Multiple choice

From the 1600s through the 1800s, the majorreason for the westward movement of settlers was to

  1. escape urban unrest in coastal cities

  2. avoid high taxes in the East

  3. find manufacturing jobs in the Midwest

  4. acquire new areas of fertile soil foragriculture

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Throughout the 19th century, the primary driver for westward migration was the availability of cheap, fertile land for farming. The Homestead Act and the promise of economic independence through agriculture encouraged thousands to move west.