The Montana Territory

If you were starting a new society in a new place, what rules would you want to have?

Law and Order

Set up to keep miner’s claims protected

They hired judges, a recorder to keep track of claims, and sometimes a sheriff to enforce laws!

Settled many disputes---arguments to murder trials

Miners court’s were not prepared for the violence that came to gold camps

Miners Courts

Read about the violence and crime on Page 111-112

Vigilante Justice

Montana was part of the Idaho territory

The U.S government needed Montana’s gold

In 163 during the civil war President Lincoln sent Sidney Edgerton to the Idaho territory to be chief justice

Montana needed a Government

He saw how valuable the gold fields would be

to the union. He saw that they needed there own

government.

He brought back gold to bribe congressmen into turning the gold fields into its own territory.

In 1864 Sidney Edgerton became the first Governor of Montana Territory.

Sidney Edgerton

Read page 114

A junior state---first step toward statehood Must have Non-Indian population of 5,000 Federal government appointed leaders The territory law and government did not

protect Indians Many conflicts occurred over land, hunting

rights, the use of water, and the right to travel through areas.

What is a territory?

Read pages 116-117 to find the answers to 15 and 16

Silver in Montana!!!