Name Reading about Social Studies
Going West
As more people moved to the new nation of the United States, people wanted
more room. They wanted to raise their families on land that was clean and open.
Many decided to move west and traveled in groups of covered wagons. Dusty trail
life brought new dangers: snakes, wolves, and robbers. The weather could be very
hot or very cold. Many died along the trail. Some people made it all the way to the
coast of California. A lucky few found gold in the rivers and mountains there. People
who moved west from the eastern United States probably had a strong spirit of
adventure.
- What is the main idea of this story?
a. More people should move to the western United States.
b. People in the United States wanting something different moved west.
c. City life is better than life on a farm. - Why did people start moving out of cities in the eastern United States?
- How did many people travel to the west?
- What dangers did trail life bring?
- What did a few people find in California?
- What were the people who moved west like?
Read the story. Then, answer the questions.