Chapter 14
The Western Crossroads Section 1: War in the West
• Explain why the U.S. government created the American Indian reservation system. • Identify the sources of conflict between the Plains Indians and the U.S. government. • Describe how Chief Joseph, Geronimo, and Sarah Winnemucca responded to white treatment of American Indians. • Discuss how the U.S. government tried to assimilate American Indians. Learning Target 1: Explain why the U.S. Government created the American Indian Reservation System. • Desire to control the Indian population • Expand west; farmland and gold • Assimilation Learning Target 2: Identify the sources of conflict between the Plains Indians and the U.S. government. • Land and reservation system • Broken promises and treaties • Ghost Dance Learning Target 3: Describe how Chief Joseph, Geronimo, and Sarah Winnemucca responded to white treatment of American Indians.
American Indian Responses to White Treatment
Chief Joseph Geronimo Sarah Winnemucca
Agreed to move tribe Fled a reservation with Called attention to to a reservation; fled his tribe; raided problems; made from the U.S. Army; settlements; eventually speeches; participated eventually surrendered surrendered in political activities
Learning Target 4: Discuss how the U.S. government tried to assimilate American Indians. • Forced into American Indian schools; boarding schools • Changed Indian names to American ones • Speak only English • Wear American clothes • Forced them to be farmers; adopt the lifestyle of non-Indian settlers Section 2: Western Farmers
• Discuss how the U.S. government promoted economic development in the West. • Understand why people migrated west. • Explain how the environment influenced farming practices and daily life in the West. • Describe the difficulties that farm families faced on the Great Plains. Learning Target 1: Discuss how the U.S. Government promoted economic development in the West. Homestead Act Pacific Railway Morrill Act Act Permitted “any Gave lands to Granted more citizen or railroad than 17 million intended citizen” companies to acres of land to to have 160 acres develop a be sold to of land. transcontinental finance the railroad linking construction of the East and agriculture and West Coasts. engineering colleges. Learning Target 2: Understand why people migrated west. • White Americans-cheaper lands, make a new start • African Americans-escape violence and persecution in the South • Scandinavians-had “America Fever” • Irish-moved to the Plains after building railroads • Germans-moved from the Mississippi River Valley • Russian Mennonites-czar ended special privileges, such as military service exemption • Chinese-came during the Gold Rush and turned to farming Learning Target 3: Explain how the environment influenced farming practices and daily life in the West. Lack of Dry farming water
Lack of Buffalo manure for fuel and as a trees building material Strong Irrigation winds
New varieties of Harsh wheat suitable for the Great winters Plains weather. Learning Target 4: Describe the difficulties farm families faced on the Great Plains. Poor housing Blizzards and bone-chilling cold weather Droughts Swarms of insects Prairie fires Hard work Section 3: The Cattle Boom
• Discuss how cattle and sheep ranching developed in the West. • Explain what life was like for cowboys and residents of cattle towns. • Describe what ranches were like. • Understand why the cattle boom on the open range ended. Learning Target 1: Discuss how cattle and sheep ranching developed in the West. I. Ranching in the West A. Development of Cattle Ranching 1. Spaniards brought cattle from Spain and interbred with other breeds to produce the TX longhorn, a suitable breed for the environment. 2. Increased demand for beef. B. Development of Sheep Ranching 1. Herded sheep to CA to feed miners during the Gold Rush. 2. Spanish brought sheep ranching to U.S. 3. Native Americans started to participate in sheep ranching
Learning Target 2: Explain what life was like for cowboys and residents of cattle towns. • Cowboys: trail drives were hard work, little money; away from home for long periods of time; only received new supplies at cattle towns • Residents: provided services to cowboys, built schools, established police forces, formed relief and temperance societies Learning Target 3: Describe what ranches were like. • Create a “business opportunity” ad for ranchers and their families, and a “help wanted” ad for cowboys. • Ads should describe ranch life, and should mention the following: cattle, cowboys, drives, assorted ranch chores, etc. Learning Target 4: Understand why the cattle boom on the open range ended. 1. Range wars 2. Bad weather 3. Invention of barbed wire 4. Prices dropped; supply exceeded demand 5. Over-grazing, lack of food source
Section 4: The Mining Boom
• Describe the role that mining played in bringing more people west. • Explain how the arrival of families changed life in mining camps. • Discuss why large companies took over most mining operations, and explain how this changed the lives of miners. Learning Target 1: Describe the role that mining played in bringing more people west. • Mining lured people West by offering the possibility of enormous wealth, gold and silver.
• Prospective miners migrated to: the Klondike, Alaska (AK); Fraser River Valley of British Columbia; Pike’s Peak in Colorado, (CO); Comstock Lode in Carson River Valley in Nevada (NV); Tucson, Arizona (AZ) Learning Target 2: Explain how the arrival of families changed life in mining camps. Mining Towns Change with Arrival of Families Before After 1. Unstable, temporary residences 1. Families brought stability, transformed towns into permanent towns 2. Violent, vigilante communities 2. Arrival of families brought law and order, establishment of churches, newspapers, schools, and cultural establishments (music and theater). Learning Target 3: Discuss why large companies took over most mining operations, and explain how this changed the lives of miners. Corporations Take Over Mining Operations. • Causes: easily accessible ore deposits had been removed and expensive technologies were required to remove deep deposits; technological knowledge rather than luck was required to locate deep deposits of ore. • Effects: miners became laborers for corporations rather than self-employed individuals; working conditions in mines were dangerous; some miners formed unions to obtain better wages and working conditions.