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Slide 2 US History: Spiconardi Slide 3 What are some reasons that you would leave your home (White Plains) for another place? _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Slide 4 Escape the destruction of the Civil War Economic Opportunity Silver & Gold Farming & Ranching I love goooold! Slide 5 Economic Opportunity The Homestead Act (1862) Federal government granted 160 acres of land to anyone who lived on the land for five years and improve the land. Slide 6 Trains * Well be discussing the Trans-Continental Railroad later this unit Wagons Slide 7 The Great Plains Most settlers, in the first migration west (1850s), believed the Great Plains could not sustain agriculture since there was little rainfall, but The Great Plains has rich topsoil, which allows growing crops to overcome drought, insects, and heat Ranchers also found that the flat land of the Great Plains was perfect for raising cattle Slide 8 Slide 9 Boomtowns a community that experiences a sudden and rapid population & economic growth Settlers moved west in hopes of finding valuable ores, such as Gold Silver Zinc Copper Lead Valuable ores were found in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota and Alaska