ALEX | Alabama Learning Exchange

Why Move West?

Classroom Resource Information

Title:

Why Move West?

URL:

https://learninglab.si.edu/collections/why-move-west/jnNxCjpP6npcJP7s#r

Content Source:

Smithsonian

Type:

Learning Activity

Overview:

This collection includes photographs of places, people, and objects that might have influenced westward expansion and the development of transcontinental railroads.

Content Standard(s):

Social Studies
SS2010 (2010)
Grade: 5
United States Studies: Beginnings to the Industrial Revolution

13 ) Describe social and economic influences on United States' expansion prior to World War I.

• Explaining how the development of transcontinental railroads helped the United States achieve its Manifest Destiny

• Locating on a map states, capitals, and important geographic features west of the Mississippi River

• Explaining how the United States acquired Alaska and Hawaii

• Identifying major groups and individuals involved with the Westward Expansion, including farmers, ranchers, Jewish merchants, Mormons, and Hispanics

• Analyzing the impact of closing the frontier on American Indians' way of life

• Explaining how the Spanish-American War led to the emergence of the United States as a world power

Unpacked Content

Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: United States Studies: Beginnings to the Industrial Revolution

Evidence Of Student Attainment:

Students:

Identify and describe social, political, and economic influences on the United States prior to World War I.

Teacher Vocabulary:

social influences
economic influences
expansion
transcontinental railroads
Manifest Destiny
geographic features
acquired
Westward Expansion
ranchers
Mormons
Hispanics
frontier
emergence

Knowledge:

Students know:

Social and economic influences on United States' expansion prior to World War I.
How the development of transcontinental railroads contributed to the expansion of the United States and related to the concept of Manifest Destiny.
Details related to how the United States acquired Alaska and Hawaii.
Major groups and individuals involved with the Westward Expansion, including farmers, ranchers, Jewish merchants, Mormons, and Hispanics.
The impact of closing the frontier on American Indians' way of life.
The Spanish-American War led to the emergence of the United States as a world power.

Skills:

Students are able to:

Locate states and capitals on a physical and political map.
Describe and explain social and economic influences on the United States expansion.
Explain and evaluate the concept of Manifest Destiny.
Describe and explain how the development of the transcontinental railroads helped the United States achieve its Manifest Destiny.
Identify and analyze the impact of Manifest Destiny on a variety of cultural groups.
Explain and analyze how the Spanish-American War led to the United States becoming a world power.

Understanding:

Students understand that:

There were social, political, and economic influences on United States prior to World War I.

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards

AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.5.13a- Identify natural resources and geographic features of the American West, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountains, and Colorado River; illustrate the completion of the territorial United States on a map; recognize farmers and ranchers as major groups involved in westward expansion; explain the impact of westward expansion on American Indians.

Tags:

transcontinental railroads, westward expansion

License Type:

Custom Permission Type
See Terms: https://www.si.edu/Termsofuse
For full descriptions of license types and a guide to usage, visit :
https://creativecommons.org/licenses

Accessibility

Comments

This resource provided by:

Author:

Ginger Boyd

ALEX Classroom Resource

Why Move West?