GCSEHistoryEdexcelPeriod Study (Paper 2, Booklet P)Exam QuestionsThe American West, c1835–c1895Later Developments in the West, c1876–c1895

Later Developments in the West, c1876–c1895 (Edexcel GCSE History: Period Study (Paper 2, Booklet P)): Exam Questions

Exam code: 1HI0

25 mins25 questions
Easy
Medium
Hard
1
1 mark

What year was the Exoduster Movement?

  • 1876

  • 1879

  • 1882

  • 1887

Choose your answer

2
1 mark

What innovation allowed homesteaders to farm in areas with limited rainfall?

  • Dry farming.

  • Barbed wire.

  • Crop rotation.

  • Mechanisation.

Choose your answer

3
1 mark

Who fought in the Johnson County War in 1892?

  • Cattle barons and Indigenous tribes.

  • Cattle ranchers and sheep farmers.

  • Cattle barons and homesteaders.

  • Gold miners and railroad workers.

Choose your answer

4
1 mark

Which event marked the end of significant Indigenous resistance in the West?

  • The Battle of Little Bighorn.

  • The Wounded Knee Massacre.

  • The Sand Creek Massacre.

  • The signing of the Second Fort Laramie Treaty.

Choose your answer

5
1 mark

Which group was responsible for enforcing laws on reservations?

  • Sheriffs.

  • Cattle barons.

  • US Marshals.

  • The Indian Police Agency.

Choose your answer

6
1 mark

Which battle led to the death of General George Custer?

  • The Sand Creek Massacre.

  • The Battle of Little Big Horn.

  • Red Cloud’s War.

  • The Battle of Fort Laramie.

Choose your answer

7
1 mark

Who shot and killed Billy the Kid?

  •  Pat Garrett.

  • Wyatt Earp.

  • Wild Bill Hickok.

  • Doc Holliday.

Choose your answer

8
1 mark

Where was Billy the Kid killed?

  • Lincoln County.

  • Abilene.

  • Fort Sumner.

  • Tombstone.

Choose your answer

9
1 mark

What was Billy the Kid best known for?

  • Robbing trains and banks.

  • Stealing cattle.

  • Leading a detective agency.

  • Killing Indigenous peoples.

Choose your answer

10
1 mark

What year did the Gunfight at the OK Corral occur?

  • 1878

  • 1879

  • 1880

  • 1881

Choose your answer

11
1 mark

Who were the lawmen involved in the Gunfight at the OK Corral?

  • Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett and Jesse James.

  • Wild Bill Hickok, Bat Masterson and Doc Holliday.

  • Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp and Morgan Earp.

  • The Reno Gang and the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

Choose your answer

12
1 mark

In which year did the first Oklahoma Land Rush take place?

  • 1879

  • 1883

  • 1885

  • 1889

Choose your answer

13
1 mark

Which group of people took advantage of the Oklahoma Land Rush in 1889?

  • Indigenous peoples.

  • Homesteaders.

  • Exodusters.

  • Cowboys.

Choose your answer

14
1 mark

What was the reason behind the Oklahoma Land Rush?

  • The US government opened unassigned lands for settlement.

  • Gold was discovered in Oklahoma. 

  • The Indigenous peoples gained the land in a conflict with white settlers.

  • The land became available because a railroad company sold it to the US government.

Choose your answer

15
1 mark

How many acres of land were opened to settlers in the first Oklahoma Land Rush?

  • 1 million.

  • 2 million.

  • 10 million.

  • 4 million.

Choose your answer

1
1 mark

Which of the following was a key cause of the Exoduster Movement?

  • The Mormon migration.

  • The American Civil War.

  • The Ku Klux Klan's violence in the South.

  • The Gold Rush.

Choose your answer

2
1 mark

What was a key consequence of the winter of 1886–1887 for the cattle industry?

  • Increased demand for cattle.

  • Bankruptcy of many cattle ranchers.

  • Expansion of cattle ranches.

  • Increase in cattle rustling.

Choose your answer

3
1 mark

Why did ranchers begin to fence off their land after 1887?

  • To protect the pure breeding of cattle.

  • To protect their cattle from the weather. 

  • To limit the growth of grass.

  • To comply with new government laws.

Choose your answer

4
1 mark

What was a consequence of the Dawes Act of 1887?

  • The increased reliance of Indigenous peoples on the US government.

  • Forcing the assimilation of Indigenous peoples.

  • The establishment of new reservations.

  • Expansion of Indigenous hunting grounds.

Choose your answer

5
1 mark

What was a consequence of the extermination of the buffalo?

  • An increase in buffalo herds.

  • An increase in the amount of white settlers in the West.

  • An improvement in the quality of grass on the Plains.

  • Indigenous peoples were forced to rely on government supplies.

Choose your answer

1
1 mark

What was a significant challenge faced by Exodusters upon reaching Kansas?

  • They were given the worst land.

  • There were hostile Indigenous tribes in Kansas.

  • There was a conflict between the Exodusters and black settlers.

  • They spoke a different language.

Choose your answer

2
1 mark

Why did the cattle industry shift towards smaller herds after 1887?

  • There were increased taxes for large cattle ranches. By reducing the amount of cattle the ranch had, they avoided paying these taxes.

  • There was a reduced demand for beef. As such, smaller herds were necessary to make cattle ranching profitable.

  • Smaller herds of cattle were easier to find and required less water in times of drought. This made them easier to look after in winter or times of drought.

  • Cattle barons did not want to hire as many cowboys. Smaller herds required fewer cowboys to maintain the cattle.

Choose your answer

3
1 mark

What was a key method used by the US government to assimilate Indigenous peoples?

  • Offering large amounts of land to Indigenous tribes.

  • Allowing tribes to govern themselves.

  • Enforcing English language education and banning native traditions.

  • Allowing US citizens to adopt traditional Indigenous culture.

Choose your answer

4
1 mark

How common were gunfights in the American West by 1881?

  • Gunfights were common in the American West by 1881. There was a severe problem with lawlessness.

  • Gunfights did occur in most settlements in the American West, especially on cattle ranches. This can be seen in the Johnson County War in 1881.

  • Gunfights between vigilante groups and criminals happened, especially over issues such as cattle rustling.

  • Gunfights were very rare by 1881. The majority of settlements were peaceful. Even in the worst cow towns, most residents felt safe.

Choose your answer

5
1 mark

How significant was the mechanisation of farming for the US economy?

  • Mechanisation was insignificant for the US economy. Homesteaders still struggle to effectively farm on the Plains.

  • Mechanisation did have some impact on the US economy. More homesteaders created small farms which increased efficiency.

  • Mechanisation did have some impact on the US economy. The relationship between manufacturers and cattle ranchers boosted the US economy.

  • Mechanisation had a significant impact on the US economy. Bigger farms needed more industrial products, increasing US industry.

Choose your answer