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Why These Cities Grew Where They Did is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on why major US cities grew where they did, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Geo.6.3-5. 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 15 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Why These Cities Grew Where They Did

D2.Geo.6.3-5

NameDate

Draw a line from each city to the reason it grew there.

1.Draw a line from each one to its match.
  • Chicago
  • Denver
  • St. Louis
  • New York City
  • A.A deep, sheltered harbor at the mouth of the Hudson River
  • B.Near where the Missouri River joins the Mississippi, a gateway to the West
  • C.On Lake Michigan, where railroads from the East and the West met
  • D.Grew from a gold rush at the foot of the Rocky Mountains
2.Draw a line from each one to its match.
  • Atlanta
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Seattle
  • Houston
  • A.Grew with oil and a ship channel to the Gulf of Mexico
  • B.Began as the end point of a railroad line and grew as a rail hub
  • C.A port on Puget Sound that supplied gold seekers heading to Alaska and Canada
  • D.Chosen as the national capital, on the Potomac River, in 1790

LessonPrint · D2.Geo.6.3-5 · Set 15 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Why These Cities Grew Where They Did

Set 15. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Chicago — C (On Lake Michigan, where railroads from the East and the West met) 2. Denver — D (Grew from a gold rush at the foot of the Rocky Mountains) 3. St. Louis — B (Near where the Missouri River joins the Mississippi, a gateway to the West) 4. New York City — A (A deep, sheltered harbor at the mouth of the Hudson River)
  2. 2.1. Atlanta — B (Began as the end point of a railroad line and grew as a rail hub) 2. Washington, D.C. — D (Chosen as the national capital, on the Potomac River, in 1790) 3. Seattle — C (A port on Puget Sound that supplied gold seekers heading to Alaska and Canada) 4. Houston — A (Grew with oil and a ship channel to the Gulf of Mexico)

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Geo.6.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.