The West Transformed

The West Transformed Westward Expansion & American Indians

Cultures Under Pressure The Great Plains are the western central portion of the U.S. Native Americans shared a common thread – they saw themselves as part of nature and viewed nature as sacred.

How did each culture use the Buffalo, an important resource? Native Americans Whites White settlers often killed buffalo just for 1.Horn used for bowls and spoons. sport. Many buffalo corpses were just 2.Bones used for tools. left to rot. 3.Hoofs used for glue. Buffalo would be killed for just their hides, 4.Hide used for clothing, tepees, shields. or for no reason at all. This eliminated a vast supply of food for Native Americans. 5.Meat used for food.

Buffalo Soldiers – African American soldiers who were sent west to fight the Native Americans.

New Settlers & Native Americans Clash Originally all of the Great Plains was one giant reservation, but the government changed its mind.

SAND CREEK The Sand Creek Massacre was an attack at dawn on Nov. 29, 1864. MASSACRE U.S. troops killed 150 Native Americans, which consisted mostly of and children. Native Americans attacked settlers on the Bozeman Trail. The government signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which gave the Native Americans another reservation.

The End of the Indian Wars Some tribes went to reservations, while all others RED RIVER WAR went to war. Many Native Americans became extremely frustrated with the US government because of all of the broken treaties. Many young warriors turned to violence and ended up losing their lives.

BATTLE OF LITTLE It was the lure of gold that did the last of the Plain Indians in. BIG HORN The Black Hills which were owned by the Native Americans were filled with gold.

Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull led the Sioux against the US Army. General Custer wanted Little Big Horn and he led his 250 men ahead of the rest of the US cavalry. Custer ran into Crazy Horse and his 2,000 warriors. Gen. Custer and all of his men were killed.

WOUNDED The Native American response to the loss of their KNEE leaders was to dance.

Ghost Dance – Belief that the ritual would banish white settlers and restore the buffalo to the plains.

Sitting Bull was to be arrested, but refused and a confrontation occurred and he was shot and killed. On Dec. 28, 1890 the 7 Calvary rounded up 350 N.A.’s. They ordered the Indians to give up all weapons, but all of a sudden a shot was fired so the Calvary opened fire on the Indians.

Historical Significance: The “Battle” at Wounded Knee brought about an to the Indian era.

The Government Promotes Assimilation Assimilation – To be absorbed into the main culture of a society.

Helen Hunt Jackson wrote the book “A Century of Dishonor,” which was about how the United States went back on hundreds of promises and treaties.

Dawes Act – Congressional plan to Americanize Indians by breaking up reservations and giving land (160 acres) to Indians as individuals.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The West Transformed Transforming the West

Railroads Open the West In the 1860s there were 2 major companies, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. The government supported construction in the form of loans and land grants.

Central Pacific: 90% of workers were Chinese immigrants.

Union Pacific: Used mainly Irish immigrants for workers. The Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads were connected in Promontory Point, Utah in 1869. Even back then there were tree huggers. Early environmentalist groups formed.

Government Opens the West The government supported settlement out west.

1. Homestead Act – 160 acres of land in the West would be given to any head of household if he would cultivate the land for 5 years.

2. Exodusters – A.A.’s who migrated from the South to the West after the Civil War.

3. Sooners – Land given away in Oklahoma by the government for free. Literally, the sooner one got there, the sooner one got their share of land.

Ranchers Build the Cattle Kingdom Demand for beef after the Civil War rose dramatically (in part because there was no more buffalo). This led to the Chisholm Trail.

Open Range – Vast area of grassland on which livestock roamed and grazed.

Towns were created as rest stops for the cowboys working the Chisholm Trail. 55,000 people worked as cowboys (25% were African Americans).

Cowboys worked long hours (10-14 hours when at the ranch and 14 hours on the trail). Cowboys tended to be both young an old. On the long drives, there was usually only one cowboy for every 250-300 cattle.

The open range system ended because of the following reasons: 1. Overgrazing 2. Severe Drought 3. Barbed Wire.

Farmers Settle on Homesteads Settlers on the prairie lived in dugouts and soddies. Technical support for farmers develops with help from John Deere (steel plow) and Cyrus McCormick (Mechanical Reaper). The West Transformed Farmers And Populism

Farmers Face Many Problems The government also opened the west by setting aside land for agricultural education. The Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 and 1890 allowed for agriculture colleges to be established.

Farmers were in debt because of several factors. 1. Bonanza Farms – Farms that specialized in just one crop.

2. Railroads – Charged farmers outrageous prices to transport their goods.

Farmers were in a vicious cycle of debt. The government is trying to determine whether or not the country should continue using greenbacks or not?

Farmers wanted more money in circulation because that would make their debt decrease in value. Wheat prices were decreasing and the railroads were charging more than ever before. Farmers needed to organize to make a change.

Farmers Organize and Seek Change Oliver Hudson Kelley formed the Patrons of Husbandry, which later became known as The Grange.

The goals of the Grange included: 1. Providing education on new farming techniques. 2. Calling for the regulation of railroad rates.

Eventually this led to the Farmers’ Alliance, which was not just farmers, but others who wanted to help out. Membership climbed to four million people.

African Americans formed the Colored Farmers’ Alliance, which never became too effective because of racial tensions.

Populist Party Demands Reforms The country was going through difficult times. Farmers were in too much debt and the railroads went bankrupt. People traded their paper money for silver and gold.

This caused investments to go up; including the price of silver. By December 1894 unemployment rose to 20 percent. What the Populist Party wanted: 1. Increase $$ supply. 2. Graduated Income Tax. 3. Federal Loan Program. 4. Election of Senators – Term limitations. 5. 8 Hr. Work Day – Restrictions on Immmigration.

Economic Crisis & Populism Decline The country is divided politically. The North voted for the Republicans, while the South voted for the Democrats and Populists. The biggest issue in the 1896 election was how to back up our money.

Gold Silver & Gold “Gold Bugs” “Silverites” Bankers and Business Farmers and Workers Value of $ would increase. Value of $ would increase.

E Is this cartoon in favor Election of 1896: William McKinley (R) vs. William Jennings Bryanof Bimetalism? (D) (P) Why or **Bryan gives his famous Cross of Gold Speech during this election. why not? Bryan is known as a… Bimetalist!! The cartoon is in favor McKinley won the North and Bryan won the South and West. McKinleyof Bimetalism won his because reelection bid in 1900 over Bryan and the Populist Party began to fallit isapart. shows Most a good life for bimetallism and a returned to the Dem. Party. bad life for people living under monometalism.