Settling the West

Chapter 13

Objectives

• Trace the growth of the mining industry in the West • Describe the ways that new technology changed

open-range ranching • Explain how and why people began settling the

Plains• Trace the growth of commercial farming on the

plains • Discuss conflicts that arose between the Plains

Indians and American settlers • Summarize the problems caused by attempts to

assimilate Native Americans

Key Terms

• Hydraulic Mining • Henry Comstock • Open Range Cattle • Chisholm Trail • Barbed Wire • Homestead Act • “Great American

Desert” • Dry farming

• Bonanza Farms • Oklahoma Land Rush• Morrill Act 1862 1890 • Nomads • Indian Peace

Commission • George A. Custer • Ghost Dance • Dawes Act

The Frontier

• Mining huge industry • Ranchers cattle and sheep on public land • Farmers fail--- bad weather, high cost of storing

and transporting • New inventions--- steel plow mechanical reapers

and windmills make it possible—barbed wire • Farmers make own party • Railroads connect the west • Plains Indians are destroyed

Mining Industry

• West is rich in gold, silver, and copper

• Brought settlers • Placer Mining---

shallow deposits used picks, shovels, and pans

Mining Mining

► Henry Comstock--- miner found Silver ore Henry Comstock--- miner found Silver ore ► Brought hoards of people to Nevada Brought hoards of people to Nevada ► Became a boom town Became a boom town ► Silver gone Silver gone ► This cycle was repeated This cycle was repeated ► Gold --- Colorado, Dakota Territory, Montana Gold --- Colorado, Dakota Territory, Montana ► Northern Greater Plains developed Northern Greater Plains developed ► Railroads built Railroads built ► Congress divides the territory –North and Congress divides the territory –North and

South Dakota Montana South Dakota Montana

Impact of Mining Impact of Mining

►Small mining gives way to big business Small mining gives way to big business ►Surface materials were quickly taken Surface materials were quickly taken ►Ended up in hands of eastern bankers Ended up in hands of eastern bankers ►Miners were first to realize importance Miners were first to realize importance

of west of west ►Added to nations wealth Added to nations wealth ►Paper backed by gold and silver Paper backed by gold and silver ►Mining improved the supply of money Mining improved the supply of money

First Transcontinental Railroad

Gold encouraged building for railroad Connected East to West Omaha, Nebraska and end in

Sacramento California First Transcontinental Railroad Union built Omaha to West Central Pacific stared in Sacramento Met at Promontory Point, Utah

Why are the Railroads Important??????

Get people to the mines Allowed western settlement Made it possible to move cattle back

east Quick way to transport goods Made ranching and farming profitable

Cattle Drives

Cattle Ranches--- too dry Texas Longhorns Ranches were able to grow Open Range – grassland owned by

government provided land ranchers could graze cattle ---free unrestricted

Long drives from Texas to sale Chisholm Trail – route to Abilene major

route town filled with cowboys and miners

Cattle Farming Driving Cattle becomes popular Sheep herders moved their flock Cattle farmers blocked “range wars” barbed wire makes

appearance Livestock is prevented from roaming Long Range Drives are ended Cattle now raised in fences, longhorns

disappear, and cowboys become ranch hands

Farming on the Plains

“Great American Desert” Construction of railroads and credit to

prospective settlers Pamphlets and Posters “ticket to

prosperity” Homestead Act--- 10 dollars (registration

fee) claim up to 160 acres and after living there for 5 years receive title

More willingly to move

Farming on Plains

Dry Farming --- Plant deep where there was moisture

Steel plows, seed drills, and reapers Wheat became the crop More people moved Wheat Belt – Dakotas, western parts of

Nebraska and Kansas Farms covered up to 50,000 acres called

Bonanza farms – big farms

Wheat Farming

1880’s United States leading exporter Prices drop Farmers had to mortgage land Homesteaders head home What is a homesteader??????

Closing Frontier

1889 last of frontier closed--- Oklahoma 10,000 people raced to stake claims Oklahoma Land Rush

Land Grant Universities

• Morrill Acts 1862 1890 –

• Granted land to colleges to teach

• Agriculture, Military Tactics, Mechanic Arts

• Alabama Polytechnic Institute

Native Americans Native Americans Great Plains were inhabited Great Plains were inhabited Nomads Nomads Placed belief in power of natural world Placed belief in power of natural world Buffalo main food source Buffalo main food source Settlers began moving Settlers began moving Buffalo decrease Buffalo decrease Direct cause railroads –used for food and killed for Direct cause railroads –used for food and killed for

blocking and destroying railroad tracks blocking and destroying railroad tracks Killed just for hides --- Killed just for hides --- Plains depended on them –food, shelter, tools. Weapons Plains depended on them –food, shelter, tools. Weapons

Plains Indians

Government wanted Native Americans to farm

Killing of buffalo Move to reservations—stop being

nomads --- Causes conflicts Settlers number grew =conflicts

Conflicts

Sand Creek Massacre– Native Americans distrust white men --- why???

Colorado militia slaughtered innocent women and children ----

Do not get charged with a crime Fetterman Massacre--- Battle of Little Big Horn

Big Change

Ranchers, miners, farmers Forced relocation (not honor treaties) Attack wagon trains and ranches Sioux in Minnesota Dakota Sioux agreed to live on reservation Government issued annuities ---payments Ended up with the traders 1862 Congress delayed payments Starving to death

Big Change Little Crow asks traders for food Myrick --- “let them eat grass…” Found dead Uprising Hundreds are slaughtered Tribunal many put to death Several Indian uprising Fetterman’s Massacre and Sand

Creek Massacre Indian Peace Commission--- 2 large reservations Indian Peace Commission 2 large reservations Indian Affairs (federal agency)

Last Wars Many left reservations Overrun with gold miners Battle of Little bighorn 1876--- Custer leader Underestimated fighting capabilities Launches attack Native Americans actually win Custer is painted as victim of massacre Army stepped up

Wounded Knee Ghost Dance --- defied government order Symbolic dance –settlers disappear, buffalo

return, and return of deceased ancestors Government tried to break it up Battle ensued 25 soldiers and 200 Native

Americans died

Native Americans Native Americans

A Century of Dishonor 1881--- described A Century of Dishonor 1881--- described the abuse the abuse

Assimilation---- break up reservations Assimilation---- break up reservations Families could be self supporting Families could be self supporting Dawes Act --- 1887 allotted 160 to each Dawes Act --- 1887 allotted 160 to each

head of household head of household Single –80 children 40Single –80 children 40 Land sold to settlers $ going to fund Land sold to settlers $ going to fund Fails --- dependant on buffalo for food Fails --- dependant on buffalo for food Had to adapt to settlers way of life Had to adapt to settlers way of life

Farmers Farmers

Grange --- fraternal order of farmers Grange --- fraternal order of farmers Upset : High Tariffs, income did not keep Upset : High Tariffs, income did not keep

up with rest of economy, hard time paying up with rest of economy, hard time paying debts, bade weather, expensive debts, bade weather, expensive machinery, high rates to ship, machinery, high rates to ship,

Form own political party =Grange Form own political party =Grange To unite farm families To unite farm families Coops and farmers alliance ---cheap seed Coops and farmers alliance ---cheap seed

and fertilizers and fertilizers Farmers alliance = exchanges ---force Farmers alliance = exchanges ---force

prices up interest rates down prices up interest rates down

Farmers Demands Farmers Demands

Ocala Demands ---- Ocala Demands ---- Free unlimited coining of silver coins Free unlimited coining of silver coins

(reduce inflation) (reduce inflation) Tighter regulations on railroads Tighter regulations on railroads Suppport for the sub treasury plan Suppport for the sub treasury plan

(government warehouses (government warehouses End protective tariffs End protective tariffs Graduated income tax Graduated income tax Direct election of Senators Direct election of Senators

Why????? Why?????

Greenbacks --- formed to fight inflation Greenbacks --- formed to fight inflation More money in circulating less it is More money in circulating less it is

worth pay debt off worth pay debt off Railroads –monopoly on transportation Railroads –monopoly on transportation Warehouses ---store crops till price Warehouses ---store crops till price

rose – called the sub treasury plan - rose – called the sub treasury plan - government loan money to pay off government loan money to pay off crops –farmer could hold the crop in crops –farmer could hold the crop in warehouse till price rises warehouse till price rises

Populist Party Populist Party

People’s Party People’s Party Help farmers Help farmers Sherman Solver Purchase Act 1890– Sherman Solver Purchase Act 1890–

keep farmers voting Populist --- keep farmers voting Populist --- treasury purchase 4.5 million ounces treasury purchase 4.5 million ounces silver per month silver per month

Put up a candidate for President Put up a candidate for President

Essay

• Obviously, there was animosity between the Native Americans and the people making the move out west. Describe the federal governments attempt to resolve the conflict (including the consequences of it) and the attempt to assimilate Native Americans into American society.

• Dawes Act, allotments, Indian Peace Commission, Battle of Little Bighorn, and Wounded Knee

Study Guide

• Comstock Lode • Transcontinental Railroad ---where it started and ended

and importance • Sherman Silver Purchase Act • Farmers Party –why formed and what it stood for • Grievances of Farmers • Ocala Demands • Sub treasury plan • Governmental control of Native Americans ---what did

they want • Importance of railroads

Study Guide

• Promontory Point, Utah

• What closed the frontier

• Impact of mining

• Disappearance of Buffalo --- what caused it

• Farmers alliance

• Cooperative