America: The Story of Us – Heartland – Viewing Guide

1. In 1865, _________ million buffalo roamed the Great Plains.
2. How long did it take to cross the American Continent prior to the Transcontinental Railroad? _____________
3. The biggest obstacle heading East from California: ___________________________________
4. The Union Pacific Line starts from ___________________; the Central Pacific line starts from ________________ the lines meet in ______________________
5. What was the largest immigrant group who worked on the Transcontinental Railroad? ____________________
6. May 10 1869, what message arrived by telegraph: ______________________
7. With the finishing of the Transcontinental Railroad, the journey across the continent was cut to _____ days.
8. __________ of all land in the US was given away in the Homestead Act
9. What was the greatest threat to crops grown by homesteaders? _____________________________
10. _____ million buffalo killed in a little over a decade; by 1889, ________ wild buffalo existed in the entire US
11. What was the job of a cowboy? How much did they make? _____________________________________________
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12. What is the new invention that makes cowboys obsolete? ________________________________
13. In 1883, the Continental US is reduced to _______ time zones
14. What did Sears come up with? ______________________________
15. How many miles of railroad track were laid by the end of the 19^th century? ______________________
16. _______ million Americans leave the country to go the American urban centers.

———————————————————————————————————————————————–Discussion Questions (answer after viewing)

• Why do you think President Lincoln decided to support the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, a very expensive project, even though the Civil War was still going on?
• What were some of the benefits of the Transcontinental Railroad? What were the human costs of its construction? What groups of people built the railroad?
• In this episode, the bison is described as a “mobile general store” for Native Americans on the plains. What does this phrase mean? What were the consequences of the destruction of the bison population for Native Americans?
• What happened at the Battle of Little Big Horn? What was the outcome of conflicts between Native Americans and the U.S. military on the plains?
• In 1886, Richard Sears established the first mail order catalog. Why do you think this development was a significant event in U.S. history?

America: The Story of Us – Cities – Viewing Guide

1. What gift did the US receive from France? How many separate pieces did it arrive in?

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2. The sandal on the Statue of Liberty is ________ times bigger than the human foot.
3. How long did it take for the Statue of Liberty to be assembled? _________________________
4. How many immigrants passed the Statue of Liberty during the next decades? _________________
5. What immigrant groups migrated mainly to urban centers in the US?_____________________________________

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6. Between 1880-1930, nearly ________ million new immigrants arrive in the US.
7. Carnegie is the first person to ever mass produce _______________________________.
8. By 1902, _________ skyscrapers are being constructed in Manhattan.
9. What was the nickname given to the men who built skyscrapers? ________________________; how much money did they make a day? ___________________________
10. What city would rent guns by the hour due to high crime rates? ___________________________
11. What were some of the changes inspired by Reese’s photographs of NYC slums?___________________________
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12. In NY alone, nearly __________________ people die from diseases.
13. By 1907, every large city in American has ___________________________
14. Who invented the electric lightbulb? ________________________________
15. How much was spent on readymade clothes at the turn of the 20^th century? _____________________________
16. In March 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory employed _______ girls; most of them were _________________
17. How did the fire start at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory? ________________________________________________
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18. ________ people died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
19. What improvements and safety precautions did the factory fire bring about?

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Discussion Questions (answer after viewing)

• What was the Bessemer steel converter? How did this invention shape U.S. history?

• Why do you think so many everyday Americans contributed money to help build the Statue of Liberty?

• What was the “rogues’ gallery” and what was its importance? What were some of the other methods used to curb crime?

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