 Paid Less Money
 Treated Poorly

7. WITH THE HELP OF IMMIGRANTS…
 How did immigrants impact westward
expansion?
 Life on the Plains
 European Immigrants Settled on the Great Plains
 They Brought New Techniques for Farming and New Seed
Varieties
 Many Would Settle with Others from the Same Country and
Help One Another

8. MEANWHILE, THOSE MINERS…
 What was up with miners?
 While looking for gold, there was A LOT of
competition… Everyone wanted to strike it rich!
Because of this, mining companies and miners
would get into conflict over who claimed the richest
gold sites.

9. NATIVE AMERICANS AND WESTWARD EXPANSION
 How did Westward Expansion affect
Native Americans?
 Forced to Leave Their Homelands
 Moved on to Reservations – a US Government Decision
 Many of The Farms on the Reservations Failed Because This
New Way of Life was Against Their Beliefs and Traditions
 European Immigrants Settled on the Great Plains
 They Brought New Techniques for Farming and New Seed
Varieties

10. NATIVE AMERICANS AND WESTWARD EXPANSION
 How did Westward Expansion affect
Native Americans?
 Native American Children and Schools
 Many Reformers (people who worked to change laws)
Wanted Native American Children to Learn to be Like
White Children

11.  This is the Battle of
Little Bighorn, or
“Custer’s Last
Stand.”
 This was the last
major victory for
Native Americans in
the Plains Wars.
 After this battle, people feared what Native
Americans could do, which allowed the
government to enforce strict laws on the
Native Americans.

12.  The bison (buffalo) were a problem for the
railroad, so they hired riflemen to kill them so
the trains and the tracks wouldn’t be slowed
down or destroyed.

13. CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
1. Do you think the actions taken against the
Native Americans by our government during
Westward Expansion was appropriate?
2. Do you think the Asian immigrants who
worked to complete the transcontinental
railroad were treated fairly by the railroad
companies and the United States
government?

14. CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
3. Using a map, can you identify three of the
different obstacles that pioneers faced as
they traveled West and explain why they
were an obstacle?