Logo

U.S. History : Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - USA: 1840-1895- Plains Indians, Settling And Spread Of Cattle-Ranching (Questions)

This U.S. History quiz is called 'USA: 1840-1895- Plains Indians, Settling And Spread Of Cattle-Ranching' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at middle school. Playing educational quizzes is a fabulous way to learn if you are in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade - aged 11 to 14.

It costs only $12.50 per month to play this quiz and over 3,500 others that help you with your school work. You can subscribe on the page at Join Us

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.

1. From which state did cattle-ranchers originally spread into the Great Plains?
[ ] Texas
[ ] Arkansas
[ ] Kentucky
[ ] Georgia
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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 jail, where they were serving terms for firearms offenses
[ ] They had both been accused of cattle-rustling, but each had been acquitted of the charge
9. 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
Logo
U.S. History : Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - USA: 1840-1895- Plains Indians, Settling And Spread Of Cattle-Ranching (Answers)
1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
[x] 5 years
[ ] 10 years
Thus the Homesteaders were encouraged to commit themselves to their new work and lifestyle
5. 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 railroad companies would develop their surplus land, and thus have a stake in the territory beyond the permanent way (the actual railroad track)
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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 jail, where they were serving terms for firearms offenses
[ ] 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
9. 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 lead 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