American frontier

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/american-frontier

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 period of significant expansion?Primarily 19th century, though roots extend to early colonial settlement
2. What is the key legislative drivers?Homestead Act of 1862, Pacific Railway Acts, various Indian Removal Acts
3. Why did people move west during the Wild West era?People moved west for new land, gold, jobs, and to start fresh homes, encouraged by laws and the idea of Manifest Destiny.
4. Who were some of the people that lived on the frontier?Farmers, miners, ranchers, cowboys, merchants, missionaries, soldiers, and laborers all lived there, each with different jobs and backgrounds.

Westward Expansion: The 19th-century movement of settlers and industries into the American West.
Indigenous Peoples: The original inhabitants of North America, whose lands were significantly impacted by frontier expansion.
Transcontinental Railroad: A railroad line completed in 1869 connecting the eastern U.S. with the Pacific coast, vital for westward migration.