1. Warm Up
Raise your hand if you have moved from one house to another at some point in your life.
Find someone who has moved and ask them the following questions:
Why did you move?
Did you like the place you moved?
How was it different from where you used to live?

2. Objectives
Content: Determine the most important reasons for Westward Expansion.
Language: List the features of the Great Plains.

3. Westward Expansion
“The Great Plains”

4. The Great Plains Pre Civil War it was viewed as a “treeless wasteland”
Features:
Flatlands that rise gradually from east to west
Land eroded by wind and water
Low rainfall
Frequent dust storms
Before 1860, those who crossed the Mississippi generally traveled all the way to the west coast. Few settled in the Great Plains. Living on the Great Plains presented many challenges. The winters were bitter cold. There were few rivers and streams for water, and few trees for wood. Low rainfall caused drought and dust storms. Fierce winds and frequent dust storms eroded and blew away the soil. The remaining tough soil was thought to be unsuitable for farming. Before the Civil War, the Great Plains were considered a "treeless wasteland".

5. The Great Plains
Now seen as a vast area for settlement and opportunity
Land
Homestead Act – citizens can acquire 160 acres of land as long as they pay a filing fee and live on the land for a minimum of 5 years.
Adventure
Railroad
Gold and Silver
Escape from discrimination
160 acres as long as you pay a fee and promise to stay for at least 5 years

6. Inventions and Adaptations
Western settlement was aided by new inventions and technologies
There were a total of 8 adaptations and inventions that helped settlers to survive the harsh climate they are:
Railroads (most important reason for Westward Expansion)

7. Transcontinental Railroad
Completed May 10, 1869.
The last spike was driven at Promontory Point in Utah. It was called the Golden Spike.
The Union Pacific (from the East) and the Central Pacific (from the West) had laid over 1700 miles of track.
Most important reason for Westward Expansion
Story of US – Transcontinental Railroad – 10 min

8. Transcontinental Railroad
Story of US – Transcontinental Railroad – 10 min

9. Effects of Railroads Towns grew along the rail line
Transported goods to cities and larger markets
Increased demand for steel, coal and construction work

10. Effects of Railroads Led to increase in farming and cattle ranching
Established 4 time zones in Made official in 1918 by Congress.
America Story of US – Heartland – answer questions as you watch the video
Story of US: Economic power of the railroad – 4 1/2 minutes

13. Objectives
Content: Name the adaptations the settlers developed to survive in the Great Plains.
Language: Write a paragraph on the most important adaptation(s) western settlers made.

14. 2. Dry Farming
Plant seeds deep into the ground where there was some moisture.
Allows for crops in climates that seemed un-farmable.
Seed planting depth and timing are carefully considered to place the seed at a depth at which sufficient moisture exists, or where it will exist when seasonal precipitation falls. Farmers tend to use crop varieties which are drought and heat-stress tolerant, (even lower-yielding varieties). Thus the likelihood of a successful crop is hedged if seasonal precipitation fails. The nature of dryland farming makes it particularly susceptible to erosion, especially wind erosion

15. 3. Steel Plow
By 1870’s the steel plow was invented that could break through the tough layers of sod.

16. 4. Wheat Farming
Farmers adopted an improved strain of Russian wheat which required less water and grew well in the dryer soil of the Great Plains.

17. 5. Windmills
Farmers could use windmills to pump water out from under the ground.

18. 6. Sod Houses
Built using rectangles of grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots.
It was a similar style to an igloo.
They were very well insulated, but also very damp.

19. Sodbusters- Name given to the plains farmers Story of US
Story of U.S. – Settling the Great Plains 9 min…can cut last 2 mini b/c about logging
A Nebraska Sod House
Sodbusters- Name given to the plains farmers
Story of US

20. 7. Beef Cattle Raising
In the early 1800s, cattle ranches began appearing on the Great Plains, especially in Texas.
Demand for beef was high, and as railroads developed, cowboys and vaqueros would drive the rancher’s cattle north to meet up with the rail lines.

21. Vaqueros and Cowboys

22. 8. Barbed Wire
Developed barbed wire to protect their land in response to cattle herders.
Story of US Story of US Story of US
Story of US – Cowboys and Barbed Wire – 9 ½ min