Why People Moved West is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on the reasons people moved west, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Geo.7.3-5. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 13 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.
Why People Moved West
D2.Geo.7.3-5
NameDate
Draw a line from each event to how it drew people west.
1.Draw a line from each one to its match.
Manifest Destiny, 1845
The transcontinental railroad, 1869
The Exodusters, 1879
The Erie Canal, 1825
A.Made a trip across the country take about a week instead of months
B.The belief that the nation was meant to stretch across the continent
C.Opened a water route from New York City to the Great Lakes
D.Black families left the South for Kansas to escape violence and own land
2.Draw a line from each one to its match.
Gold at Sutter's Mill, 1848
The Mormon trek, 1847
The Oregon Trail, 1840s
The Oklahoma land run, 1889
A.Drew hundreds of thousands of gold seekers to California
B.Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory
C.Led families about 2,000 miles to farmland in the Pacific Northwest
D.Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely
LessonPrint · D2.Geo.7.3-5 · Set 13 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Why People Moved West
Set 13. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. Manifest Destiny, 1845 — B (The belief that the nation was meant to stretch across the continent) 2. The transcontinental railroad, 1869 — A (Made a trip across the country take about a week instead of months) 3. The Exodusters, 1879 — D (Black families left the South for Kansas to escape violence and own land) 4. The Erie Canal, 1825 — C (Opened a water route from New York City to the Great Lakes)
2.1. Gold at Sutter's Mill, 1848 — A (Drew hundreds of thousands of gold seekers to California) 2. The Mormon trek, 1847 — D (Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely) 3. The Oregon Trail, 1840s — C (Led families about 2,000 miles to farmland in the Pacific Northwest) 4. The Oklahoma land run, 1889 — B (Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory)
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Geo.7.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.