1. Episode 6: Heartland

4. Heartland Writing and Discussion Questions
1. Explain the benefits of the Transcontinental Railroad for the United States ? (8.H.3.2)
The benefits of the Transcontinental Railroad for the United States were . . .
2. Describe the groups of people who built the railroad. Explain the human costs of constructing the transcontinental railroad? (8.G.1.3)
The groups of people who built the railroad were The human costs of its construction were . . .
Questions 1-2 of 8
Answer . . .
Watch 0:00 – 11:15
Railroads, Theodore Judah, Chinese Immigrants and other groups who built the railroads
1. Connecting the nation, shorten travel time across long distances, make more land available by providing people a way to get there
2. Irish immigrants, Chinese immigrants, Civil War vets
Human costs were lives, 1,500 Chinese died from explosions and rockslides, 20,000 total human lives lost

9. Heartland Writing and Discussion Questions
3. Explain the problems that people on the Great Plains had to deal with? (8.G.1.3) (weather, living conditions, Mother Nature, etc.)
Problems on the Great Plains that people had to deal with were . . .
4. Explain the reasons why people moved to and began living in the Great Plains? (8.H.3.2)
People moved to and began living in the Great Plains because of . . .
Questions 3-4 of 8
Answer in . . .
Watch 11:15 – 21:04
Great Plains, Homestead Act, hardships of living in the West,
3. Mud/sod houses, thunderstorms, summer prairie fires, wild animals, tornado alley, more twisters than anywhere else on earth 400/year, 200 miler per hour winds, prehistoric animal locust that destroy most of the crops and block out the sun
4. Homestead Act, was a way for people to get land that they literally could get no where else. America = the promise of land. More than half do leave Nebraska.

10. Heartland Writing and Discussion Questions
Watch 27:10 – 37:00
Cowboys, Texas Longhorn breed, guns (colt 45)
University of Texas Longhorns mascot, named after the special breed of cattle

11. Watch 27:10 – 37:00
Cowboys, Texas Longhorn breed, guns (colt 45)

13. Heartland Writing and Discussion Questions
6. Explain the consequences of the destruction of the bison population for Native Americans? (8.G.1.3)
The consequences of the destruction of the bison population or Native Americans were . . .
Question 6 of 8
Answer . . .
Watch 21:05 – 27:10
Movement west affect’s on buffalo/bison, decrease in buffalo, affect on Native Americans
8. They got everything for their livelihood from the bison
9. Their life support is taken, they go starving and are forced onto reservations

14. General Custer
Chief Sitting Bull
Battle of Little Big Horn

17. Heartland Writing and Discussion Questions
7. Describe the outcome of conflicts between Native Americans and the U.S. military on the Great Plains? (8.H.2.1)
The outcome of conflicts between Native Americans and the U.S. military on the plains was . . .
Question 7 of 8
Answer in . . .
Watch 37:00 – 41:10
Native American land loss, different tribes affected by settling West, gold in black hills, prospectors, General Custer, Battle of Little Big Horn, Battle at Wounded Knee
7. Battle of Little Big Horn, Sioux won and General Custer and all of his men were killed. Wounded Knee, after a gun went out, U.S. soldiers killed all the Native Americans. Dawes Act passed, trying to help the Native Americans, but they were all pushed onto reservations.

18. Heartland Writing and Discussion Questions
8. In 1886, Richard Sears established the first mail order catalog. Why do you think this development was a significant event in U.S. history? (8.H.3.3) I think that Richard Sears establishing the first mail order catalog was a significant event in U.S. history because Question 8 of 8 Answer in . . .
Watch 41:10 – 45:56
Emergence of standard time, mail order catalog and Sears, summarizing the importance of the railroad
8. Opinion