The West 1865 1900 Native Americans By the

The West 1865 -1900

Native Americans • By the Civil War the tribes of Native Americans had been pushed to the Great Plains • European diseases (cholera, and smallpox), weapons (rifle and cannon), and food shortages (buffalo) had reduced the once great tribes to a fraction of their former numbers • Buffalo herds had been reduced by white hunters who had often killed them for entertainment • In 1851 at Fort Laramie the government signed treaties with some tribes – creating the reservation system

• Another treaty was signed at Fort Atkinson in 1853 – they established boundaries between the white settlers and the Indians • In the 1860 s the government forced more onto reservations with promises of food and provisions • In many cases the Indian agents kept the money and/or made deals for inadequate food • After the Civil War the federal government engaged in a series of wars against the Indians • Many of the soldiers were African-Americans and called “Buffalo Soldiers”

• At Sand Creek, Colorado, in 1864 Col. Chivington massacred over 400 Indians – including women and children • In 1866 the Sioux responded by attacking soldiers and civilians working on the Bozeman Trail in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains – one of the few victories for the Indians • In 1868 the government signed a treaty giving up the Bozeman Trail and guaranteed the land for the Sioux • In 1874 gold was discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota – part of the Sioux reservation

• Col. Custer – the Civil War hero, was sent to suppress the Indians • Custer made a mistake when he attacked a large force of Sioux warriors led by Chief Sitting Bull– Custer and his men were massacred • Public opinion immediately demanded revenge • The army hounded the Sioux and hunted them down – Sitting Bull managed to escape to Canada • In the northwest a group of Nez Percé, led by Chief Joseph tried to avoid going on a reservation • In 1877 Chief Joseph was forced to surrender after running for almost 2, 000 of miles and trying to get to Canada

• In southwest the Apaches led by Geronimo refused to surrender and remained a problem for the settlers • Geronimo fled to Mexico and was followed by the army • Eventually the Apache were captured and forced to live on reservations in Florida and Oklahoma • One if the main reasons the Indians had to be removed was to ensure the safety of the railroads – the same reason why the buffalo herds had to be removed • By 1885 the buffalo was in danger of extinction

• In 1881 Helen Hunt Jackson published A Century of Dishonor which documented the atrocities committed by the government on the Native Americans and caused a great deal of sympathy for the Indians • When the Ghost Dance cult appeared in South Dakota the authorities sent the army in to stop it spreading • In 1890 at the Battle of Wounded Knee almost 200 men, women, and children were killed by the army

Reform for the Native Americans • In 1887 the government passed the Dawes Severalty Act, which took away tribal lands and deprived the Indians of ownership • Each Indian family was given 160 acres of land – so long as they behaved like white settlers • The Indians were promised full ownership and citizenship in 25 years if they behaved • (Citizenship was granted to all native Americans in 1924) • Tribal land not given away in the Dawes Act was sold to the railroads and white settlers

• In 1879 the government funded the Carlisle School in Pennsylvania to teach the children of Native Americans how to behave like white children • The program was expanded in the 1890 s to teach sowing and hygiene on the reservations • The Dawes Act took away the traditional role and power of the tribe and replaced it with individualism • The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 tried to restore some of the tribal land

Cattle • When the Civil War some people realized the potential of the large herds of cattle roaming around Texas • These cattle were often killed for their hides and rarely for meat. There was no profitable way to move the cattle to the large markets until the railroads • When the railroad opened the west the cattle ranchers only had to move their cattle to the railheads for shipment

• Large meat companies like the Swifts and Armours needed the cattle in the meat-packing plants of Chicago before shipping the meat to the East Coast markets • Cowboys from Texas herded the cattle to the stocking yards at Dodge City, Abilene, and Cheyenne • These were wild frontier towns with few of the luxuries of the big cities • Cowboy life was hard, dirty, and with little pay • The cowboys worked hard and the played hard – men like “Wild Bill” Hickok were hired to keep law and order

• The cattle grazed on ‘free’ grass as they moved hundreds of miles north • As competition for land increased so did the amount of barbed-wire and the number of sheepherders • Gradually the cowboys and cattle drives were forced into extinction, except in the minds of Americans and in the Hollywood film industry

The Farm • The cowboys remains a romanticized figure – even though he barely reigned 20 years • But most of the work in the West was done by the very unromantic figure of the sodbuster – the farmer • The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed settlers to obtain 160 acres of land if they lived on it for 5 years and improved the land for a nominal fee • The intent of the Act was to encourage settlement in the West

• But the Act was deceptive – 160 acres of good, well-watered land was enough, but on the Great Plains there was little water • Many of the original settlers were forced to leave their land • Also much of the better land was purchased by crooked individuals who just wanted to use the natural resources like lumber • Many of the railroad companies actually recruited Europeans with promise of good, cheap land

• In 1890 it was announced that there was no frontier in America – all the once unsettled areas had been settled • In 1893 Frederick Jackson Turner wrote “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” • With the loss of the frontier came the loss of the “safety valve” – traditionally when the economic situation in the East had deteriorated there was always opportunities on the Western frontier

Populism • As the centuries changed so did the role of the farmer • Farmers focused on one crop and areas of the country developed specialized production – such as wheat, cotton, or cattle • The farmer was forced to become a businessman and to work with technology and the railroads • The number of farmers slowly decreased but their production increased dramatically • But depending on one crop meant depending upon a potentially volatile market

• With the spread of the railroads there was now much more competition amongst the farmers and also from foreign countries • Farmers were forced to take out overdrafts and loans and consequently they fell victim to the bankers • High interest rates and a shortage of dollars made the economics of farming unpleasant. The heat, grasshoppers, and droughts, also made farming a gamble • Shippers and sellers inflated their prices cutting down the profits for the farmers – the farmers needed to organize

Granger Movement • In 1866 the Dept. of Agriculture sent Oliver H. Kelley on a tour of postbellum southern farms • Kelley decided to do something to help the isolated farmers • In 1867 he founded the Patrons of Husbandry (The Grange) • By 1874 membership was almost at 1. 5 million • Initially to help with the isolation of the farmers the movement soon changed to become cooperatives for buying and selling crops • The Grangers then became involved in politics

• Their main concern was the regulation of railroad rates and warehouse rates • Five states passed Granger Laws which challenged the power of the railroad and warehouse owners • In Munn v. Illinois (1877) the Supreme Court ruled that states had the right to regulate property in the interest of public good • Eventually the Granger movement lost its momentum and was replaced in 1875 by the Independent National party (Greenback party) – which emphasized the use of paper money • But in the 1880 the party declined and disappeared after 1884

Farmer’s Alliance • The first alliance was formed in 1873 • Like the Grange it was aimed at improving the social and recreational conditions of the farmers • They too, soon became involved in politics • The movement was especially popular in the South and Midwest as farmers sought help to fight increasing debt and declining prices • In 1886 the Colored Alliance was formed to represent black farmers • Also in 1886, Texas suffered a severe drought. President Cleveland vetoed a bill that would have helped the farmers

• In response the farmers challenged the Democrats in the polls • In 1887 a blizzard swept through the West and devastated many farms. Without government aid many farmers became supportive of the idea of a third-party • Although many parties appeared the most successful was the Populist party

Populist Party • Involved in the elections between 1892 -1908 the won control of many state legislatures and Kansas even elected a Populist candidate to the Senate • In 1892 the Populist party met in Omaha to decide on a national platform and nominated James Weaver as their candidate • The platform was finance, transportation, land, and limiting immigration • They gained over 1 million votes and several congressional seats

• Now it seemed like there might be a legitimate Third Party, but they would have to expand their appeal and reach more voters • In 1896 many people were fearful of the economic situation and the unsound monetary policies • The Republicans nominated William Mc. Kinley of Ohio • The Democrats finally settled on William Jennings Bryan from Nebraska • Although young (36 ), Bryan was a great communicator and had a confidence in his abilities

William Jennings Bryan • At the Democratic convention in Chicago, Bryan delivered his famous Cross of Gold speech • The Democrats demanded unlimited coinage of silver at a rate of roughly 50 cents an ounce • Those in favor of gold, the “Gold Bugs” left the party • Many Democrats believed the Populists had taken over the party • Bryan crossed the country making speeches in favor of his platform • Those in favor of silver saw Bryan as a hero

• Eastern bankers, anxious to protect their investments called Bryan’s policy foolish. • The Republican National Committee led by Mark Hanna piled up enormous amounts of money from big-business and played upon the fear of another Democratic panic • On election day the scare tactics of the Republicans won the day