Key Topics You Need to Know
Your exam covers major themes including Plains Indians conflicts, the cattle industry, migration patterns, and law and order. You'll need to understand pivotal moments like the winter of 1886-87 that devastated cattle ranching, or the Dawes Act that transformed Native American life.
Government policies feature heavily - from the Homestead Act encouraging settlement to the Indian Appropriations Act affecting Native communities. The Johnson County War represents the violent conflicts between different groups competing for land and resources.
Don't forget about technological changes and economic factors. New farming technology, railroad expansion, and events like the Exoduster movement all shaped how the West developed. Gold prospecting created both opportunities and conflicts with Plains Indians.
Remember: Link everything back to the bigger themes of settlement, conflict, economic development, and government intervention - these connections will strengthen your answers significantly.