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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Many settlers found strength in ____________ when hardships came their way.

2. Construction on what railroad began in 1862?

3. Which of the following diseases was common among the Kansas settlers?

4. What did prairie families look forward to?

5. What was a constant worry on the prairie?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the incident at Sand Creek and what resulted from it?

2. Describe a typical picnic for the homesteaders.

3. What behavior of the Native Americans would catch the homesteaders off guard in their homes?

4. What were the two major government initiatives that forced Native Americans out of Kansas and where did they go?

5. Explain why pregnancy and childbirth were especially trying times for women and what complications were there for the newborns?

6. Describe how a winter storm was so incapacitating to prairie families.

7. What did pioneer children do to amuse themselves?

8. How did the growing United States impact the Native American tribes?

9. Why would prairie women suffer bouts of loneliness?

10. Name the benefits and drawbacks of homesteading in eastern Kansas and western Kansas.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the process of breaking ground and planting crops. Which crops were experimented with by the homesteaders? Which crops became the staples for Kansas homesteaders? Are those crops the primary crops for Kansas yet today?

Essay Topic 2

Name the three most popular types of homes built by the Kansas homesteaders. What were the determining factors in choosing the type of home to build? What were the disadvantages and advantages of each type?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the role of the local newspaper in a frontier town. What types of information were usually included in an issue? How did the nature and tone of newspapers change as communities grew and politics reared its ugly head?

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