Goal 3 and 4 Review

Wilmot’s Proviso Northern Congressman David Wilmot did not want the potential

territories acquired from the Mexican War to become slave states. Wilmot attempted to add to a bill [hopeful law] to ban slavery in any new

territory. Wilmot’s Proviso riled up Southern states and caused sectionalist

arguments throughout the United States. Wilmot’s Proviso was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives but

later declared unconstitutional by the Dred Scott case ruling.

Popular Sovereignty• Popular=people or citizens• Sovereignty=self rule/self control• Popular Sovereignty=Citizens rule/control themselves

democratically.

• Disagreements over the slavery issue were created by Wilmot’s Proviso.

• The decision was made to allow citizens of each Western territory to vote on and decide the slave or non-slave status of the territory.

The Free Soil Party• The Free Soil Party was an abolitionist leaning political party with its origins in New York .• Although most so-called Free Soilers were against slavery, most wanted the new territories

to be free from having blacks to provide exclusive farm opportunities for white farmers.• The slogan of the Free Soil Party was “Free soil, free speech, free labor and free men.”

• The party was too controversial and was never able to win the presidency.

The Compromise of 1850• As a way of trying to heal divisions over slavery in the Western Territories between

supporters and opponents two old war hawks Henry Clay and John Calhoun essentially led the way to a compromise.

[A] California was admitted as a free state in 1850.[B] Utah and New Mexico would decide slave status by popular sovereignty.[C] Strict Fugitive Slave Law was passed to return slaves who escaped to free states.

The Fugitive Slave Act The federal Fugitive Slave Act included as

part of the Compromise of 1850 was very harsh.

Northerners were required to participate as witnesses or to help in seizures.

Any “colored” person free or escaped had only to be “pointed out” to be arrested.

After a capture a federal commissioner decided if the person would be sent South.

Fees of $10 were paid to commissioners for each judgment against captured persons [incentive to deport].

The tension and pressure created by the law was incredible. Secret Freeman Societies were formed to protect and hide colored people from seizures.

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad A former slave born in Maryland who gained her freedom by escaping as a 29 year old

woman. In 1849 she became a conductor [escape leader] on the Underground Railroad.

Tubman secretly traveled South more than a dozen times to lead escaped slaves to freedom.

The “railroad” was actually a series of clandestine [secret] routes that led to Northern states and Canada.

Most of the supporters were white abolitionists who risked jail and heavy fines for harboring runaway slaves.

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Harriet Stowe was raised by one of the most well known New England ministerial families [most of the men were preachers] who were also abolitionists.

Stowe, after hearing about the horrors connected to the Fugitive Slave Act, authored one of the most tragic American novels ever written [sold over 300,000 copies in 1852] called Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Her story about the murder of a slave at the hands of his master was one of the leading events toward ending slavery.

Southerners were outraged at how they were portrayed and Northerners were outraged at the horrors of the slave system.

Gadsden Purchase• If you remember from Goal 1 in order to create a better route for

railroads to the Southern city New Orleans…

• Territory in Arizona and New Mexico was bought from Mexico.

• The territory was given free status [no slave holding allowed].

Kansas-Nebraska Act• An example of popular sovereignty in the Western territories was the Kansas-

Nebraska Act.

• This law gave settlers the power to decide if they wanted to allow slavery or prohibit slavery.

• Kansas-Nebraska Act=Popular sovereignty

Bleeding Kansas• During the 1850s many riots, fights and skirmishes took place in the Kansas

territory.• Because the area was not regulated by the U.S. government lawlessness was able

to take place frequently [armed robberies, murders, etc.].• Anti-slavery “free-staters” fought against slave supporters .• Even in Congress lawmakers fought over whether to allow slavery including the

Brooks-Sumner Incident [Abolitionist Senator was severely beaten with a cane by a South Carolina House Representative over an anti-slave speech].

Know-Nothing Party• A political party that participated in violence against immigrants was

the Know-Nothing Party.• The group was considered to be nativist because it wanted to

preserve American language and culture from foreign influence.

Dred Scott versus Sanford• Slave Dred Scott sued in court for his freedom from

his slave master.

• He believed he should be freed because he and his wife had been held illegally as slaves in Missouri and Illinois where slavery was unlawful.

• The U.S. Supreme Court did not agree with Scott because he was considered property not a citizen [therefore he had no legal standing to sue].

• Abolitionists were furious with the Court’s decision and tension between the North and South increased.

• He was later freed by his owner despite the court ruling.

Republican Party• Abraham Lincoln and several other elected officials formed a new Republican Party

based on anti-slavery and abolition reforms.

• Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States in 1860 and a major part of his platform [set of ideas] was abolition of slavery.

• In fact the Emancipation Proclamation was issued to free all slaves in 1862.

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates• Political debates between two candidates for U.S. Senate: Abraham Lincoln and Stephen

Douglas in 1858.• The main issue discussed was the abolition of slavery and the prohibition of slavery in the

Western territories such as Kansas and Nebraska.• Neither candidate favored slavery but Lincoln believed immediate abolition would tear the

nation apart.• Douglas supported his Freeport Doctrine which allowed popular sovereignty to decide the

slavery issue in the Western Territories.

John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry• John Brown was an abolitionist

originally from Connecticut [North] .

• He absolutely hated slavery and fought several times to abolish it [including in Bleeding Kansas].

• In 1859 he decided to attack a militia fort that had weapons with 20 other men [including blacks] at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.

• His force was defeated by nearly 100 U.S. Marines. He was captured and put on trial for treason.

• He was found guilty and hanged.

• John Wilkes Booth witnessed the execution and was so angry he vowed revenge against the North.

The Election of 1860• The United States had been under a lot of stress for at least 10 years over the

slavery issue.

• The Wilmot Proviso, Bleeding Kansas, Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Harper’s Ferry Raid were just a few issues that concerned citizens.

• Abraham Lincoln a republican from Illinois was elected the 16th president of the United States. He soon after signed and authorized the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves in 1862.

Succession, Fort Sumter and the Confederacy• Southern states were extremely angry

with Lincoln’s proposals to end slavery.

• Seven states led by South Carolina decided to succeed [get away from] from the United States. After Ft. Sumter 4 more states joined the rebellion.

• South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina formed the Confederate States of America.

•The Confederacy had seized all U.S. property aside from Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

•Northerners were horrified with Southern acts of aggression and tried to compromise but all efforts failed.

•The fighting began at Ft. Sumter was started by the Confederacy.

President Lincoln reaches out to the South • In his inauguration speech on March 4, 1861 the president said the North and

South “must not be enemies…and break our bonds of affection.”

• Before Ft. Sumter and its troops could be re-supplied by a Union warship the U.S. commander major Robert Anderson [outgunned and outmanned] surrendered after 33 constant hours of canon fire.

The Confederacy and Jefferson Davis• Southern states that had not yet

seceded wanted to compromise and seek peace with the Union.

• All compromises failed because either some slavery would persist or no slavery would be permitted.

• In February of 1861 an independent new nation was created by 7 former Southern states who were later joined by 4 more.

• The Confederate States of America [C.S.A.] was created.

• Jefferson Davis [former U.S. senator] was elected President of the Confederacy.

The Union’s Blockade• To trap and apply pressure to the Confederacy President Lincoln applied a

blockade of all major Southern ports: Wilmington, Charleston and Vicksburg.

• The blockade strategy was designed to restrict supplies to the South.

• Small boats [blockade runners] were able to outrun large Union ships to provide supplies but much fewer supplies reached Southern ports.

Battle of Bull Run• In order to seize a key railroad center in Manassas, Virginia President Lincoln ordered a full

scale attack to capture the rail line along the Bull Run River.• The early attack by Union troops was pushed back by Confederate troops led by General

Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.• Confederate troops were able to gain the advantage because of reinforcements from

Virginia. This was the first of a few key battles the Confederate army won.

Lincoln’s internal problems and conflicts• Copperheads-Like the poisonous

snake of the same name this group of democrats wanted to negotiate with the South instead of fighting.

• Conscription-Because of a lack of willing troops both the North and South were forced to draft soldiers. If a person had $300 cash or had a willing substitute he could avoid conscription.

• Suspension of Habeas Corpus-Lincoln held people in jail without trial for indefinite time periods until they complied with laws.

• Martial Law-Lincoln sent soldiers to enforce order where rioting or disorder took place and suspend civil rights such as legal counsel and court appearances.

New Military TechnologiesReconnaissance balloons-These devices were used to track

opposing armies from high above the battlefields.

Conoidal bullets-These devices improved the ability of soldiers to hit enemies more accurately and from longer distances.

Ironclads-Improved the ability of navies to attack enemies and defend themselves from attack because of protective steel armor.

Telegraph-Allowed long distance communication between armies and commanders.

Antietam• The bloodiest one day battle of the Civil War.• General Lee’s confederate forces attacked the North in Maryland.• Over 6,000 men were killed and over were 16,000 wounded.• This battle was devastating for the South and invigorating for the North.

Vicksburg• The battle of Vicksburg was a key victory for the Union because it captured control

of the Mississippi River.• Southern trade and supply was choked and almost completely cut off.• General Grant laid siege to the Confederate troops who were “dug in” by constant

artillery bombing.• After 6 weeks the Confederate soldiers who were still fighting surrendered

Vicksburg to General Grant.

Gettysburg• The “last straw” or last major stand for the Confederates who were led by General

Lee was attacking the Union army at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.• The result was a disaster for the Confederacy.• Altogether over 51,000 men were killed or wounded [28,000 were Confederates].• The Union was motivated by an earlier battle loss at Chickamauga, Georgia.

• The Confederacy never recovered from the loss at Gettysburg.

Sherman’s March

• Union General William Tecumseh Sherman was ordered to finish off the Confederacy.

• To end the war Sherman marched his army from Atlanta to Savannah in Georgia then to Raleigh, N.C.

• He destroyed rail lines, burned buildings, homes and arsenals.• The remaining Confederacy was destroyed after Sherman’s March was done.

General Ulysses S. Grant

• Grant was, by the end of the Civil War, the lead general of the Union.

• He had been determined to destroy the Southern rebellion at the orders of President Lincoln.

• He became so popular for his military successes that he was later elected President of the United States.

General Robert E. Lee

• Before the Civil War began he was so respected within the U.S. army he was asked to led the Union army.

• He refused the offer because he was a Virginian and was named leader of the Confederate Military forces.

• He took many bold risks and lost the Civil War largely due to Northern industrial and population strength.

• He was forced to surrender to the Union at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

Union Generals• Several union generals played important roles in the Union’s battles.• President Lincoln had to fire several of them for lack of success in battles.• McClellan, Burnside and Hooker were all fired by Lincoln for losing too many men

or making bad decisions.• General Sherman was most well known for being aggressive and burning Southern

towns as revenge for seceding from the Union.

General McClellan

General Burnside

General Hooker

General Meade

General Sherman

Appomattox Court house

• After General Lee realized his Confederate forces could not defeat superior Union forces he decided surrender was necessary to avoid further slaughter.

• Grant allowed Lee to surrender and not be prosecuted for treason.

• Confederate soldiers were allowed to return home with their horses.

Election of 1864• Because of the success of the Union during the end of the

Civil War Lincoln was re-elected.

• Lincoln was also able to push through the 13th Amendment which officially ended slavery for all remaining slaves in the United States.

John Wilkes Booth• John Wilkes a very popular actor from a prominent family who was outraged by

the defeat of his beloved South.• He along with several accomplices developed a plan to kill Lincoln and his cabinet.• Booth snuck up behind Lincoln during a play in Washington, D.C. and shot him in

the back of the head on April 14, 1865. • Lincoln died of the gunshot wound the next morning.

Assassination of President Lincoln 4-14-1865

Reconstruction Plans Lincoln’s Plan of Reconstruction-In

order to reconcile with the South Lincoln suggested the 10 percent plan which allowed Confederate states back into the Union if 10 % of the voters swore allegiance to the Union. All Southerners were granted amnesty except high ranking members of the Confederacy.

Thaddeus Stevens’ Congressional Plan of Reconstruction-Called a Radical Republican because he and his supporters wanted to prevent former Confederates from regaining power. His plan forced Southern states to accept black voting rights by passing the 14th and 15th Amendments .

Johnson’s Plan of Reconstruction-Built on Lincoln’s Plan and required [A] a loyalty oath [B] excluded high ranking Confederates [C] Southern states had to ratify 13th Amendment.

Freedmen’s Bureau• The Freedmen’s Bureau was created immediately after the end of the Civil War. It

was a federal government agency funded by tax money.• The mission of the agency was to create homes and places for displaced slaves to

live.• Freed slaves were given land abandoned by former Southern slave holders.• Schools were created for freed slaves, job training and education was made

available for the newly freed slaves.

President Johnson’s Impeachment• Tenure of Office Act-A law passed by Congress in 1866 to prevent the President of the

United States from having the power to fire government officials without the approval of the U.S. Senate.

• The law was passed despite Johnson’s veto.• Johnson fired his Secretary of War in defiance of the Tenure of Office Act [the firing was not

approved by the Senate].• An impeachment trial was held but the Senate voted not to remove the president by one

vote.

Black Codes• As a measure of retaliation and in response to the Union’s strict reconstruction

requirements Southern states passed racist, anti-black laws.

• Freed blacks had strict restrictions placed on them in the work place, job training and in schools.

Sharecroppers and Tenant Farmers• Freed slaves usually had very few job skills other than farming because they had mostly

been farm hands.

• Because many free blacks did not own their own land they were forced to become sharecroppers or tenant farmers. These jobs kept free blacks in poverty.

• Sharecroppers-farm an owner’s land and give a large share [percentage] of crops as rental payment.

• Tenant farmers-same as above but the farmer also lives on the landlord’s land.

•In order to preserve the worst parts of the Southern culture [way of life] racist laws were passed to segregate [separate] blacks and whites in public places.

• Blacks who tried to use public facilities such as water fountains, buses and schools could be arrested and fined. Some times violators were lynched [kidnapped and hanged without trial by angry mobs of people].

Jim Crow Laws

The Grandfather Clause• In general, a Grandfather clause is

an exception that allows an old rule that was changed to apply in certain new circumstances.

• In the South during the late 1800s even though the 15th Amendment granted voting rights to all blacks certain states passed racist voting laws to prevent them from voting.

• Some laws stated that if your grandfather ,who was a slave, had not been able vote neither could you. Even if you were a free man!

Carpetbaggers, Scalawags and the Ku Klux Klan• Carpetbaggers were Northerners who came South to take advantage of economic

opportunities. The term was considered negative because they were hated by Southerners who felt exploited [used and taken advantage of].

• Scalawags were Southerners who complied with federal laws and were considered traitors to fellow Southerners because they supported Reconstruction.

• As a reaction to federal pressure to give equal rights and freedoms to blacks a terror group called the Ku Klux Klan formed to threaten and reverse gains made by freed blacks.

The Whiskey Ring Scandal• Many Southerners were very suspicious of

the U.S. Government and its Republican Party leaders.

• In 1875 a financial scandal was exposed proving that federal government officials were corrupt and stealing tax money collected from federal Whiskey taxes.

• It was claimed by many Southerners that the federal government was unworthy.

• After this scandal President Grant was no longer as trusted or as well respected as before.

Election of 1876 and the Compromise of 1877• U.S. citizens were mostly fed up with the

ineptitude of President Grant and the depressed economy.

• The alleged corruption and suspected scandals committed by Grant’s administration had soured American voters.

• New York Governor Samuel E. Tilden the democratic candidate opposed former General and Southerner Rutherford B. Hayes.

• Tilden actually won the popular vote but due to Southern violence and pressure from railroad companies a deal was struck to give the presidency to Hayes in exchange for White House patronage [jobs]. Hayes lasted one term as president.

Solid South/Southern Democrats• Because of hatred toward Lincoln and

Grant voters in the South rejected Republican candidates after the Civil War.

• Democrats could count on Southern votes in both state and national elections.

• Every presidential election from 1876 to 1948 went solidly Democratic.

• Extremely negative features of the Solid South were segregation and Jim Crow laws.

MILITARY RECONSTRUCTION• Because there was a lot of disagreement in the U.S. Congress and still desire for

Southern rebellion Lincoln installed military rule throughout the South.• The South was separated into 5 military districts with appointed Military

governors who controlled each region.• Resentment, shame and hard feelings arose in the heart of many Southerners who

believed they were again being oppressed by the Union.

13TH AMENDMENT• One week before President Lincoln was assassinated the 13th Amendment

passed the U.S. House of Representatives.• One year later the 13th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution.• The 13th Amendment banned, prohibited and forbade slavery within the

United States and its Western territories.

14TH AMENDMENT

• In 1868 the 14th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution in order to provide equal protection to all citizens under the law.

• The intent of this law was to ban discrimination against people who at one time were slaves and to destroy racist state laws such as the Grandfather Clause.

• It took nearly 100 years for the full effect of 14th Amendment to take place because of numerous court challenges.

15TH AMENDMENT

• In 1870 the 15th Amendment prohibited voting discrimination.

• The specific language stated that voting rights could not be restricted based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

• Voting rights could only be restricted based on minimum age and criminal convictions.

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1866

• This federal law banned discrimination against all people with the exception of some same Native-American tribes.

• The purpose of the law was to combat racism and discrimination.

ELECTION OF 1866

• Elections throughout the United States centered around whether to support or reject Reconstruction.

• Radical Republicans wanted to continue military occupation in the South. Southern Democrats wanted to continue Jim Crow laws.

• President Johnson wanted a lenient Reconstruction Plan.

• The Republican party [not the radicals] won most of the elections but military occupation lasted only a few years longer.

Gold Rush Gold was discovered by prospector James Marshall in early 1848. At first the precious metal

was found in streams and river beds using primitive methods such as panning. Later more advanced mechanized methods were used to quarry entire mountainsides for gold.

After news of Marshall’s discovery thousands of men journeyed to strike it rich in California. Many foreigners from China and South America came to prospect for gold but were victimized by anti-immigrant laws and violence.

Eventually over 300,000 people came to the region forming boomtowns and settlements that later expanded such as in San Francisco, California.

Comstock Lode• After Gold Fever had swept the West. Henry Comstock mistakenly discovered enormous

deposits of pure silver in sticky, blue clay as he was prospecting for gold in the Nevada territory in 1858 spurring a sliver rush in 1859. Prospectors were called the ’59ers.

• News of silver deposits caused the population of Nevada to explode and it was soon after admitted as a state.

• The large profits reaped from the silver mines were useful in funding the U.S. Civil War.

Homestead Act Law passed by President Lincoln in 1862 to encourage

Western expansion.

For $10 individuals could apply for a land grant [free land]. Freed blacks and poor whites often took advantage of this. Former Confederates were excluded.

Lots of 160 acres were available if homesteaders improved the land by developing and farming it. After 5 years homesteaders owned the property outright.

Life for U.S. Settlers on the Great Plains

• Life for settlers on the Great Plains was extremely harsh and challenging.

• During summer months temperatures were regularly greater than 100 degrees.

• During the winters extreme cold temperatures and severe snow storms were frequent.

• Timber/Lumber was very rare on the prairies so settlers built sodhouses out of tightly packed blocks of earth and sod [grass]. The threat of destruction from fire was ever present during the dry summer months.

• Occasional swarms of grasshoppers/locusts could also destroy crops within hours.

Morrill Land Grant Act• In 1862 and 1890 laws were passed to grant [give/gift] land to create public

colleges.• Most states received money to start “state colleges” such as Penn State,

Michigan State and N.C. State [there were many, many more].• These colleges and universities expanded the existing knowledge of science

and agriculture throughout the United States.• In general, opportunities for higher education were expanded beyond the

wealthy and elite to previously uneducated citizens.

Oklahoma Land Rush• In 1889 thousands of Americans “rushed” to claim land in the Oklahoma territory when

the U.S. Government opened settlement there.• Within months the population went from 100s to over 100,000.• Many people illegally entered the area “too soon” and hid out beyond the territory’s

border to scout the best land tracts [The people were known as Sooners].• After Oklahoma was opened officially the best land was quickly taken by the Sooners.

Unique Experiences of: Chinese immigrants• Starting in the 1840s Chinese workers [sometimes called coolies]

traveled overseas to the Americas, Europe and Africa to work [mostly men].

• The work was mostly hard, strenuous labor and for very low pay.• In the United States the laborers built the Transcontinental Railroads.• Jealousy and suspicion from other Americans was common because

Chinese often supplanted other workers particularly the Irish.

Unique Experiences of: Women• Women were at least half of the population in the U.S. during the

1880s and 1890s.• Unfortunately, because of the culture of the times, women were often

considered to be second class citizens with fewer legal rights than men.• The types of work women performed was often limited to domestic

work [home cleaning, sewing/textiles production and farm work].• Single [unmarried, divorced or widowed] women sometimes engaged

in illegal or “immoral” types of work such as saloon girls in brothels [houses of prostitution] and bar keeping.

Unique Experiences of: African-Americans• After passage of the 13th Amendment African-Americans were free to work where they

could find employment.• Unfortunately racism and discriminatory laws [Jim Crow] prevented freed blacks from

achieving equal opportunities.• The Homestead Act allowed blacks to go West and own land.• Poor freed blacks who remained in the South often were Sharecroppers who were exploited

by landlords and remained poor.• Many Southern blacks went North during the Great Migration for job opportunities in

factories.

Unique Experiences of: Irish immigrants

• During the 1840s millions of Irish fled their homeland due to the Potato Famine.• Most of these emigrants came to the United States seeking jobs.• The earliest immigrants took jobs building the railroads.• Many riots between Irish and Chinese workers broke out over labor competition.• During the U.S. Civil many Irishmen protesting against conscription and

participated in anti-draft riots using extreme violence.

Transcontinental Railroad and its Construction• Train tracks were built across the entire United States connecting West to

East and North to South.• Construction took place from the 1860s to 1910s.• The work was very dangerous due to terrain ,[cliffs, valleys and mountains]

weather [extreme heat and cold] and types of equipment used [dynamite].• Irish and Chinese immigrants were early laborers who roughed the harsh

conditions for low wages.

Sand Creek Massacre

• One of the most disgraceful events in U.S. military history.• Cheyenne and Arapaho Nation peoples were mostly friendly with U.S. citizens near their territories.• In 1864 the U.S. Civil War was still being fought and Union armies were always on high alert to possible

threats.• The Cheyenne Chief, Black Kettle, approached the U.S. Army post, Fort Lyon, in Colorado for a meeting and

was told to wait.• U.S. Army Colonel Chivington may have misunderstood the situation or felt threatened by the Chief.• The end result was the slaughter and mutilation by the U.S. Army of over 100 Native Americans including

women and children.

Battle of Little Bighorn• One of the most embarrassing defeats in U.S. Military

history. • During a patrol Lt. Colonel George Custer encountered a

massive camp of Lakota and Cheyenne people.• Custer launched an attack in three separate directions

underestimating the Natives.• Custer and all of his troops but one were killed as a result of

the leadership of Lakota Chief Sitting Bull.

Buffalo Soldiers• One of the first all black army units in the United States.• The 10th Cavalry Regiment was formed in 1866 to fight in the U.S. Civil War.• The soldiers received their nickname from the Native tribes they fought.• According to historians it was because of both their dark skin and dark curly hair

that similar to the buffalo. Also the ferocity with which they fought.

Wounded Knee Massacre• The U.S. Government had banned the Ghost Dance for all Native tribes.• The Ghost Dance was when Natives led by a Chief or spiritual leader would

call the spirits to help them.• The U.S. Government believed the dance threatened peace with the natives.• On December 29, 1890 at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota over 150

Sioux were killed by U.S. Army troops after they tried to disarm the Sioux during a ceremony.

Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce• Chief Joseph was the leader of the Nez Perce Nation located

in what is now Oregon.• U.S. Forces attempted to remove the Nez Perce Nation to a

reservation in Idaho.• His people refused and fought the U.S. Army.• Under Joseph’s leadership the Nez Perce were able to resist

by using effective military tactics such as baited ambushes.• Eventually the Nez Perce fled to Canada to avoid U.S. Forces

but later returned and accepted life on the reservation.

Reservation System and the Dawes Act

• In 1891 Senator Henry Dawes led the passage of the Dawes Act [a.k.a. the Dawes Severalty Act].

• To solve the Indian Problem land was reserved [set aside] to remove them from their ancestral lands.

• Vast areas called reservations were created at different locations in order to make room for American settlers on ancestral “Indian” lands. “Indians” were required to live on these new reservations.

Frederick Jackson Turner and Helen Hunt Jackson• Two American authors who chronicled [wrote about] the effects of Western

expansion were Frederick Jackson Turner and Helen Hunt Jackson.

• Turner explained that settlement of the Western Frontier was important but would eventually lead to overseas expansion.

• Jackson wrote a book called A Century of Dishonor that criticized the injustice and mistreatment of Native-Americans by the United States.

The Grange

• A united group of American farmers who came together to fight for their rights and defend their economic interests. This group of farmers called itself the Grange.

• Farmers believed they were being exploited by railroads.

• Railroads were charging huge fees to transport farmers’ crops and livestock.

• The Grange wanted the U.S. Government to step in regulate the railroads.

Farmers’ AlliancesSeveral other farmers’ groups came together in different regions:

Southern Alliance-Farmers from the Southern part of the U.S. who grew/raised tobacco, hogs and cotton.

Colored farmers-Mostly sharecroppers and tenant farmers who grew cotton, tobacco and corn in the South.

Money Policy• To strengthen the U.S. economy several monetary policies were attempted.• Greenbacks-During the U.S. Civil War with the lack of gold the Union [and

Confederacy] issued paper currency that promised to pay the face value [$5, $10, $50, etc] with “to the bearer on demand.” The government was asking people to trust it to pay gold later on.

• Gold Standard-This policy forced the U.S. government to issue only the amount of paper money the U.S. had in gold reserves in the U.S. Treasury.

• Bimetallism-This policy allowed the U.S. government to issue paper money based on gold and silver reserves.

Railroad Court Cases

• Two landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases were influenced by the pressure exerted on the U.S. Government by the Grange.

• Wabash vs. Illinois in 1886 the Court ruled that individual states could not interfere with interstate commerce related to railroads. The Interstate Commerce Act was passed soon after this decision in order to control trade between states.

• Munn vs. Illinois in 1887 the Court ruled that states could regulate businesses within their borders.

Omaha Platform• The set of ideas [platform] adopted by the Populist

party.

• The main objective of the Populist Party was for the U.S. government to own all the railroads and telegraphs.

William Jennings BryanIn 1896 at the Democratic National Convention William Jennings Bryan was a candidate for the presidential nomination as a democrat.

He represented the state of Nebraska which had thousands of farmers.

In a famous speech criticizing the gold standard Bryan believed that bimetallism [gold and silver supported currency] would make more moneyavailable for cash poor farmers.

Recording of speech

Text of speech

Andrew Carnegie• Andrew Carnegie was a steel magnate who owned the

largest steel company in the United States: U.S. Steel Corporation.

• Carnegie created a business strategy called vertical integration.

• Vertical integration was strategy that combined separate elements of Carnegie’s business under one organization. The efficiency could not be matched and competitors were eliminated.

•Money was saved by Carnegie because he did not have to use outside companies at any time to make and eventually sell his product.

•Sale•Production•Labor•Raw materials

John D. RockefellerJohn D. Rockefeller was an oil baron who

monopolized the oil industry.

His pricing model and trust strategy eventually drove his competitors out of business.

He combined his operations with willing competitors and reduced his prices below cost [losing money temporarily].

When all competition was eliminated he raised oil prices to whatever he wanted. Customers had no other options and had to pay whatever he charged.

Horizontal integration was used by Rockefeller to dominate an entire industry by allying with selected competitors into trusts. His dominant business spread out and took over competing businesses.

Dominant business

Competing business

Competing business

Competing business

Refrigerated Railroad Cars• Railroad companies invented a refrigerated car in order to preserve crops

from spoiling.

• Railroads were able to charge more for the freight and earn more money.

• Farmers were able to earn more money because their crops did not perish and as a result saved in order to be sold.

Barbed Wire• On the Western Frontier cattle ranchers used barbed wire to

contain and fence in their livestock to prevent them from being stolen from cattle rustlers [cow thieves].

• Border and property disputes occurred because there was less open free range for cattle grazing.

• The invention of barbed wire was developed by Joseph Glidden as a way to improve fence strength of the existing types of fence wire.

WindmillsWindmills were used to harness

the power of the wind for electricity and farm machinery.

The energy generated by the technology was free [after the cost of purchase] and renewable.

Also, no pollution was created as a result of using windmills. It allowed farmers to be energy independent.

Farmers’ Cooperatives• In order to create more opportunities for poor farmers to succeed

despite large odds against them cooperatives were founded.

• The purpose of a cooperative was to pool [gather/combine] resources such as land, cash and equipment.

• Farmers could borrow money from the cooperatives to buy seed, fertilizer or workers.

Example of farming cooperative Click on link below