America Story of Us: Episode 6 - "Heartland" - Complete Video Guide

Sequence the key events of post-Civil-War westward expansion as presented in the documentary (railroad construction, buffalo decline, cowboy era, Native American displacement).

Identify specific factual details from the episode, such as the origin of railroad laborers and the invention of barbed wire.

Explain the causes and consequences of conflicts between the U.S. government/settlers and Native American nations, including the defeat of the Sioux.

Confirm access to the actual 'America: The Story of Us' Episode 6 video before assigning this guide, since every question is written to be answered while watching, in chronological order.

Use the Teacher Key's specific figures (e.g., 85 remaining buffalo by 1889, four time zones) to spot-check student answers, since several questions call for exact facts rather than open interpretation.

Pause after the buffalo-extinction segment to discuss its stated impact on Native Americans before continuing, since questions 9-11 cluster around that topic.

Documentary note-taking — students answer questions in chronological order while watching, matching the video's own sequence of events.

Historical fact recall — students identify specific details such as the railroad's Chinese laborers, Custer's failed attack, and the four post-railroad time zones.

Cause-and-effect reasoning — students explain how the near-extinction of the buffalo affected Native American life on the Great Plains.