Answer:
people moved to California or chicago for the gold found there,
the Oregon trail took people in search of gold to Oregon, and the santa fe trail went to santa fe new mexico. they were important because they helped the U.S. expand west and grow trade.
The homestead act of 1862 encouraged western migration and gave settlers 160 acres of land if they live there, improve it, and pay a small fee.
Cultural diffusion is when two or more cultures are blended and merged by the exchanging of ideas throughout a region
The west was a 'crossroad' because of how it attracted people from all cultures and blended them in moving to new lands, and exchange of goods and services.
Explanation:
