WESTERN FRONTIER 1865 1900 SETTLEMENT Before 1860 nicknamed

WESTERN FRONTIER 1865 -1900

SETTLEMENT • Before 1860, nicknamed the “Great American Desert” – Winter blizzards – Hot summers – Discouraged settlement • By 1900 -covered with settlers – Miners, cattlemen (cowboys), farmers

MINERS • 1848 -Gold discovered in California • 1859 -Gold discovered in Colorado & silver discovered in Nevada • 1/3 rd of all miners were Chinese • Establishment of major western cities – – Sacramento San Francisco Denver Known as “safety values” • Civilized society in an uncivilized land

CATTLEMEN (COWBOYS) • Open grassland of Great Plains-ideal for running cattle • Learned from Mexican vaqueros • Texas Longhorns • Cattle towns-ship cows on railroad to Chicago for butchering – Abilene, Kansas-most famous • Most cowboys-former slaves & Mexicans • Long drives end due to drought, blizzards, & homesteaders

FARMERS (HOMESTEADERS) • Homestead Act (1862) – Gave 160 acres of land to any family who would farm it for 5 years – 500, 000 families signed up • Barbed Wire (1874) – Invented by Joseph Glidden – Fenced in the land from invaders • Great Oklahoma land race (1889)

“TURNER’S THESIS” • 1890 -US census declared the “frontier” settled • Frederick Jackson Turner – Writes “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”(1893) • Known as “Turner’s Thesis” – Frontier necessary • • Promoted independence Broke down social barriers Encouraged invention Condemned to follow pattern of class division & social conflicts in European countries

AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION • By late 1800 s, farmers minority in America – amount of farm land increased (more acres) – Number of farmers decreased • Why? – New farm machinery – Specialization – Small farmers can’t compete • Sell or lose farms • Lower prices & rising costs hurt all farmers • Decide to fight back against banks & railroads through the government

NATIONAL GRANGE MOVEMENT • 1868 -Oliver Kelley organizes the Patrons of Husbandry – Purpose: social & educational activities for farmers – Talk turns to politics-Became “Grangers”

NATIONAL GRANGE MOVEMENT • Grange laws-reduced rates of railroads • Interstate Commerce Act – First federal regulation of private industry – Public utilities-”rates must be reasonable & just” – Interstate Commerce Commission • By 1890 -one million farmers had joined

FARMERS’ ALLIANCE • 1890 -Grange changes name to Alliance • Third political party status • Platform – – – – Direct election of Senators Lower tariff rates Graduated income tax Regulated banking system Increase money in circulation Federal storage for crops Federal loans for farmers

POPULIST PARTY • 1892 -Farmers’ Alliance changed name to Populist • Met in Omaha, NE – Nominate candidates – Form platform • Platform – – – – Direct election of senators State laws agreed by voters Increase money supply Graduated income tax Federal ownership of public utilities Stabilize farm prices 8 hour day for industrial workers-why?

POPULIST PARTY • Successful? – Election of 1892 -James Weaver • Received 1 million popular votes & 22 electoral votes • More than any other 3 rd party candidate – Election of 1896 -William Jennings Bryan • Nominated by both Democrats & Populists • Fails to win industrialized north – Declined after 1896, but… • Two planks of platform eventually passed by Progressive Party – Direct election of senators & graduated income tax

REMOVAL OF NATIVE AMERICANS • Since the 1830 s-Reservation Policy • With American settlement of the Great Plaines-need to move Natives again • Plans interrupted by Civil War & Natives took advantage by leaving reservations

INDIAN WARS 1870 -1890 • Civil War veterans sent to “take care” of Indian problem • Better weapons & desensitized to war • By 1868 -90% of Natives on Reservations, the rest considered “hostile” and were warned to go to reservations • Conducted “winter campaigns” – Tribes stationary – Horse in hibernation – Culture taught-catch Indians off guard

INDIAN WARS 1870 -1890 • Most known battle-Little Big Horn – June 25, 1877 – 7 th Calvary led by George Armstrong Custer – Sioux Indians led by Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse – Custer’s Big Mistake – Custer killed & Calvary massacred

INDIAN WARS 1870 -1890 • Longest hold out – Chief Joseph & Nez Perce tribe – “I will fight no more forever. ” • Slaughter of the buffalo & poisoning of the rivers led to ultimate demise of Plaines Indians • Dawes Act (1887) – New Indian policy-assimilation/destroy Indian Culture – Established Indian Bureau of Schools

INDIAN WARS 1870 -1890 • Ghost Dance – Indians losing hope – Dream of Nevada Paiute-Wovoka • “Messiah” Indian-save from reservation & bring back buffalo • Created Ghost Dance-all Natives perform at same time • 1890 -Federal government outlaws ghost dance

INDIAN WARS 1870 -1890 • Massacre at Wounded Knee – – – – Group of Sioux Indians on way to reservation Camp outside of military fort Performed the Ghost Dance Troops come to arrest leaders & take weapons Fighting breaks out-troops win Blizzard hits-lasts for 3 days When troops go back to camp-only 6 adults & 3 children left out of 300 – Considered the last battle of the Indian Wars