1850s

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/1850s

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the decade chronology?Commenced January 1, 1850, and concluded December 31, 1859
2. What is the key international conflicts?Crimean War (1853-1856) and the Second Opium War (initiated 1856)
3. What were the main wars that happened in the 1850s?The Crimean War (1853-1856) and the Second Opium War (1856-1860) were the major conflicts. They involved many countries and changed power in Europe and China.
4. Why did so many people move across America in the 1850s?People were drawn by gold, fertile land, and the promise of a new life. They traveled by wagon trains, trails, and railways, helping the economy grow.

Geopolitical: Relating to politics, especially international relations, as influenced by geographical factors.
Imperialism: A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.
Manifest Destiny: The 19th-century belief that American settlers were destined to expand across North America.