CONQUEST OF THE WEST Chapter 16 Societies of

CONQUEST OF THE WEST Chapter 16

Societies of the Far West

Native Americans

Eastern Tribes *Some Eastern tribes had relocated west of Mississippi River: Cherokee and Creek

Western Tribes • Indians of the Pacific Coast: Chumash, Chinook • Indians of the Southwest: Navajo, Comanche, Apache

Plains Indian *various tribes divided into bands *some sedentary, most nomadic hunters *movement often based on migration of buffalo *finest light cavalry in the world

Weakness *Never able to unite against white aggression. Groups too independent *Conflicts between tribes distract from fighting whites one group may help whites against another group

Hispanic Communities *located in former possessions of Spain/Mexico: New Mexico, Texas, California *As more whites come Hispanics lose land power

Chinese Migration *Begins after 1848 *by 1880 200, 000 move to US – mostly California

Some resent Chinese Immigrants *resent success of Chinese *seen as rivals in economy

Transcontinental Railroad *over 12, 000 work on RR *90% of Central Pacific labor *worked long hours for low pay

After Railroad finished: *some hire as laborers *some work the land *many go to cities

By 1900 50% of Chinese population lives in cities of California “Chinatowns”

Nativism Returns *Chinese undercutting whites in wages and hours *Local laws appear *Physical Attacks

Chinese Exclusion Act *1882 *Bans immigration for 10 years *Bars Chinese in country from becoming naturalized citizens

• Act renewed in 1892 • Made permanent in 1902

Changing Western Economy

Labor in the West *Occasional labor shortage *work force stratified along racial lines

Mining st *1 economic boom of West * Gold and/or silver strikes: Colorado 59 Nevada 59 Black Hills 74

Ranching

Cattle Drive How to get cattle in Texas to markets in the East?

From 1867 to 1871 1. 5 million head of cattle are brought to Abilene along the Chisholm Trail

Frederic Remington Myth of the Cowboy

“America as a wide-open land of unlimited opportunity for the strong, ambitious, self-reliant individual to thrust his way to the top” Richard Slotkin The Fatal Environment: the myth of the frontier, 1800 -1890

Dash for Timber

Farming

Joseph Glidden - 1874

Closing the West

Frederick Jackson Turner The Frontier Thesis

End of. The the American End of the. Indian American Indians

Concentration Policy *Desire of whites to get Indian land *Each tribe assigned a reservation *Divided tribes-easy to control

Administration of Indian Reservations *officials often corrupt or ineffective *well-meaning officials didn’t understand tribal ways

Indian Wars

Sand Creek Massacre *Arapaho & Cheyenne under Black Kettle *Flag of truce *133 killed most women & children

George Armstrong Custer

Battle of the Little Big Horn Custer’s Last Stand June 25, 1876

Nez Perce *Chief Joseph *200 warriors+350 w&c *attempt to go to Canada *cover 1321 miles

Chief Joseph

Final resistance in Southwest *Geronimo fights from Mexico *Surrenders in 1886 with 30 others *Pursued by 10, 000

*Ghost Dancers-vision of Whites leaving *Wounded Knee-Sioux *40 soldiers 200 Sioux killed *1890 last ‘battle’

Dawes Act 1887 *Gradual elimination of tribal ownership of land *Give land to individuals *Don’t have full ownership for 25 years *Those who take land get citizenship *Send kids to school

Carlisle Indian Industrial School

Class of 09

Richard Henry Pratt Kill the Indian, save the man

Jim Thorpe

Commercial Farming *specialize in crops to be sold on National or World markets *cotton – 70% exported *Wheat 30 -40%

Farmer’s Grievances *Inequitable Freight rates *High interest rates *Inadequate Currency *Price fixing