Westward Expansion Newspaper

Westward Expansion Newspaper

Research Questions

Directions: Before we can write our newspaper articles, we have to research our topics extensively. Use the internet and/or your textbook to thoroughly answer the following questions. You will be using these answers as inspiration to write your articles.

Trails West (Oregon Trail or Santa Fe Trail): Choose one

YEARS

1. Identify the years the Oregonor Santa Fe Trail was travelled:

2. Who were the first settlers to travel the Oregonor Santa Fe Trail:

3. When was the trail most heavily travelled:

HARDSHIPS

1. Explain just a few of the hardships settlers faced along the trail:

2. Identify three geographic (rivers, mountains, deserts, etc) hardships along the trail:

3. Identify four species of animal that may have been a hazard on the trail:

4. Identify two tribes of native Americans that settlers may have met along the trail: Friendly or unfriendly?

5. Explain how long the journey took and what months they travelled:

DESTINATION

1. Identify two or three locations where settlers embarked on the trail:

2. Locate at least four major landmarks along the trail and how many months into the journey these landmarks would be encountered:

3. Identify specifically the final destination for many settlers (this could be four or five different places):

TexasIndependence:

1. Identify who the first settlers from the U.S. to settle in Texas:

2. Explain why the Mexican government wanted these settlers

from the United States to settle in Texas:

3. Identify the year that Texas declared its independence from Mexico:

4. Explain what happened at the battle of the Alamo, how many died, and who won:

5. Explain how the tragic loss at the Alamo inspired Texans to fight harder for independence:

6. Identify the final battle in the war for Texas independence. Month and year. Who won:

7. What year was Texas annexed (added on) by the U.S. Who was the president of the U.S. at the time:

Mexican War:

1. Identify why the War with Mexico began. Indicate the dispute over

rivers as borders:

2. Choose two battles from the War with Mexico to research. Identify who

was involved (commanding officer on both sides), when it happened, where it happened, who won the battle.

3. Explain where the final battle of the war was fought, who won, and what month and year it occurred:

4. Identify the name of the treaty between the U.S. and Mexico to end the war. Explain in writing the territories the United States gained as a result from the war.

California Gold Rush:

1. Identify the year and where gold was discovered in California:

2. Describe three separate ethnic groups (South Americans, Chinese, Europeans, etc.) who came to California in search of gold. Who were they, where did they come from, how they travelled, and other interesting information.

3. Identify the year California was added onto the U.S. as a state.