Settling the Great Plains

What two railroad companies built the transcontinental railroad?

African-American settlers who were named after a book of the Bible, Exodus.

A long period without rain is called . . .

Because of this a settler could get 160 acres of land to farm for 5 years and own that land.

Cattle from cattle drives were shipped East to this city to be slaughtered.

African-American soldiers who had jobs such as protecting freight and mail in the newly settled West.

This is where the two sets of track met to create the first transcontinental railroad.

Chinese railroad workers had dangerous jobs such as handling the explosive called . . .

These two Indian chiefs defeated General Custer.

The discovery of this led to the removal of the Indians from North Dakota.

In 1890, 300 unarmed Sioux men, women and children were slaughtered by machine gun fire at this place.

Railroads led to a decrease in the numbers of this animal which was important to the survival of the plains Indians.

These ended by 1887 due to harsh conditions, overgrazing of land, and “closed range” being fenced by barbed wire.

This act sought to hasten the “Americanization” of Native Americans by abolishing tribes, giving 160 acres to each family as private property, promising citizenship for those that complied, and the right to vote.

By 1934, the Dawes Act was replaced by an act that did this.