Westward Expansion Book Project
An Orphan for Nebraska by Charlene Joy Talbot
American Progress by John Gast
FOCUS QUESTION
People out west wanted to help children
Many Orphans were sent west to have a better life.
for example:
The older boys would work for farmers while the younger boys would go to families that want them and that will raise them. Many people wanted to get boys off the street so the boys can have a good life.
(Relations to book)
Many boys that we're living on the street jumped to opportunity to get off of the streets and get a home.
Many orphans from New York got to live with new families in the west.
School
Many people could not read or write
(Relations to book)
-Kevin got a job selling papers with many other boys.
-However Kevin could because he came from Ireland originally
-None of the boys that sold papers could read or write
-All trusted Kevin to read it to them
Kids made their own money
(Relations to book)
-Many sold papers, such as the characters in the book by walking around and hoping someone will buy them.
West brought opportunity for school
-Kevin could read and write but he wanted to go west so he could go to school to gain a better education.
Jobs
journalists, adventurers, missionaries, gamblers, and miners.
During the gold rush over 86,000 people moved to California for gold.
New Location=New Jobs
(Relations to book)
The kids went west so they could live with new families and work for them.
They made way more money this way.
Manifest Destiny
Many people believed in the Manifest Destiny and did what ever they could to get from one coast to the other.
This belief was so strong that many people moved west.
Adventure
There were many new jobs, new lifestyles, and new people.
Many people moved west just for the adventure.