The West Settlement of the Last Frontier SWBAT

The West: Settlement of the Last Frontier SWBAT: Explain the effects of large numbers of migrants to the West

Do Now �With your partner, briefly explain the goals and methods of these labor movements: 1. National Labor Union 2. Knights of Labor 3. American Federation of Labor

The Plains �West of the 100 th meridian, few trees, less than 15” of rainfall/year �Winter blizzards & hot dry summers � 1865: 15 million bison- Provided food, clothing, shelter & tools for the estimated 250, 000 American Indians living in the West � 1900: �Bison herds wiped out �Open lands fenced by homesteads & ranches, steel rails & new towns �Ten new western states �Environment damaged �American Indians paid a high human & cultural price due to the settlement of miners, ranchers & farmers

The Mining Frontier �Discovery of Gold 1848 �California Gold Rush (extended into 1890 s) settled the region �States of: Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota Comstock Lode in Nevada territory brought Nevada into the Union in 1864 �Boomtowns �Saloons, dancehall girls, vigilante justice ghost towns after gold/silver ran out �Nevada’s Virginia City (created by Comstock Lode) grew, adding theaters, churches, newspapers, schools, libraries, railroad & police Mark Twain started his career as a writer for the Virginia City newspaper in the early 1860 s �San Francisco, Sacramento, & Denver thriving cities

The Mining Frontier �Chinese Exclusion Act �⅓ of western miners in the 1860 s were Chinese immigrants (resented by Native born Americans) � 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act- prohibited further immigration to the US by Chinese Laborers, continued until 1965 *First major act of Congress to restrict immigration on basis of race & nationality �Increase in supply of silver created crisis over value of gold & silver backed currency Bitter political issue in 1880 s and 1890 s with Populist Party

The Cattle Frontier �Texas longhorn & herds of 5 million cattle roamed freely over Texas �Markets for cattle opened as railroads to Kansas built �Dodge City & other “cowtowns” sprang up along railroads to handle cattle drives out of Texas �Cowboys = Mexicans, African Americans, Civil War Veterans; paid $1/day for their dangerous

The Cattle Frontier �Cattle drives come to an end in the 1880 s �Overgrazing destroyed grass, therefore Buffalo �Winter blizzard and drought of 1885 -1886 killed 90% of cattle �Homesteaders closed the open range of cattle farmers with invention of barbed wire fencing �Scientific ranching techniques new breeds of cattle produced more tender beef �American eating habits shift from pork to beef

The Farming Frontier �Homestead Act of 1862 � 160 acres of public land free to any family if: �Settled for 5 years �Farmed & successfully improved the land �Promise of free land & promotions of railroads migrants & immigrants! � 500, 000 families or more took advantage of the Homestead Act (1870 -1900) �Best public land ended up in hands of railroad companies & land speculators

The Farming Frontier �Pioneer families �“sodbusters” - built first homes in dry, treeless plains of sod �Plagues of grasshoppers, lonesome lives �Scarce water & wood for fences & burning �Severe weather & falling prices for crops �Cost of new machinery � 1900: Failure of ⅔ of homesteaders’ farms Western Kansas lost half population between 1888 - 1892

Closing of the Frontier �Oklahoma Territory opened in 1889 �Previously set aside for American Indians �Great Land Rush US Census Bureau declared entire frontier had been settled

Closing of the Frontier �Turner’s Frontier Thesis �Frederick Jackson Turner presented “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” (1893) � 300 years of frontier experience shaped American culture Promoted independence & rugged individualism �Frontier was a powerful social leveler Broke down class distinctions thus fostering social & political democracy Caused Americans to be inventive & practical minded as well as wasteful with natural resources �Closing of the Frontier troubled Turner Availability of land was a safety valve for discontent Americans Loss of Frontier = U. S. class division & social conflict �By 1890 s, largest movement of Americans was to cities & industrialized areas

Thesis Principle Analysis �Read Turner’s 5 major points/principles �With your partner/group, analyze the 5 excerpts � Then complete the “Questions for Discussion”