Why People Moved West is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on the reasons people moved west, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Geo.7.3-5. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
Draw a line from each event to how it drew people west.
1.Draw a line from each one to its match.
The Comstock Lode, 1859
The Exodusters, 1879
Manifest Destiny, 1845
The Oklahoma land run, 1889
A.The belief that the nation was meant to stretch across the continent
B.Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory
C.A huge find of silver that brought miners to Nevada
D.Black families left the South for Kansas to escape violence and own land
2.Draw a line from each one to its match.
The Oregon Trail, 1840s
The Homestead Act, 1862
The Mormon trek, 1847
Cattle drives after the Civil War
A.Led families about 2,000 miles to farmland in the Pacific Northwest
B.Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely
C.Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it for five years
D.Cowboys drove herds north to railroad towns in Kansas
LessonPrint · D2.Geo.7.3-5 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Why People Moved West
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. The Comstock Lode, 1859 — C (A huge find of silver that brought miners to Nevada) 2. The Exodusters, 1879 — D (Black families left the South for Kansas to escape violence and own land) 3. Manifest Destiny, 1845 — A (The belief that the nation was meant to stretch across the continent) 4. The Oklahoma land run, 1889 — B (Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory)
2.1. The Oregon Trail, 1840s — A (Led families about 2,000 miles to farmland in the Pacific Northwest) 2. The Homestead Act, 1862 — C (Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it for five years) 3. The Mormon trek, 1847 — B (Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely) 4. Cattle drives after the Civil War — D (Cowboys drove herds north to railroad towns in Kansas)
Questions about Why People Moved West
What does the Why People Moved West worksheet cover?
It practices the reasons people moved west — 2 questions for Grade 3 to Grade 5, all on C3 Framework D2.Geo.7.3-5: Explain how a place's character affects who and what moves through it. The instruction to students is “Draw a line from each event to how it drew people west”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which C3 Framework indicator does Why People Moved West practice?
D2.Geo.7.3-5, under Geography for Grade 3 to Grade 5. The published indicator reads: “Explain how cultural and environmental characteristics affect the distribution and movement of people, goods, and ideas.” The worksheet assesses that indicator rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Why People Moved West is written for Grade 3 to Grade 5, typically ages 40-41. It is one of the sheets on D2.Geo.7.3-5, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Why People Moved West come with an answer key?
Yes. All 2 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Why People Moved West can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Why People Moved West free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Why People Moved West, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for D2.Geo.7.3-5
Explain how a place's character affects who and what moves through it.