Introduction
After the Civil War, there was a great push for settling the Western Frontier. This WebQuest addresses the reasons people moved West, the challenges they faced, and how Westward Expansion impacted land, resources, and people.
Big Idea: What impact does migration have on land, resources, and people?
Task
The Context
You are an employee of a post-Civil War newspaper company. You are on a team who is traveling the West because you have been assigned the task of creating a newspaper layout all about the Western Frontier in the late 1800's into the early 1900's. Your team includes two reporters and a graphic designer.
Assessment Task
Working with your team, prepare a section of the newspaper. Using visuals, articles, and advertisements, describe how Westward Expansion after the Civil War impacted the land, resources, and people. Include at least three articles, an advertisement, and two visuals.
Ideas to consider for inclusion in your newspaper spread: report the most important reasons people migrated West after the Civil War, describe the realities of this migration, create an advertisement to lure people who remain east of the Mississippi to join in the movement West.
Process
Use the links in each category to develop an understanding of why people migrated west, the realities of this migration, and how you could persuade people to move west using information in each category. As you work through these topics, keep track of your thoughts using a Thinking Map.
Transcontinental Railroad & Transportation
Outlaws & Gunslingers
Native Americans and Battles of the West
African Americans in the West
African Americans on the Frontier
Boom Towns
Old West Legends
Videos About the West
Evaluation
The following rubric will be used to grade the content of your newspaper layout:
| 4 - Exceeded Expectations | 3 - Met Expectations | 2 - Partially Met Expectations | 1 - Did Not Meet Expectations | |
| Team included three newspaper articles to contribute to the newspaper. | Team included more than three newspaper articles to contribute to newspaper. | Team included three newspaper articles to contribute to newspaper. | Team included two newspaper articles to contribute to newspaper. | Team included one or less newspaper articles to contribute to newspaper. |
| Team included one advertisement to contribute to the newspaper. | Team included more than one advertisement to contribute to newspaper. | Team included one advertisement to contribute to newspaper. | Team included partial advertisement to contribute to newspaper. | Team included no advertisements to contribute to newspaper. |
| Team included two visuals to support the section of the newspaper. | Team included more than two visuals to contribute to newspaper. | Team included two visuals to contribute to newspaper. | Team included one visual to contribute to newspaper. | Team did not include visuals to contribute to newspaper. |
|
Articles Describe how Westward Expansion after the Civil War impacted the land, resources, and people |
Shows complete understanding of how Westward Expansion impacted the land, resources, and people.
Shows complete understanding of how transportation, communication, population, resources, and land use are impacted by Westward Expansion after the Civil War.
Utilizes four or more sources. |
Shows good understanding of how Westward Expansion impacted the land, resources, and people.
Shows good understanding of how transportation, communication, population, resources, and land use are impacted by Westward Expansion after the Civil War.
Utilizes three or more sources. |
Shows some understanding of how Westward Expansion impacted the land, resources, and people.
Shows some understanding of how transportation, communication, population, resources, and land use are impacted by Westward Expansion after the Civil War.
Utilizes two or more sources. |
Shows no understanding of how Westward Expansion impacted the land, resources, and people.
Shows little to no understanding of how transportation, communication, population, resources, and land use are impacted by Westward Expansion after the Civil War.
Utilizes one or no sources. |
|
Advertisement Lure people who remain east of the Mississippi to join in the movement West. |
Advertisement skillfully incorporates content knowledge to lure people to move West. | Advertisement adequately incorporates content knowledge to lure people to move West. | Advertisement weakly incorporates content knowledge to lure people to move West. | Advertisement lacks content knowledge to lure people to move West. |
Common Core State Standards- Literacy in History
- Literacy.WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
- Literacy.WHST.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events.
- Literacy.WHST.6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Illinois Social Science Learning Standards
- SS.G.3 Explain how changes in transportation and communication influence the spatial connections among human settlements and affect the spread of ideas and culture.
- SS.G.4 Explain how global changes in population distribution patterns affect changes in land use.
- SS.IS.5 Identify evidence from multiple sources to support claims, noting its limitations.
Conclusion
People traveled to the West for many reasons after the Civil War ended. Many sought new beginnings or a chance to get rich. No matter what the motivation for traveling west was, there is no doubt that Westward Expansion after the Civil War had an impact on the land, resources, and people at the time. The impacts of this time period even have an effect on the way we live today.