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 7 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 Mormon trek, 1847
The Homestead Act, 1862
The Exodusters, 1879
The Erie Canal, 1825
A.Opened a water route from New York City to the Great Lakes
B.Black families left the South for Kansas to escape violence and own land
C.Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it for five years
D.Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely
2.Draw a line from each one to its match.
The Oklahoma land run, 1889
The transcontinental railroad, 1869
Cattle drives after the Civil War
The Comstock Lode, 1859
A.Cowboys drove herds north to railroad towns in Kansas
B.A huge find of silver that brought miners to Nevada
C.Made a trip across the country take about a week instead of months
D.Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory
LessonPrint · D2.Geo.7.3-5 · Set 7 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Why People Moved West
Set 7. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. The Mormon trek, 1847 — D (Brigham Young led Latter-day Saints to Utah to worship freely) 2. The Homestead Act, 1862 — C (Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it for five years) 3. The Exodusters, 1879 — B (Black families left the South for Kansas to escape violence and own land) 4. The Erie Canal, 1825 — A (Opened a water route from New York City to the Great Lakes)
2.1. The Oklahoma land run, 1889 — D (Settlers raced to claim land in Indian Territory) 2. The transcontinental railroad, 1869 — C (Made a trip across the country take about a week instead of months) 3. Cattle drives after the Civil War — A (Cowboys drove herds north to railroad towns in Kansas) 4. The Comstock Lode, 1859 — B (A huge find of silver that brought miners to Nevada)
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Geo.7.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.