1. Friday, 07 December 2018 HOW TO ANSWER ‘AMERICAN WEST’ QUESTIONS – QUESTIONS 5B & 6B
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
MUST– learn about the different types of question in the ‘American West’ exam.
SHOULD – learn how to answer ‘Recall and analysis of factors’ questions.
COULD – plan and write an answer on either the affects of the railroads on the problems of the homesteaders or the work of Joseph McCoy in the development of the cattle industry.

2. Can you remember the problems faced by the homesteaders and their solutions?

3. FARMING SOLUTIONS PROBLEM Land was too hard to plough Lack of Water
Protecting crops from cattle
Transporting machinery to Great Plains
Not Enough Land to grow crops
Crops could not survive the weather
SOLUTION
New machinery transported to West.
Wind Pumps/’Dry Farming’
Barbed Wire
The Railroad
Timber & Culture Act 1873
New crops eg. Turkey Red Wheat.

4. READING White ‘American West’ – p86-89
Orange ‘American West’ – p
Purple ‘American West’ – p85-86

5. Question 5(b) – January 2011
‘The railroads were the most important factor in solving the problems faced by the homesteaders in the years ’ Do you agree? Explain your answer.
1870s and 1880s: Farming equipment was manufactured in the eastern states
• 1874: Barbed wire was invented.
• By 1890, six railroads crossed the USA from east to west.
(16 marks)

6. Essay Plan Paragraph 1 - Introduction Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3
In this essay I will be discussing whether the railroads were the most important factor in solving the problems faced by the Homesteaders in the years
Paragraph 2
I think that the railroads were an important factor in solving the problems faced by the Homesteaders because…
Paragraph 3
However, I think that there were other factors that helped the Homesteaders such as…
Paragraph 4
In conclusion, I think that the railroads were/were not the most important factor in solving the problems faced by the Homesteaders because…

7. HOW TO MARK ANSWERS Level One = 1 – 4 Marks = Grades G/F
Student offers simple statements showing some relevant knowledge
Example – railroads: they got better farm equipment, they could travel more, they could buy and sell things easier
Level Two = 5-8 Marks = Grades E/D/C
Statements are developed with some support.
Example – railroads: new machinery and better farming techniques; use of wind pumps; invention of barbed wire; railroads brought in goods; railroads meant goods could be sold; easier to travel
Level Three = 9-12 Marks = Grades B/A
Understanding of the focus of the question
Example – railroads: allowed machinery, wind pump etc to be bought to the Plains, reduced isolation; other developments such as new farming techniques, Homestead Act etc
Level Four = Marks = Grade A*
Sustained focus on the question
Example – assessment of relative importance of railroads and other factors in allowing homesteaders to live and farm more successfully on the Great Plains by 1890.

8. Question 6(b)
How important was the work of Joseph McCoy in the development of the cattle industry?
Joseph McCoy made Abilene a base for trading cattle.
• 1872: John Iliff supplied beef to Indian reservations.
• 1880s: Portable wind pumps were used on the Great Plains.
(16 marks)

9. READING
Green ‘American West’ – p24-25
White ‘American West’ – p94-97

10. WHY WAS THERE A RISE IN CATTLE RANCHING?
The Civil War The Railroad Goodnight-Loving Trail John Iliff Joseph McCoy (Cow Towns) High prices & big demand for beef Role of Cowboys
WHY WAS THERE A RISE IN CATTLE RANCHING?

11. Essay structure
In this essay I will be discussing the importance of the work of Joseph McCoy in the development of the cattle industry. I think that the work of Joseph McCoy was important in the development of the cattle industry because… However, I think that there were other factors that helped the development of the cattle industry such as… In conclusion, I think that the work of Joseph McCoy was an important factor in the development of the cattle industry because… However ………………………………….

12. HOW TO MARK ANSWERS Level One = 1 – 4 Marks = Grades G/F
Student offers simple statements showing some relevant knowledge
Example – Joseph McCoy: he set up cow towns; railroads helped the cattle industry to grow
Level Two = 5-8 Marks = Grades E/D/C
Statements are developed with some support.
Example – Joseph McCoy: the use of railroads; cold storage developed; new breeds of cattle; more land available as Plains Indians moved onto reservations; destruction of buffalo; roles of Illif and Goodnight
Level Three = 9-12 Marks = Grades B/A
Understanding of the focus of the question
Example – McCoy’s use of railroads and setting up of cow towns at Abilene and the role of other factors such as new technology, the work of Illif and Goodnight, new cattle breeds
Level Four = Marks = Grade A*
Sustained focus on the question
Example – the significance of McCoy and Abilene in the development of the cattle industry weighed up against other factors such as other individuals and new technology.