Virginia City, Nevada, site of the “Big Bonanza.”Virginia City, Nevada, site of the “Big Bonanza.”

Learning Goals: Learning Goals: 1.1. Explain how the Explain how the

discovery of gold and discovery of gold and silver in the West silver in the West caused a population caused a population surge.surge.

2.2. Summarize the Summarize the growth and decline of growth and decline of the long drives in the the long drives in the cattle industry.cattle industry.

3.3. Identify forces that Identify forces that increased population increased population in western cities and in western cities and in the Southwest.in the Southwest.

Journal: Journal: Imagine Imagine

that you are a famous that you are a famous

outlaw from the West. outlaw from the West.

Write a diary entryWrite a diary entry

about one of your about one of your

robberies.robberies.

Explanation: You may Explanation: You may

write about a train, write about a train,

bank, or stagecoach bank, or stagecoach

robbery.robbery.

1. The hope of 1. The hope of striking it rich, striking it rich, also known as also known as “gold fever,”“gold fever,” attracted attracted prospectors to prospectors to the Westthe West from from all over the all over the world.world. A map of the California A map of the California

gold country.gold country.

Samuel Brannan (1819-Samuel Brannan (1819-1899) set off the gold 1899) set off the gold rush that brought rush that brought thousands of people to thousands of people to California. Brannan was a California. Brannan was a successful merchant in successful merchant in San Francisco. On May San Francisco. On May 12, 1848, he showed a 12, 1848, he showed a container of gold on the container of gold on the street and cried: "Gold! street and cried: "Gold! Gold! Gold from the Gold! Gold from the American River!"American River!"

2. 2. The Comstock The Comstock LodeLode was was discovered discovered in in western Nevada western Nevada and created and created the the “boomtown,” “boomtown,” Virginia City.Virginia City. A A lode is a deposit lode is a deposit of valuable of valuable mineral buried in mineral buried in layers of rock.layers of rock.

• Silver miners in a mine.

Silver miners at the Comstock Lode. Silver miners at the Comstock Lode.

Think-Pair- ShareThink-Pair- ShareImagine you are a young person seeking Imagine you are a young person seeking to make your fortune in the west. What to make your fortune in the west. What career do you think you would be career do you think you would be prepared to do if you moved to the prepared to do if you moved to the West? Why?West? Why?

Think about your answer and then turn Think about your answer and then turn to a neighbor and share your thoughts. to a neighbor and share your thoughts. We will share as a group.We will share as a group.

3. Two problems that miners faced 3. Two problems that miners faced were were lung problems caused by lung problems caused by dust and cave-ins that could trap dust and cave-ins that could trap peoplepeople..

Cave in!Cave in!

4. A lasting 4. A lasting effect of the effect of the mining boom mining boom was that was that Nevada, Nevada, Colorado, and Colorado, and South Dakota South Dakota grew rapidly and grew rapidly and gained rapid gained rapid statehoodstatehood.. J. Neely Johnson, J. Neely Johnson,

president of Nevada’s president of Nevada’s Constitutional Convention.Constitutional Convention.

South Dakota’s South Dakota’s state flag.state flag.

Think-Pair- ShareThink-Pair- ShareExplorers depleted resources of the West, Explorers depleted resources of the West, exploiting Native American civilizations and exploiting Native American civilizations and their natural products. If you were to colonize their natural products. If you were to colonize a planet in space, what safeguards would you a planet in space, what safeguards would you provide to protect and conserve the provide to protect and conserve the resources of the planet?resources of the planet?

Think about your answer and then turn to a Think about your answer and then turn to a neighbor and share your thoughts. We will neighbor and share your thoughts. We will share as a groupshare as a group..

5. Many 5. Many cowhands in cowhands in the West were the West were African African Americans who Americans who came to escape came to escape the southern the southern Black CodesBlack Codes..

6. The main 6. The main factor that led to factor that led to the decline of the the decline of the cattle industry cattle industry was that morewas that more settlers moved to settlers moved to the Great Plains the Great Plains and fencedand fenced their their landslands in with in with barbed wire.barbed wire.

Cattle were targeted Cattle were targeted by cow thieves called by cow thieves called

rustlers. rustlers. People fenced in their People fenced in their

land to protect the land to protect the cattle from being cattle from being

stolen.stolen.

Think-Pair- ShareThink-Pair- ShareClose examination of the land has Close examination of the land has determined it is cheaper and faster to lay determined it is cheaper and faster to lay rail through a sacred Indian burial rail through a sacred Indian burial ground than through a mountainside. ground than through a mountainside. Should the government break a treaty Should the government break a treaty with the Indians and build on their land with the Indians and build on their land or spend millions and tunnel through? or spend millions and tunnel through? Think about your answer and then turn to a neighbor Think about your answer and then turn to a neighbor and share your thoughts. We will share as a group.and share your thoughts. We will share as a group.

7. Some 7. Some citizens in the citizens in the West formedWest formed vigilante groups vigilante groups becausebecause rapidly rapidly growing cow growing cow towns had no towns had no sherrif or local sherrif or local governments.governments.

CLOSURE ACTIVITYCLOSURE ACTIVITY

You’re Stuck Here Until:You’re Stuck Here Until:

Pick two vocabulary words Pick two vocabulary words from the Growth in the West from the Growth in the West Unit. Put them in your own Unit. Put them in your own

words. Share your definitions words. Share your definitions and words with two other and words with two other

people in class. people in class.