Paper 2P — Period study: The American West, c1835–c1895
Edexcel GCSE History revision on Paper 2P — Period study: The American West, c1835–c1895. Aligned to the Pearson Edexcel GCSE History 1HI0 specification. This bank has 80 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 80)
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Question 1
The Homestead Act of 1862 granted land to settlers who...
- A) Paid a low fixed price
- B) Farmed the land for five years
- C) Won a government lottery
- D) Were Union army veterans
Show answer
Answer: Farmed the land for five years
Signed by Lincoln during the Civil War. Anyone (including women and freed slaves) over 21 could claim 160 acres of public land — they had to build a home and farm it for 5 years to gain title. It encouraged westward expansion onto land that had belonged to Native American peoples, accelerating their displacement.
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Question 2
The Battle of Little Bighorn (1876) was a famous defeat for...
- A) The Sioux
- B) The Cheyenne
- C) General Custer's US 7th Cavalry
- D) Mexico
Show answer
Answer: General Custer's US 7th Cavalry
Custer led ~210 men of the 7th Cavalry against a Sioux + Cheyenne encampment of ~7,000 led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. Custer divided his force and was overwhelmed. A short-term Native American victory; the US response was overwhelming military force, leading to defeat of the Plains tribes within 15 years.
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Question 3
'Manifest Destiny' was the belief that...
- A) Slaves should be freed
- B) America was destined to expand across the entire continent
- C) Native Americans should be left alone
- D) Britain should rule America
Show answer
Answer: America was destined to expand across the entire continent
Provided a moral justification for: war with Mexico (1846-48 — gained California, Texas, the Southwest), forced removal of Native Americans (Trail of Tears 1838, Indian Removal Act), the Oregon settlement with Britain. The settlers genuinely believed they had a religious + civilizing duty. Native and Mexican populations bore the cost.
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77 more questions on Paper 2P — Period study: The American West, c1835–c1895 — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole History spec.
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