Westward Expansion, Industrialization & Urbanization: Help and Review - Videos & Lessons

About This Chapter

The Westward Expansion, Industrialization & Urbanization chapter of this High School U.S. History Help and Review course is the simplest way to master the history of the Gilded Age. This chapter uses simple and fun videos that are about five minutes long, plus lesson quizzes and a chapter exam to ensure students learn the essentials of westward expansion, industrialization and urbanization.

Who's it for?

Anyone who needs help learning or mastering high school U.S. history material will benefit from taking this course. There is no faster or easier way to learn high school U.S. history. Among those who would benefit are:

Students who have fallen behind in understanding the economic policies, political platforms and social reform movements emerging in the late 19th century
Students who struggle with learning disabilities or learning differences, including autism and ADHD
Students who prefer multiple ways of learning history (visual or auditory)
Students who have missed class time and need to catch up
Students who need an efficient way to learn about westward expansion, industrialization and urbanization
Students who struggle to understand their teachers
Students who attend schools without extra history learning resources

How it works:

Find videos in our course that cover what you need to learn or review.
Press play and watch the video lesson.
Refer to the video transcripts to reinforce your learning.
Test your understanding of each lesson with short quizzes.
Verify you're ready by completing the Westward Expansion, Industrialization & Urbanization chapter exam.

Why it works:

Study Efficiently: Skip what you know, review what you don't.
Retain What You Learn: Engaging animations and real-life examples make topics easy to grasp.
Be Ready on Test Day: Use the Westward Expansion, Industrialization & Urbanization chapter exam to be prepared.
Get Extra Support: Ask our subject-matter experts any westward expansion, industrialization and urbanization question. They're here to help!
Study With Flexibility: Watch videos on any web-ready device.

Students will review:

This chapter helps students review the concepts in a westward expansion, industrialization and urbanization unit of a standard high school U.S. history course. Topics covered include:

The Homestead Act of 1862 and the frontier thesis
History and impact of the transcontinental railroad
The conquest and assimilation of Native Americans
The Second Industrial Revolution's economic policies
The development of American industry in the Gilded Age
Andrew Carnegie and the Captains of Industry or Robber Barons
Fredrick Taylor's managerial theories
The Second Industrial Revolution's labor conditions
Gilded Age politics and civil service reform
Labor unions during the Second Industrial Revolution
The Granger movement and the Populist party
Immigration and the rise of nativism
Urbanization and the rise of urban reform movements
Middle class opportunities in the late 19th century

8 Lessons in Chapter 14: Westward Expansion, Industrialization & Urbanization: Help and Review

Chapter Practice Test

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1. Westward Expansion: The Homestead Act of 1862 & the Frontier Thesis

Prior to the mid-1800s, America essentially stopped at the Mississippi river. However, miners subsequently began pouring into the west to search for gold and other metals. Then the Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged further western expansion and settlement by giving away 'free' land to non-native individuals. Learn more about these historical events, as well as the Frontier Thesis, which argued that the nation's frontier was the meeting point 'between savagery and civilization.'

2. Expanding the Transcontinental Railroad: History and Impact

On May 10, 1869, the final railway spike was driven into the ground at Promontory Summit, Utah to connect two railroads and create the first American transcontinental railroad. The completion of the railway would change American life for better and worse. Learn about the history of the transcontinental railroad, the rationale behind crossing the continent by rail, and the effects of the transcontinental railroad in America during the late 19th century.

3. Native Americans: Conflict, Conquest and Assimilation During the Gilded Age

In the late 19th century, settlers migrated further to the west and came into conflict with Native American tribes, which prompted the U.S. government to displace indigenous people onto reservations. Learn more about the conquest of Native lands by the U.S. government, the Indian Wars, the massacre at Wounded Knee, the Dawes Act, and the government's attempts at assimilating native youths by kidnapping over 35% of Indian children and adopting them out to white families.

4. Frederick Taylor & Management: Maximizing Productivity & Efficiency

Frederick Taylor revolutionized management practices to maximize productivity and efficiency. Explore his observations, the scientific management approach, and learn about Taylor's four principles of scientific management.

5. The Omaha Platform of 1892: Definition & Goals

The Omaha Platform of 1892 contained the mission, goals, and plans of the Populist Party. Explore the platform's eventual impact on American politics, as well as the roots of the party in the Farmer's Alliance and the 1892 Omaha Convention.

6. Florence Kelley & Jane Addams on Child Labor

In this lesson, we'll discuss Americans Jane Addams and Florence Kelley, who were advocates for many social justice causes, including Child Labor reform.

7. Populist Movement: Definition & Facts

American politics changed a lot between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At the heart of this change was the Populist movement. We're going to explore the history of this movement, see where it came from, and how it impacted American politics.

8. Pony Express: History, Route & Facts

The Pony Express is one of the fabled institutions of the Old West, but how much do you really know about it? In this lesson, we'll explore the history and significance of the Pony Express.

Ch 14: Westward Expansion, Industrialization & Urbanization: Help and Review