Ch.16Ch.16

The WestThe West

Western MigrationWestern Migration

After Civil War—big migration from After Civil War—big migration from EastEast

Horace Greeley— “Go West Young Horace Greeley— “Go West Young Man.”Man.”

Homestead Act (1862)—1Homestead Act (1862)—1stst = 160 = 160 acres for 5-years. acres for 5-years.

Western TribesWestern Tribes

Variety of tribesVariety of tribes

Cherokee/Creek forced to go to Cherokee/Creek forced to go to “Indian Territory” (Oklahoma).“Indian Territory” (Oklahoma).

PueblosPueblos

Plains IndiansPlains Indians DiverseDiverse

Some farmedSome farmed

Nomadic huntersNomadic hunters

BuffaloBuffalo

Strong opposition to whites at 1Strong opposition to whites at 1stst..

Ultimately dominated—lack of unity, disease, & Ultimately dominated—lack of unity, disease, & technological inferiority.technological inferiority.

Decline of the BuffaloDecline of the Buffalo

Demand for hidesDemand for hides

Interfered with the Interfered with the railroads.railroads.

1865-1875—15-1865-1875—15-million to less than million to less than 1,0001,000

Dispersal of TribesDispersal of Tribes

Reservation Policy Reservation Policy

Fort Laramie Treaty Fort Laramie Treaty (1868)(1868)

Oklahoma and DakotasOklahoma and Dakotas

Run by Run by Bureau of Indian Bureau of Indian AffairsAffairs

Gold in the Black HillsGold in the Black Hills Discovery of Gold leads Discovery of Gold leads

to whites going into to whites going into reservation territory of reservation territory of Dakota Territory.Dakota Territory.

Natives begin to resist.Natives begin to resist.

Govt. tries to buy land, Govt. tries to buy land, but Natives say “no.”but Natives say “no.”

Govt. says they need to Govt. says they need to move.move.

Says all not on new Says all not on new reservation land by 1876 reservation land by 1876 would be considered would be considered hostile.hostile.

Conflict with IndiansConflict with Indians After the Civil War, After the Civil War,

troops sent west.troops sent west.

William T. Sherman William T. Sherman is in charge.is in charge.

Fighting is savageFighting is savage

Little Big Horn Little Big Horn (Montana, 1876) (Montana, 1876) ““Custer’s Last Custer’s Last StandStand””

ScalpingScalping

Sitting BullSitting Bull Chief who led those who resisted Chief who led those who resisted

moving from Black Hills to new moving from Black Hills to new reservations.reservations.

After Little big Horn, fled to After Little big Horn, fled to Canada.Canada.

Eventually surrendered.Eventually surrendered.

Participated in Wild West Shows.Participated in Wild West Shows.

Killed while being arrested to Killed while being arrested to prevent his support of the Ghost prevent his support of the Ghost Dance.Dance.

Crazy HorseCrazy Horse

Leader of Lakota SiouxLeader of Lakota Sioux

Led victorious Native Led victorious Native forces at Little big Horn.forces at Little big Horn.

Eventually Surrenders Eventually Surrenders and is killed while a and is killed while a captive.captive.

Buffalo SoldiersBuffalo Soldiers

1/5 of US military 1/5 of US military in west were in west were African Americans.African Americans.

Indians called them Indians called them “Buffalo Soldiers”“Buffalo Soldiers”

Ghost DanceGhost Dance

Promise of revival of Promise of revival of traditional culture traditional culture and revenge on and revenge on whites.whites.

Ghost ShirtsGhost Shirts

US army tries to US army tries to stop Indians from stop Indians from performing.performing.

Wounded KneeWounded Knee 1890—Infamous massacre .1890—Infamous massacre .

Over 200 Native Americans are killed.Over 200 Native Americans are killed.

Effectively ended Native resistance until the 1960s.Effectively ended Native resistance until the 1960s.

Dawes ActDawes Act

Dawes ActDawes Act (1887) —eliminates tribal (1887) —eliminates tribal land and provided individual land. land and provided individual land. Forced Assimilation. Schools set up to Forced Assimilation. Schools set up to make Indians into “Americans”make Indians into “Americans”

Helen Hunt JacksonHelen Hunt Jackson

A Century of A Century of Dishonor Dishonor (1881)(1881)

HispanicsHispanics

Most are Most are marginalized by the marginalized by the onslaught of Anglos.onslaught of Anglos.

Many lose land and Many lose land and become lower class become lower class workers workers

Warm UpWarm Up

Explain the significance of Explain the significance of Plessey v. Plessey v. Ferguson.Ferguson.

What were some of the reasons that What were some of the reasons that Reconstruction came to a n end?Reconstruction came to a n end?

What was the Dawes Act?What was the Dawes Act?

The ChineseThe Chinese Big surge immigrated to Cal. During Gold Rush.Big surge immigrated to Cal. During Gold Rush.

Tax on foreign miners + racism.Tax on foreign miners + racism.

Work on railroad/laundriesWork on railroad/laundries

ChinatownsChinatowns

Anti-Coolie clubsAnti-Coolie clubs

Chinese Exclusion Act 1882Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

Western EconomyWestern Economy

MiningMining

11stst Gold and Silver Gold and Silver

More long-lasting = aluminum, lead, tin, More long-lasting = aluminum, lead, tin, and zinc.and zinc.

11stst individuals—corporations. individuals—corporations.

Comstock LodeComstock Lode

Silver in Silver in NevadaNevada

Boom TownsBoom Towns Towns would Towns would

spring up almost spring up almost overnight where overnight where gold or silver was gold or silver was discovered.discovered.

When supply is When supply is all mined out, all mined out, everybody would everybody would leave= “ghost leave= “ghost towns”towns”

Cattle RanchingCattle Ranching Followed patterns Followed patterns

established by established by Mexicans/TexansMexicans/Texans

Open RangeOpen Range

Branding, roundups, Branding, roundups, long drives.long drives.

Chisholm TrialChisholm Trial

Mining/Ranching Mining/Ranching CommunitiesCommunities

Mostly menMostly men

Rowdy, Rowdy, lawlessnesslawlessness

VigilantesVigilantes

WomenWomen Married women performed Married women performed

traditional domestic duties.traditional domestic duties.

Single women = cooks, waitresses, Single women = cooks, waitresses, tavern keepers, laundries, and tavern keepers, laundries, and prostitutes.prostitutes.

Some even owned ranches.Some even owned ranches.

Western women could generally Western women could generally participate in politics.participate in politics.

More women in west could vote.More women in west could vote.

Why?Why?

Turner’s “Frontier Thesis”Turner’s “Frontier Thesis” Frederick Jackson TurnerFrederick Jackson Turner

1893 census says that the frontier is 1893 census says that the frontier is closed.closed.

Argued that the frontier was the Argued that the frontier was the most important aspect of American most important aspect of American development.development.

Fostered individualism and Fostered individualism and democracy. democracy.

Romance of the WestRomance of the West

Glorification of West as East Glorification of West as East became more industrialized became more industrialized and urban.and urban.

““Rocky Mountain School”Rocky Mountain School”

Myth of the CowboyMyth of the Cowboy

Romanticized as Romanticized as manly, individualistic, manly, individualistic, free from regular free from regular social constraints and social constraints and in touch with nature.in touch with nature.

Reality = low-paid, Reality = low-paid, tedious, grueling and tedious, grueling and little chance for little chance for advancement.advancement.

Wild West ShowsWild West Shows ““Buffalo Bill” CodyBuffalo Bill” Cody

Annie OakleyAnnie Oakley

Frederic RemingtonFrederic Remington

Western FarmersWestern Farmers

Flourished in the 1870s-Flourished in the 1870s-early 1880searly 1880s

Mid 1880s = Mid 1880s = overproduction(& drought) overproduction(& drought) in US farming and in US farming and Agrarian crisis.Agrarian crisis.

Transcontinental Railroad Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869.completed in 1869.

Allowed for more farmers Allowed for more farmers in Westin West

Promontory Point, Utah Promontory Point, Utah (1869)(1869)

The Govt. and the RR’sThe Govt. and the RR’s

Govt (both state and federal) gave Govt (both state and federal) gave many subsides to RR’s.many subsides to RR’s.

Free land (land grants)Free land (land grants)

Tax breaksTax breaks

Farmers vs. RanchersFarmers vs. Ranchers

Competition for space created Competition for space created tensions.tensions.

Range WarsRange Wars

Eventually led to fencing and end of Eventually led to fencing and end of “Open Range”“Open Range”

Cattle Drive TrailsCattle Drive Trails

Characteristics of Western Characteristics of Western FarmingFarming

Barbed WireBarbed Wire

IrrigationIrrigation

Droughts in late Droughts in late 1880s ruin many 1880s ruin many western farmers.western farmers.

Commercial AgricultureCommercial Agriculture

Increased CommercializationIncreased Commercialization. After . After Civil War, US agriculture became Civil War, US agriculture became primarily an international biz (focus primarily an international biz (focus is on cash crops)..is on cash crops)..

Prices went down, though, due to:Prices went down, though, due to: A. OverproductionA. Overproduction B. World CompetitionB. World Competition

Farmer’s GrievancesFarmer’s Grievances Blame others for their plightBlame others for their plight

RailroadsRailroads A. Charged higher rates for farm goods.A. Charged higher rates for farm goods. B. Higher rates for South & WestB. Higher rates for South & West C. “Long haul v. short haul”C. “Long haul v. short haul”

Eastern BankersEastern Bankers High interest ratesHigh interest rates ForeclosuresForeclosures

MiddlemenMiddlemen

Decline In StatusDecline In Status American farmers had been American farmers had been

mythologized since the founding of the mythologized since the founding of the country.country.

Jefferson “Those that labor the earth are Jefferson “Those that labor the earth are the chosen people of God…”the chosen people of God…”

By end of 19By end of 19thth century, Eastern century, Eastern industrialists seem to dominate society industrialists seem to dominate society while farmers situation is on the wane.while farmers situation is on the wane.