U S History Since 1877 Chapter 13 Settling

U. S. History Since 1877 Chapter 13 Settling the West

Settling the West � 13. 1 Miners and Ranchers � 13. 2 Farming � 13. 3 Plains Indians

13. 1 Settling the West �Mining Industry �Railroads �Ranching �Farming

Chapter 13 Objectives �AHSGE: ◦ 5. 1 Identify and evaluate the events that led to the settlement of the West. �ACOS: ◦ 1. ) Explain the transition of the United States from an agrarian society to an industrial nation prior to World War I.

Mining Industry �Prospectors traveled west to find gold and silver. �At first, they used a process called placer mining. ◦ This required tools like picks, shovels, and pans. ◦ They searched for mineral deposits near the surface.

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Mining Industry �Many settlers were unsuccessful because they did not search deep enough. �Next, they began quartz mining, which mined deep below the surface. �Frontier towns would quickly boom.

Mining Industry �Henry Comstock discovered the Comstock Lode, a rich deposit of silver. �Virginia City, Nevada instantly became a boomtown when people heard about the Comstock Lode. �Settlers would leave when the gold and silver ran out, creating a boom and bust cycle for frontier towns.

Ghost Town

Railroads �Railroads were soon extended to the West to connect the boom towns. �Farmers and ranchers settled the West after railroads were built. �In 1889, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana became states as a result of the population increase.

Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies � Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys. � Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks. � Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such. � Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys. � 'Cos they'll never stay home and they're always alone. � Even with someone they love.

Ranching �Eastern cattle could not survive on the sparse prairie land in the West. �The Texas longhorn was a breed of cattle that descended from Mexican cattle. �Longhorns had adapted to the area. �They roamed free on the open range.

Ranching � The Civil War and the expansion of the railroad system contributed to the growth of the ranching industry. � Ranchers rounded up cattle and herded them to the railroads in a journey called the long drive. � Most cowboys were former Confederates escaping Reconstruction in the South.

Circa 1890

Ranching �Some cowboys were Hispanic or African American. �Nat Love was a black cowboy. ◦ He was born a slave in Tennessee. ◦ He was freed at the end of the Civil War and traveled west.

Ranching �Cowboys lived dangerous lives but often exaggerated their tales. �These stories became “dime novels” and created the “Wild West. ”

Farming � Farmers and ranchers often fought over territory. � Farms blocked the routes of cattle drives. � Barbed wire helped settle the disputes. � The range was mostly fenced off. � Barbed wire helped “tame” the “Wild West. ” � Herds were then kept on fenced-in ranches.

13. 2 Farming �The Great Plains �The Wheat Belt �The Frontier �Turner Thesis Frederick Jackson Turner

Chapter 13 Objectives �AHSGE: ◦ 5. 1 Identify and evaluate the events that led to the settlement of the West. �ACOS: ◦ 1. ) Explain the transition of the United States from an agrarian society to an industrial nation prior to World War I.

The Great Plains �This area consists mostly of sparse grasslands. �Railroads opened the Great Plains up for settlement. �Railroad companies sold land along the railroads at low prices.

The Great Plains �In 1862, the government tried to encourage settlement by passing the Homestead Act. ◦ After paying a $10 registration fee, an individual could apply for a homestead. ◦ A homestead was a tract of public land available for settlement. ◦ After living on the land for three to five years, a homesteader would own the land. ◦ Homesteaders could claim up to 160 acres of land. ◦ This law provided a legal framework for settling the land with clear property deeds.

The Wheat Belt �Wheat became as important to the Great Plains as cottons was to the South. �It could survive drought better than other crops. �New methods and tools helped cultivate the area.

The Wheat Belt �Dry farming is a way of planting seeds deep into the ground where there is moisture. �Loose soil was easily blown away in the area.

The Wheat Belt �People who farmed the plains became known as sodbusters. �Commercial farms used new machinery to cover thousands of acres. �These farms became known as bonanza farms because of the huge profits they made. �The increased production of wheat in the Great Plains earned the area a new nickname: the Wheat Belt.

The Frontier �In 1889, the government opened the Oklahoma area for settlement. �Within hours, over 10, 000 people rushed to Oklahoma to settle the area. �This created the Oklahoma Land Rush and closed the frontier.

Turner Thesis � Frederick Jackson Turner, an American historian, published a thesis claiming the frontier had helped develop the character of America. � Frontier life presented opportunities for social advancement, the spread of democracy, and adventure. � The Turner thesis emphasized individual effort in the American success story.

Discussion Question: �Why did some people feel that the closing the frontier was the end of an era?

13. 3 Plains Indians � Culture � Encroachment � Dakota Sioux � Lakota Sioux _________ � Sand Creek Massacre � Battle of Little Big Horn � Battle of Wounded Knee � Assimilation General Custer

Chapter 13 Objectives �AHSGE: ◦ 5. 1 Identify and evaluate the events that led to the settlement of the West. �ACOS: ◦ 1. ) Explain the transition of the United States from an agrarian society to an industrial nation prior to World War I.

Culture �Numerous tribes of Native Americans lived in the Plains. �They depended largely on the buffalo population for food. �Thus, they were nomads roaming the Plains in search for buffalos.

Culture �The army encouraged white hunters to kill buffalo. �This would force the Native Americans onto the reservations.

Culture �Gender determined daily tasks for individuals. �Men hunted for food, traded goods, and fought against their enemies. �Women cared for children, cooked, and prepared hides. Dakota Sioux

Encroachment � As railroads brought settlers, Native Americans began competing with the settlers for land. � Indians were deprived of hunting grounds. � The U. S. Army often forced various Indian tribes to sign treaties forfeiting their claims to the land.

Encroachment �These treaties also often required the tribes to relocate to Indian reservations. �Some Native American tribes resisted with violence.

Dakota Sioux �The Dakota Sioux were mistreated by Congress and the army. �Chief Little Crow tried to intervene for his people. ◦ Congress failed to pay annuities on time as agreed. ◦ Little Crow asked traders to provide food on credit. Dakota Sioux

Dakota Sioux ◦ Andrew Myrick said, “If they are hungry, let them eat grass or their own dung. ” ◦ The Dakota Sioux soon rebelled. ◦ Myrick was found shot to death with grass stuffed in his mouth.

Red Cloud Crazy Horse Lakota Sioux � The army sent troops to prevent more trouble among settlers and the Indians. � It actually created more resistance. � Chiefs Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, and Sitting Bull led successful attacks against the U. S. army. � Crazy Horse lured Captain William Fetterman and his troops into an ambush. � They destroyed the American regiment in Fetterman’s Massacre in Wyoming. Sitting Bull

Sand Creek Massacre �The Cheyenne and Arapaho met conflict with miners at Sand Creek. �Chief Black Kettle tried to negotiate peace with the settlers. �Several hundred Cheyenne Indians were attacked while waiting to negotiate a peace treaty at Camp Lyon.

Sand Creek Massacre �Most of the details remain a mystery. ◦ 14 soldiers died. ◦ 69 -600 Indians could have died in the battle. �Congress responded by forming the Indian Peace Commission to create two reservations. �It was a failed attempt at peace.

Battle of Little Big Horn �Americans settlers continued to move into the reservations. �Many of the Lakota decided to abandon the reservation to hunt near the Bighorn Mountains. �Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer led the Seventh Cavalry.

Battle of Little Big Horn � They attacked the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne Indians on June 25, 1876 by the Little Bighorn River. � About 2, 500 Indian warriors repelled Custer’s charge. � Custer and his men were all killed in “Custer’s Last Stand. ” � Newspapers reported the event as a vicious Indian massacre. � This intensified Indian persecution.

Battle of Wounded Knee �Lakota Sioux Indians who remained on the reservations continued to perform a forbidden Ghost Dance. �The government blamed Sitting Bull for the resistance. �Sitting Bull was killed in an exchange of gunfire.

Battle of Wounded Knee �Other Ghost Dance participants fled the reservation. �The army pursued the Indians to Wounded Knee Creek where a battle erupted. � 25 soldiers were killed and about 200 Lakota men, women, and children were killed.

Assimilation � Some Americans protested the mistreatment of the Native Americans. � They hoped the Indians would assimilate into American culture. � The Dawes Act divided the reservations into individual allotments. ◦ ◦ ◦ Families received 160 acres. Single adults received 80 acres. Children received 40 acres. Excess land was sold at low prices. Proceeds were supposed to help the Indians.

Assimilation �The Indians received no training or tools to cultivate the land. �They soon plunged further into poverty. �This attempt at assimilation ultimately failed.

Chapter 13 Test Tomorrow!