AP U.S. History Flashcards: Westward Expansion: Social and Cultural Development
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 11 cards to help you master important concepts.
What does the term 'denying tribal sovereignty' mean in the context of U.S. policy?
It means the U.S. government refused to recognize the legal authority of American Indian tribes to govern themselves as independent or semi-independent nations.
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What does the term 'denying tribal sovereignty' mean in the context of U.S. policy?
It means the U.S. government refused to recognize the legal authority of American Indian tribes to govern themselves as independent or semi-independent nations.
How did the U.S. government typically respond to American Indian resistance to westward expansion?
The U.S. government violated existing treaties with American Indians and often responded to any resistance with military force.
How did American Indians demonstrate resilience in the face of government assimilation policies?
Many American Indians preserved their cultures and tribal identities and also attempted to develop self-sustaining economic practices.
Which groups were involved in the increased violent conflict over land and resources in the West?
Competition for land and resources led to an increase in violent conflict among white settlers, American Indians, and Mexican Americans.
What were the primary motivations for migrants moving to the American West between 1877 and 1898?
Migrants moved west in hopes of achieving self-sufficiency and independence by taking advantage of opportunities in farming, mining, and other industries.
What were the two major consequences of increased migrant populations in the West?
As migrant populations increased, the American bison population was decimated and competition for land and resources led to more violent conflict.
Explain the cause-and-effect relationship between bison decimation and conflict in the West.
The decimation of the American bison destroyed a vital resource for American Indians, which intensified competition for the remaining land and resources, thus increasing violent conflict.
If a historian argues that westward expansion was built on broken promises, what U.S. government action toward American Indians would support this claim?
The fact that the U.S. government violated treaties with American Indians would strongly support this argument.
Identify four key economic opportunities that drew migrants to rural and boomtown areas of the West.
Four key opportunities that drew migrants to the West were building railroads, mining, farming, and ranching.
A settler arriving in a Western boomtown in 1885 seeks independence. What kind of work might they pursue?
Based on the available opportunities, they might find work building railroads, mining for precious metals, farming a homestead, or working as a ranch hand.
What was the ultimate U.S. government policy for managing American Indian populations and their governance?
The government's policy was to confine American Indians to reservations and to deny their tribal sovereignty.