American Stories THIRD EDITION By Brands Chapter 17

American Stories THIRD EDITION By: Brands • Chapter 17 The West: Exploiting an Empire 1849‒ 1902

The West: Exploiting an Empire, 1849‒ 1902 17. 1 Beyond the Frontier What were the challenges of settling the country west of the Mississippi? 17. 2 Crushing the Native Americans How did white Americans crush the culture of the Native Americans as they moved west?

The West: Exploiting an Empire, 1849‒ 1902 17. 3 Settlement of the West Why did Americans and others move to the West? 17. 4 The Bonanza West Why was the West a bonanza of dreams and get-rich-quick schemes?

Video Series: Key Topics in U. S. History 1. 2. 3. 4. Conquest of the West The Dawes Act Chinese Exclusion Act The Gold Rush Home

Lean Bear’s Changing West • 1863 – Indian chiefs met with Lincoln • Lean Bear, the Cheyenne Chief • A few years later federal troops invaded Lean Bear’s land killed him • Promised peace • The West became great colonial empire • Place of conquest and exploitation Home

Beyond the Frontier • 1840 - Settlement reached Missouri • • Great Plains – treeless, nearly flat Rockies – formidable barrier Basin – desolate areas of Idaho and Utah Pacific Coast – past Cascades and Sierra Nevada, temperate • Most pre‒Civil War settlers headed directly for Pacific Coast Home

Beyond the Frontier

Discussion Question • What were the particular challenges of settling the country west of the Mississippi? Beyond the Frontier

Crushing the Native Americans • • Life of the Plains Indians Searching for an Indian Policy Final Battles on the Plains The End of Tribal Life Home

Crushing the Native Americans • 1865: 250, 000 Indians in western U. S. • Displaced Eastern Indians • Native Plains Indians • Pacific Coast tribes • By the 1870 s • Most Indians on reservations • California Indians decimated by disease Crushing the Native Americans

Life of the Plains Indians • Two-thirds of all Native Americans lived on the Great Plains • • Many distinctive tribes Nomadic and warlike Migratory Labor divided by gender Crushing the Native Americans

Searching for an Indian Policy • Early nineteenth century • Indian Country - land west of the Mississippi River • Whites could not enter without license • 1850 s – Wagon trains, gold rush, and talk of transcontinental railroad • Government ended “one big reservation” • New policy of concentration • Whites poured into West Crushing the Native Americans

Searching for an Indian Policy (continued) • Violence erupted as settlers moved west • Sand Creek massacre • Sioux War of 1865– 1867 • Fetterman massacre • Debate over Indian policy • Humanitarians wanted to “civilize” Indians • Others wanted firm control, swift reprisal • Small reservation policy adopted • Isolate Indians Crushing the Native Americans

Crushing the Native Americans

Final Battles on the Plains • Small reservation policy failed • Young warriors refused restraint • White settlers encroached on Indian lands • Final series of wars suppressed Indians • Little Big Horn • Wounded Knee Massacre - 1890 • To suppress Ghost Dances • Most battles resulted in Indian defeat Crushing the Native Americans

Crushing the Native Americans

The End of Tribal Life • Assimilation policy • • Congress stopped making treaties - 1871 Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania Dawes Severalty Act - 1887 Near extermination of buffalo • Native American loss of culture • 1900 – only 250, 000 remained in U. S. • Poor lifestyle Crushing the Native Americans

Crushing the Native Americans

Discussion Question • How did white Americans crush the culture of the Native Americans as they moved west? Crushing the Native Americans

Settlement of the West • Men and Women on the Overland Trail • Land for the Taking • The Spanish-Speaking Southwest Home

Settlement of the West • Unprecedented settlement 1870– 1900 • Most moved West seeking a better life • Rising population drove increasing demand for Western goods • West was not a major “safety valve” for social and economic tensions Settlement of the West

Men and Women on the Overland Trail • Great migration westward • • • First push aimed for California and Oregon Gold Rush of 1849 Overland Trail Migration usually a family affair Journey was strenuous Settlement of the West

Land for the Taking • 1860– 1900: Federal land grants • Homestead Act of 1862 • Most land acquired by wealthy investors • Water was dominant issue • 1902 - National Reclamation Act (Newlands Act) • Railroads largest landowners in West • Eager to have immigrants settle on land Settlement of the West

Settlement of the West

The Spanish-Speaking Southwest • Spanish-speakers of Southwest • • Contributed to culture and institutions Spanish‒Mexican Californians Culture shaped society Continuous immigration kept culture strong Settlement of the West

Discussion Question • Why did Americans and others to move to the West? Settlement of the West

The Bonanza West • • • The Mining Bonanza The Cattle Bonanza The Farming Bonanza Discontent on the Farm The Final Fling Home

The Bonanza West • Quest to “get rich quick” • Produced uneven growth • Caused boom-and-bust economic cycles • Wasted resources • Constant change • “Instant cities” • Institutions based on bonanza mentality • West - an idea as well as a region The Bonanza West

The Mining Bonanza • Mining first attraction to the West • • California Gold Rush of 1849 Placer mining gave way to big business Comstock Lode Black Hills • Towns grew from camps that sprouted with first strike • Governed by simple democracy • More men than women • Many foreign-born The Bonanza West

The Mining Bonanza (continued) • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 • Hostility toward foreign miners grew • Suspended Chinese immigration for ten years • 1890 s - bonanza over • Contributed millions to economy and helped finance Civil War • Scarred and polluted environment • Left ghost towns The Bonanza West

What New Economic Patterns Emerged in the West? • How did railroad expansion shape population growth in the West? • How did western agriculture develop during the late 1800 s? • How did the federal government’s presence manifest itself as settlers moved west? The Bonanza West

The Bonanza West

The Bonanza West

The Cattle Bonanza • The far West ideal for cattle grazing • • Cattle ranching dominated open range Getting beef to eastern markets Cowboys worked long hours for little pay Laws and rules • End of the great cattle drives • • Farmers moved in Mechanization modernized ranching Weather connection The Bonanza West Ranchers adapted

The Bonanza West

The Bonanza West

The Farming Bonanza • 1870‒ 1900 – Millions of farmers moved West to cultivate land • Population on Plains tripled • 1900 - 30 percent of population in West, compared to less than 1 percent in 1850 • Exodusters • Problems on the Plains • New farming methods The Bonanza West

Discontent on the Farm • National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry (the Grange) • Provided social, cultural, and educational activities • Banned political involvement • Farmers’ grievances • Transformation of American agriculture • Nation’s garden • Commercial and scientific The Bonanza West

The Final Fling • 1889 - Oklahoma opened to white settlement • Indians forced to give up rights to land • Sooners and Boomers The Bonanza West

Discussion Question • Why was the West a bonanza of dreams and get-rich-quick schemes? The Bonanza West

Conclusion: The Meaning of the West • Historians differ in their interpretation of the American frontier experience • Frederick Jackson Turner – Turner’s thesis • “New Western historians” • Image of frontier and the West influenced American development