GCSE History | The Spread of Cattle-Ranching in the USA

History Quiz - USA: 1840-1895- Plains Indians, Settling And Spread Of Cattle-Ranching (Questions)

In GCSE History students will look at various aspects of the history of the USA between 1840 and 1975. This begins with the spread of Europeans into the heart of North America. This is the first of two quizzes looking at that topic and it focusses in particular on the spread of cattle-ranching into the Great Plains of the USA.

Cattle-ranching spread into the Great Plains, just as Homesteaders were moving there to set up small defined farms. The scene was set for conflict between the two groups. There was little enforcement of law and order in these areas until the end of the century, when state boundaries were established.

Learn more about the growth of cattle-ranching in the USA in this interesting quiz.

From which state did cattle-ranchers originally spread into the Great Plains?

[ ]	Texas
[ ]	Arkansas
[ ]	Kentucky
[ ]	Georgia

After 1865 there was more competition from other groups for land in the Great Plains. Which of the following groups competed with the cattle-ranchers for land from 1865 onwards?

[ ]	Former Confederate troops following their defeat in the US Civil War
[ ]	European immigrants fleeing persecution and economic depression
[ ]	Soldiers from the victorious Northern army in the recently-ended American Civil War
[ ]	Unsuccessful settlers from the West Coast

Between 1865 and 1870 large numbers of cattle were driven across the plains to Missouri, where they were put onto trains for the journey to Chicago. What were the overland journeys called?

[ ]	Long Drives
[ ]	Inter-state Drives
[ ]	Meat Trails
[ ]	Stock Drives

The Homestead Acts - particularly that of 1862 - gave the ranchers' rivals easy terms to acquire land. 160 acres were available for each family provided that they worked the land for a fixed period of years. How many years was this?

[ ]	3 years
[ ]	8 years
[ ]	5 years
[ ]	10 years

Railroad companies were similarly courted by the government, and they were offered more land than they needed to lay down the track. How much were they given either side of the rails?

[ ]	2 miles
[ ]	1 mile
[ ]	500 yards
[ ]	100 yards

What name was given to land in the Great Plains that was unfenced and free for anyone to use?

[ ]	Open Land
[ ]	Common Land
[ ]	People's Land
[ ]	Open Range

The shootout at the OK Corral was a notorious incident in October 1881, that showed the rough and ready approach to law and order in the old West. Near which town did this incident take place?

[ ]	Denver, Colorado
[ ]	Dallas, Texas
[ ]	Tombstone, Arizona
[ ]	Kansas City, Kansas

What do Pat Garrett and Wyatt Earp have in common?

[ ]	They were both gangsters in the original "Wild West"
[ ]	They both fought on the side of law and order
[ ]	They both escaped from gaol, where they were serving terms for firearms offences
[ ]	They had both been accused of cattle-rustling, but each had been acquitted of the charge

A war erupted in Wyoming in 1892 between "Homesteaders" and cattle-ranchers. In which county did this event take place?

[ ]	Davis County
[ ]	Johnson County
[ ]	Emmerson County
[ ]	Clyde County

10.

For land to be designated a "territory" at this time it would need to have a population of 5,000. What population would be required for "state" status?

[ ]	10,000
[ ]	25,000
[ ]	75,000
[ ]	60,000

History Quiz - USA: 1840-1895- Plains Indians, Settling And Spread Of Cattle-Ranching (Answers)

From which state did cattle-ranchers originally spread into the Great Plains?

[x]	Texas
[ ]	Arkansas
[ ]	Kentucky
[ ]	Georgia

The Great Plains seemed to offer wide open spaces with few rivals for occupation of the vast areas of unfenced land

After 1865 there was more competition from other groups for land in the Great Plains. Which of the following groups competed with the cattle-ranchers for land from 1865 onwards?

[ ]	Former Confederate troops following their defeat in the US Civil War
[x]	European immigrants fleeing persecution and economic depression
[ ]	Soldiers from the victorious Northern army in the recently-ended American Civil War
[ ]	Unsuccessful settlers from the West Coast

Land was freely available on very advantageous terms, but any newcomers were likely to encounter difficulties with their rivals, the cattle-ranchers. And there were only a few local officials entrusted with enforcing the law

Between 1865 and 1870 large numbers of cattle were driven across the plains to Missouri, where they were put onto trains for the journey to Chicago. What were the overland journeys called?

[x]	Long Drives
[ ]	Inter-state Drives
[ ]	Meat Trails
[ ]	Stock Drives

The route to Missouri was hard: extremes of weather, poor tracks and lack of shelter and food were among the difficulties

[ ]	3 years
[ ]	8 years
[x]	5 years
[ ]	10 years

Thus the Homesteaders were encouraged to commit themselves to their new work and lifestyle

Railroad companies were similarly courted by the government, and they were offered more land than they needed to lay down the track. How much were they given either side of the rails?

[x]	2 miles
[ ]	1 mile
[ ]	500 yards
[ ]	100 yards

The Federal Government hoped that the railway companies would develop their surplus land, and thus have a stake in the territory beyond the permanent way (the actual railway track)

What name was given to land in the Great Plains that was unfenced and free for anyone to use?

[ ]	Open Land
[ ]	Common Land
[ ]	People's Land
[x]	Open Range

This phenomenon persisted into the 1890s, and many people took advantage of it

The shootout at the OK Corral was a notorious incident in October 1881, that showed the rough and ready approach to law and order in the old West. Near which town did this incident take place?

[ ]	Denver, Colorado
[ ]	Dallas, Texas
[x]	Tombstone, Arizona
[ ]	Kansas City, Kansas

This was a clash between local sheriffs and the Clanton Gang

What do Pat Garrett and Wyatt Earp have in common?

[ ]	They were both gangsters in the original "Wild West"
[x]	They both fought on the side of law and order
[ ]	They both escaped from gaol, where they were serving terms for firearms offences
[ ]	They had both been accused of cattle-rustling, but each had been acquitted of the charge

They were both armed to the teeth, and skilled in the use of firearms

A war erupted in Wyoming in 1892 between "Homesteaders" and cattle-ranchers. In which county did this event take place?

[ ]	Davis County
[x]	Johnson County
[ ]	Emmerson County
[ ]	Clyde County

Mutual accusations of land theft and cattle-rustling led to open warfare, won by the Homesteaders

10.

For land to be designated a "territory" at this time it would need to have a population of 5,000. What population would be required for "state" status?

[ ]	10,000
[ ]	25,000
[ ]	75,000
[x]	60,000

A territory would qualify for some federal assistance in securing law and order. However a state would receive much more aid