Ch. 5 – Changes on the Western Ch. 5 – Changes on the Western Frontier (1860 – 1900)Frontier (1860 – 1900)

Culture of the Plains Culture of the Plains IndiansIndians

Native Americans saw land Native Americans saw land as belonging to no one. as belonging to no one.

Viewed white customs of Viewed white customs of farming & mining as farming & mining as disturbing the harmony disturbing the harmony between the natural & spirit between the natural & spirit world.world.

Buffalo was vital to survival Buffalo was vital to survival of Plains Indiansof Plains Indians (food, (food, clothing, shelter).clothing, shelter).

Reasons for American Settlement of the WestReasons for American Settlement of the West 1) inexpensive / abundant land 2) hopes of finding 1) inexpensive / abundant land 2) hopes of finding

gold or silver 3) escape persecution / fresh start (ex: gold or silver 3) escape persecution / fresh start (ex: former slaves, Mormons, etc.)former slaves, Mormons, etc.)

Clash Between Settlers & IndiansClash Between Settlers & Indians Settlers felt they had a right to land b/c Indians hadn’t Settlers felt they had a right to land b/c Indians hadn’t

“improved” it“improved” it (farming / building). (farming / building). U.S. govntU.S. govnt changed its Indian policies & changed its Indian policies & restricted restricted

Indian land to smaller reservationsIndian land to smaller reservations. . Many Many Indians ignored govnt. treaties and hunted on Indians ignored govnt. treaties and hunted on

old lands anywayold lands anyway, often clashing w/ settlers. , often clashing w/ settlers.

Sand Creek Massacre (1864)Sand Creek Massacre (1864) Cheyenne Indians were peacefully camped at Sand Creek Cheyenne Indians were peacefully camped at Sand Creek

reservation for winter. reservation for winter. Govnt leaders wanted to see Indians suffer – orderedGovnt leaders wanted to see Indians suffer – ordered U.S. U.S.

soldiers to attack, killing over 150 Cheyenne women & soldiers to attack, killing over 150 Cheyenne women & children.children.

Battle of Little Bighorn Battle of Little Bighorn (Custer’s Last Stand - 1876)(Custer’s Last Stand - 1876)

Sioux, Arapaho, Cheyenne Sioux, Arapaho, Cheyenne Indians protested as whites Indians protested as whites searched Black Hills for goldsearched Black Hills for gold (northern Great Plains region) – (northern Great Plains region) – wanted to protect hunting wanted to protect hunting grounds.grounds.

June 1876, June 1876, General George General George Custer & 265 of his troops met Custer & 265 of his troops met by 2,500 Sioux at Little Bighorn by 2,500 Sioux at Little Bighorn in Montanain Montana. Within an hour, . Within an hour, Indians won battle.Indians won battle. Custer & all Custer & all of his men were dead.of his men were dead.

Bloody conflicts between Bloody conflicts between whites & Native Americans led whites & Native Americans led to greater hostility toward to greater hostility toward Indian culture. Indian culture.

General George CusterGeneral George Custer

U.S. Government Adopts Indian Assimilation Policy U.S. Government Adopts Indian Assimilation Policy (1880s – 1900)(1880s – 1900)

Govnt hoped teaching “white” culture would lead to Govnt hoped teaching “white” culture would lead to peace between Indians & Settlers in the West.peace between Indians & Settlers in the West.

AssimilationAssimilation – plan under which Native Americans – plan under which Native Americans would give up their beliefs & way of life to become would give up their beliefs & way of life to become part of American culture.part of American culture.

Dawes Act (1887)Dawes Act (1887) Goal to “Americanize” IndiansGoal to “Americanize” Indians. . Provided funds for Provided funds for Indian schoolsIndian schools

(teach English, Christianity, white (teach English, Christianity, white culture, ect.) culture, ect.)

Divided Reservations into 160 acre Divided Reservations into 160 acre farms for each family.farms for each family.

Instead of helping Native Americans, Instead of helping Native Americans, Dawes Act nearly destroyed Indian Dawes Act nearly destroyed Indian culture.culture.

Destruction of Buffalo (1800 – Destruction of Buffalo (1800 – 1900)1900)

Destruction of Native American life on Destruction of Native American life on Great Plains tied to loss of the buffalo Great Plains tied to loss of the buffalo (Indians’ food, clothing, shelter)(Indians’ food, clothing, shelter). .

Tourists & fur traders shot buffalo for Tourists & fur traders shot buffalo for sport. Buffalo population of 65 million sport. Buffalo population of 65 million in 1800 dropped to only a few hundred in 1800 dropped to only a few hundred by 1900.by 1900.

Native American boys sent to Indian SchoolNative American boys sent to Indian School (Before)(Before) (After)(After)

Battle of Wounded Knee Battle of Wounded Knee (1890)(1890)

Sioux Indians continued to suffer Sioux Indians continued to suffer poverty & disease. Thousands of poverty & disease. Thousands of Native Americans turned to a Native Americans turned to a prophet, who promised that prophet, who promised that if if Indians performed a ritual called Indians performed a ritual called the Ghost Dance, their lands & the Ghost Dance, their lands & way of life would be restoredway of life would be restored. .

Ghost Dance movement spread. Ghost Dance movement spread. Alarmed Alarmed U.S. Calvary opened U.S. Calvary opened fire on over 300 unarmed Native fire on over 300 unarmed Native Americans camped at Wounded Americans camped at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Knee, South Dakota.

Battle of Wounded Knee Battle of Wounded Knee brought Indian Wars – and an brought Indian Wars – and an entire era – to an end. entire era – to an end.

Vaqueros & CowboysVaqueros & Cowboys Between Between 1866-18851866-1885 approx. approx. 55,000 cowboys worked the open 55,000 cowboys worked the open

range.range. Cowboy life stemmed from Spanish ranchers in Mexico.Cowboy life stemmed from Spanish ranchers in Mexico. Early cowboys wereEarly cowboys were MexicanMexican. Vaqueros . Vaqueros influenced cowboy influenced cowboy

clothes, food, vocabulary.clothes, food, vocabulary. 25% of cowboys were black25% of cowboys were black. Working as a cowboy appealed to . Working as a cowboy appealed to

former slavesformer slaves who were who were judged on abilityjudged on ability, not skin color., not skin color.

Growing Demand for Beef (1860s)Growing Demand for Beef (1860s) After Civil War, demand for beef grew as cities became larger.After Civil War, demand for beef grew as cities became larger.

The West hadThe West had abundance of abundance of Texas Longhorns – Texas Longhorns – a herd of over a herd of over 5 million wild cattle originally brought from Spain.5 million wild cattle originally brought from Spain.

Cattle RanchersCattle Ranchers would buy cattle for $3 - $5 a head & drive would buy cattle for $3 - $5 a head & drive cows to railheads in Ellsworth or Abiline, Kansas.cows to railheads in Ellsworth or Abiline, Kansas. Cattle then Cattle then sold for $30 - $50 a head and shipped to Chicago for sold for $30 - $50 a head and shipped to Chicago for butchering.butchering.

The Cattle The Cattle TrailsTrails

The Long Cattle DriveThe Long Cattle Drive Cattle drive consisted of about Cattle drive consisted of about 3,000 cattle, 18 cowboys, one 3,000 cattle, 18 cowboys, one

chuck wagon, and a wranglerchuck wagon, and a wrangler. Drive . Drive began in spring and lasted began in spring and lasted 2-3 months until reaching Kansas. 2-3 months until reaching Kansas.

End of the Open RangeEnd of the Open Range Overgrazing the land, bad weather, and invention of barbed wire Overgrazing the land, bad weather, and invention of barbed wire

helped to end the cattle / cowboy era.helped to end the cattle / cowboy era. Winters of 1885-1886 & 1886-1887 were brutal. Cold Winters of 1885-1886 & 1886-1887 were brutal. Cold

temperatures caused cattle to freeze to death. Summer droughts temperatures caused cattle to freeze to death. Summer droughts led to grass shortage. led to grass shortage. By 1887, 80%-90% of cattle dead.By 1887, 80%-90% of cattle dead.

Barbed wire turned open plains into a series of fenced in ranches. Barbed wire turned open plains into a series of fenced in ranches.

The Fall of the CowboyThe Fall of the CowboyFrederick RemingtonFrederick Remington

Railroads & Western Railroads & Western SettlementSettlement

U.S. Govnt wanted West U.S. Govnt wanted West settledsettled (manifest destiny). (manifest destiny).

Offered railroad companies Offered railroad companies free land as incentive to free land as incentive to build a transcontinental linebuild a transcontinental line (connect east coast to west (connect east coast to west coast). Each mile of track = coast). Each mile of track = 20sq. miles of land.20sq. miles of land.

Railroads in the WestRailroads in the West Building the Building the Transcontinental Line Transcontinental Line (1862 -1869)(1862 -1869) Two major railroad companies Two major railroad companies

competed to lay the most track competed to lay the most track and receive more government and receive more government land.land.

Union Pacific R.R. Union Pacific R.R. Began laying tracks in Began laying tracks in

Nebraska and moved WestNebraska and moved West. . Employed Employed Irish-AmericansIrish-Americans & & Civil War veterans. Flat Civil War veterans. Flat country allowed work to go country allowed work to go quickly.quickly.

Central Pacific R.R.Central Pacific R.R. Began laying tracks in Began laying tracks in

Sacramento, California and Sacramento, California and moved East.moved East. Employed mostly Employed mostly Chinese – paid lessChinese – paid less than white than white workers & endured workers & endured dangerous dangerous conditionsconditions blasting through blasting through Sierra Nevada mountains. Sierra Nevada mountains.

Railroad ConstructionRailroad Construction

Finishing the Transcontinental R.R. (1869)Finishing the Transcontinental R.R. (1869) Crews raced past each other without meeting. May 10Crews raced past each other without meeting. May 10 thth, , 18691869

Congress forced Congress forced Union Pacific & Central Pacific to join Union Pacific & Central Pacific to join together at Promontory Point, Utah.together at Promontory Point, Utah.

Railroads resulted in growth and new settlement of the Railroads resulted in growth and new settlement of the West, making travel & transportation easier.West, making travel & transportation easier.

Homestead Act (1862 Homestead Act (1862 – 1900)– 1900)

Passed by Congress to Passed by Congress to settle the West.settle the West.

Offered 160 acres of Offered 160 acres of free land to any citizen free land to any citizen or intended citizenor intended citizen who who was head of household. was head of household. Approx. 60,000 Approx. 60,000 families took advantage families took advantage of government’s offer.of government’s offer.

Farming Inventions that Tamed Farming Inventions that Tamed the Prairiethe Prairie

Settlers used inventions to meet the Settlers used inventions to meet the challenges of farming the West’s challenges of farming the West’s harsh terrain.harsh terrain.

Barbed WireBarbed Wire (1874) – Prevented (1874) – Prevented animals from wandering off or animals from wandering off or trampling crops.trampling crops.

Reaper Reaper (1847) – Invented by Cyrus (1847) – Invented by Cyrus McCormick. Sped up harvesting McCormick. Sped up harvesting crops & saved crops from bad crops & saved crops from bad weather. weather.

Steel PlowSteel Plow (1837) – Invented by John (1837) – Invented by John Deere. Could slice through heavy Deere. Could slice through heavy soil, made planting more efficient.soil, made planting more efficient.

Cyrus McCormick’sCyrus McCormick’s ReaperReaper

Barbed Wire fenceBarbed Wire fence

Steel Plow [“Sod Buster”]Steel Plow [“Sod Buster”]

Klondike Gold Rush (1896-1899)Klondike Gold Rush (1896-1899)

Also known as the Also known as the Yukon Gold RushYukon Gold Rush & & Alaska Gold Rush.Alaska Gold Rush.--Vast deposits of Vast deposits of GoldGold were were found along the found along the Yukon RiverYukon River-Approx. -Approx. 100,000 prospectors100,000 prospectors migrated to the migrated to the Klondike RegionKlondike Region of the Yukon River (8% were of the Yukon River (8% were female) for the chance to strike it female) for the chance to strike it rich.rich.

Impact of the Impact of the Klondike Gold RushKlondike Gold Rush

-Small villages like Dyea & -Small villages like Dyea & Skagway became Skagway became Boom TownsBoom Towns

--Dawson CityDawson City did not exist until did not exist until highhigh traffic demanded a town traffic demanded a town built near the mine to built near the mine to provide provide supplies and luxuriessupplies and luxuries..

--Ended in 1899Ended in 1899 when gold was when gold was found in other Alaskan found in other Alaskan Regions and CaliforniaRegions and California

Chilkoot Trail from Skagway to the mining

region

Line of prospectors climbing the trail