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 4 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.
The Comstock Lode, 1859
The Mormon trek, 1847
The Oregon Trail, 1840s
The transcontinental railroad, 1869
A.A huge find of silver that brought miners to Nevada
B.Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely
C.Made a trip across the country take about a week instead of months
D.Led families about 2,000 miles to farmland in the Pacific Northwest
2.Draw a line from each one to its match.
The Erie Canal, 1825
The Oklahoma land run, 1889
The Homestead Act, 1862
Gold at Sutter's Mill, 1848
A.Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it for five years
B.Opened a water route from New York City to the Great Lakes
C.Drew hundreds of thousands of gold seekers to California
D.Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory
LessonPrint · D2.Geo.7.3-5 · Set 4 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Why People Moved West
Set 4. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. The Comstock Lode, 1859 — A (A huge find of silver that brought miners to Nevada) 2. The Mormon trek, 1847 — B (Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely) 3. The Oregon Trail, 1840s — D (Led families about 2,000 miles to farmland in the Pacific Northwest) 4. The transcontinental railroad, 1869 — C (Made a trip across the country take about a week instead of months)
2.1. The Erie Canal, 1825 — B (Opened a water route from New York City to the Great Lakes) 2. The Oklahoma land run, 1889 — D (Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory) 3. The Homestead Act, 1862 — A (Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it for five years) 4. Gold at Sutter's Mill, 1848 — C (Drew hundreds of thousands of gold seekers to California)
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Geo.7.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.