CHAPTER 5: CHANGES ON THE WESTERN

FRONTIER

AMERICA SETTLES THE WEST-LATE 19TH CENTURY

CHANGES ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER

The culture of the Plains Indians declines as white settlers transform the Great Plains. Meanwhile, farmers form the Populist movement to address their economic concerns.

Where is the West?

SECTION 1: CULTURES CLASH ON THE PRAIRIE

I. Culture and Life of the Plains IndiansA. Great Plains —grasslands in west-central portion of the U.S.1. Mountains, treeless plains made it difficult to farm and live.

THE PLAINS

B. Where are the Great Plains?1. area between and the

1. area between MS River and the

1. area between MS River and the Rocky Mountains-

1. area between MS River and the Rocky Mountains-Great American Desert (In the beginning) later the Wheat Belt also the Breadbasket

2. MS River to and from to

2. MS River to Rocky Mountains and from

2. MS River to Rocky Mountains and from Texas to

2. MS River to Rocky Mountains and from Texas to Dakotas

C. THE HORSE AND THE BUFFALO

1. introduction of horses by Spanish (1598) and guns, meant Native Americans able to travel and hunt2. Plains tribes nomadic by mid-1700s3. horse provided speed and mobility, the buffaloprovided for all needslhides used for teepees, clothes, blankets

BUFFALO WERE USED FOR FOOD, SHELTER AND

CLOTHING

D. FAMILY LIFE ON THE PLAINS

1. Small extendedfamilies were the norm 2. land was communal, or common

OSAGE TRIBE

II. SETTLERS PUSH WESTWARD A. Settlers who pushed

westward had a different idea about land ownership1. Native Americans- land cannot be owned;settlers- want to own landB. Settlers think Native Americans forfeited land because did not improve itConcluding that the plains were “unsettled,” thousands advanced to claim land. Gold being discovered in Colorado, 1858, only intensified the rush for land.

A COVERED WAGON HEADS WEST

III. THE GOVERNMENT RESTRICTS NATIVE AMERICANS

A. As more settlers headed west, the U.S. government protected settlers interests1. 1834, government designates Great Plains one huge reservation2. 1850s, treaties define specific boundaries for each tribeB. Railroad Companiesinfluenced government decisionsC. As settlers moved west conflict occurred between them and Native Americans

RAILROADS GREATLY IMPACTED NATIVE

AMERICAN LIFE

NATIVES AND SETTLERS CLASH

D. 1864 - Massacre at Sand Creek; US Army troops kill over 200 Arapaho women and children at Sand Creek, Colorado E. Bozeman Trail1. Overland trail connecting Oregon trail to Montana 2.Treaty of Fort Laramie —U.S. closes trail to settlers; Sioux forced to reservation3. Sitting Bull, leader of Sioux, does not sign treaty

OTHER CONFLICTS AND BATTLES

F. 1874 George A. Custer reports gold in Black Hills rush begins1. Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, waged war against settlers for refusal to stay off of tribal lands Black Hills in SD2. Troops sent in to force Native Americans into reservations3. The Battle of Little Big Horn, or Custer’s Last Stand, occurred in early 1876 (when Colonel Custer reached Little Big Horn, MT)4. Native Americans, led by Sitting Bull, defeated Custer’s troops ONE OF THE FEW NATIVE

AMERICAN VICTORIES WAS LITTLE BIG HORN

Sitting Bull

Colonel Custer

IV. THE DAWES ACT - 1887A. 1881, Helen Hunt Jackson exposes US gov’t mistreatment of Indians in A Century of DishonorB. 1887, US Gov’t passes the Dawes Act attempted to assimilate Native Americans- (make them farmers) 1. Assimilation —give up way of life, join American culture

FAMOUS DEPICTION OF NATIVE STRUGGLE

l ““ . . . The faithful performance of our promises is the first condition of a good understanding with the Indians. . . . Especial care is recommended to provide for Indians settled on their reservations cattle and agricultural implements, to aid them in whatever efforts they may make to support themselves, and by the establishment and maintenance of schools to bring them under the control of civilized influences.” —Rutherford B. Hayes

THE DARK AREAS DEPICT NATIVE AMERICAN

LANDS BY 1894

C. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BUFFALO

1.1800: 65 millionbuffalo roamed the plains2. 1890: less than 1000remainedlThe most significant blow to tribal life was the destruction of the buffalo•Tourist and fur traders shot buffalo for sport

V. BATTLE OF WOUNDED KNEE A. Ghost Dance —ritual to regain

lost lands l spreads among Sioux on Dakota reservationlDec. 15, 1890, Sitting Bull is killed when reservation police try to arrest himB. On December 29, 1890, the Seventh Cavalry (Custer’s old regiment) surround Sioux performing Ghost Dance at Wounded Knee, S.D.C. Shot fired trying to disarm Sioux –the Seventh Cavalry slaughtered 300 unarmed Native AmericansD. This event brought the “Indian Wars”– and an entire era to an end

Wovoka—Paiutespiritual leader and creator of the Ghost Dance

E. Buffalo Soldiers were African American soldiers sent to fight Indian Wars.

“I did not know then how much was ended. When I look back now from this high hill of my old age, I can still see the butchered women and children lying heaped and scattered along the crooked gulch as plain as when I saw them with eyes still young. And I can see that something else died there in the bloody mud, and was buried in the blizzard. A people’s dream died there. It was a beautiful dream...The nation’s hoop is broken and scattered. There is no center any longer, and the sacred tree is dead.”

BLACK ELK SPEAKING ABOUT WOUNDED KNEE

BLACK ELK

VI. CATTLE BECOMES BIG BUSINESS

A. Ranching became increasingly profitable

B. GROWING DEMAND FOR BEEF

1. After the Civil War the demand for beef surged2. Urbanization and the rise of the railroad were instrumental in the increase of beef consumption3. Chicago Union Stock Yards was a famous meat packing district after 1865

POSTCARD OF CHICAGO UNION STOCK YARDS

refrigerated railcar

Long Drives

l Most cattle ranches were far away from the closest railhead so ranchers had to have crews drive the cattle across open country to the nearest train.

l Often took weeks, months

D. COW TOWN & THE TRAIL

1. Abilene, Kansasbecame famous for being a place where the Chisholm Trail met the railroads2. Cattle came from Texas to Abilene via the Chisholm trail then board rail cars for destinations across the country

Chisholm Trail

Chisholm Trail

TRAILS CONNECTED TO RAILROADS

What is this? How you think it change life in the

west?

VII. THE END OF THE OPEN RANGE

lAlmost as soon as ranching became big business, the cattle frontier met its endA. Overgrazing, bad weather, and the invention of barbedwire were responsible for the end of the open range.

SECTION 2: SETTLING ON THE GREAT PLAINSI. ManifestDestiny

A. The belief that the United States was meant to expand across the continent

B. Sea to shining sea

C. Why Move West?

1. Push Factorsa. Overcrowded, dirty citiesb. Oppressive Jim Crow laws in the south

2. Pull Factorsa. Ways to make money

• Mining• Farming• Ranching

II. Railroads Open the WestA. 1850–1871, huge land grants to railroads

for laying track in West- helps western settlement

B. 1860s, Central Pacific goes east from California, Union Pacific west from Nebraska, meet in Promontory Point, Utah(1st transcontinental railroad May 10, 1869)

l By 1880s, 5 transcontinental railroads completed

l Railroads sell land to farmers, attract many European immigrants

The transcontinental railroad was completed in 1868. The Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met in Promontory Point, Utah

and laid a Golden Spike

III. Settlers Move Westward A. Federal land policy and the transcontinentalrailroad led to the rapid settlement of American westB. 1862 – Congress passed Homestead Act,which offered 160 free acres to any “head of household”•1862–1900, up to 600,000 families settle•Railroad, state agents, speculators profit; 10% of land to families

C. EXODUSTERS MOVE WEST

1. African Americans who moved from the post-Reconstruction South to Kansas were called Exodusters

D. OKLAHOMA SOONERS1. In 1889, a governmental land giveaway in what is now Oklahoma attracted thousandslIn less than a day, 2 million acres were claimed by settlers2. Some took possession before the government had declared it open –known as the “SoonerState”

E. The Closing of the Frontier1.1872, Yellowstone

National Parkcreated to protect some wilderness

2. 1890s, no frontier left

l some regret loss of unique American feature

IV. SETTLERS ENCOUNTER HARDSHIPS

A. The frontier settlers faced extreme hardships B. Population grew from 1% of the nation’s population in 1850 to almost 30% in 1900

LOCUST SWARM

1. Transformed into America’s “Bread Basket”--Wheat Belt

lDakotas, Kansas, Nebraska. lWheat was the main crop grown and

became very profitable.

C. DUGOUTS & SODDIES1. Few trees,

pioneers often dug their homes out of the sides of ravines or hills (Dugouts)

2. Those in the flat plains made freestanding homes of turf or sod home by stacking blocks of turf (Soddies)

DUGOUT

SODDY

D. Women’s Work

1. Homesteaders virtually alone, must be self-sufficient

lWomen do men’s work—plowing, harvesting, shearing sheep

l Do traditional work—carding wool, making soap, canning vegetables

l Work for communities —sponsor schools, churches

E. FARMER EDUCATION SUPPORTED

1. The federal government financed agricultural education

2. The Morrill Acts gave federal land to states for agricultural colleges

F. Farmers in Debt1. Rising cost of

shipping grain pushes farmers into debt

How do the farmers ship their crops?

SECTION 3: FARMERS AND THE POPULIST MOVEMENT

I. Farmers Unite to Address Common Problems

• In the late 1800s, crop prices were falling, debt increased

A. Mortgages were being foreclosed by banks

B. Economic Distress1. Farmers buy more

land to increase production

2. Prices of crops falldramatically

3. 1870s, farmers want government to coin silver, not just gold

4. Why?inflation -value of each

dollar falls because so much money in circulation; causes price to go up

5. 1878 Bland-Allison Act —put silver dollars into circulation, money supply increase not enough for farmers

C. Problems with the RailroadsEX. Between 1867 and 1887 the

price of a bushel of wheat fell from $2.00 to 68 cents

Railroads conspired to keep transport costs artificially high

Farmers got caught in a cycle of debt

1. Railroads overcharge rates to transport grain

2. Farms mortgaged to buy supplies; suppliers charge high interest

D. FARMERS ORGANIZE FOR CHANGE

1. 1867 – Oliver Hudson Kelley started the Grange, first organization for framers

• By 1870, the Grange spent most of their time fighting the railroads

2. Farmers’ Alliances —lectures on interest rates, government control of railroads, banks

II. POPULIST PARTY IS BORN

A. Leaders of the farmers realized they needed political power

B. Populism – the movement of the people –1892 with the founding of the Populist, or People’s Party (WEST)

THIS POLITICAL CARTOON SHOWS A POPULIST

CLUBBING A RAILROAD CAR

C. The Populist Party Platform• Populist Party wants

reforms (change)1. economic reforms included;

increase of money supply, rise in crop prices, graduated income tax (lower taxes), federal loan program

2. political reforms included; direct election of senators or by popular vote (17th

Amendment 1913); secret ballot; 8-hour day and reduced immigration

(Democratic Party eventually adopts platform)

POPULISTS MAKE GAINS• 1892, Populist

candidates elected at different levels of government

• 1. wanted to lift burden from farmers

• 2. wanted more voice in government

• 3. graduated income tax

• 4. increase in money supply

FRED AND PHIL VOTED FOR THE PEOPLE’S PARTY

D. SILVER OR GOLD?1. Central issue of the 1896 Presidential

campaign was which metal would be the nation’s monetary ($) system

2. Political divisions also regional: Republicans- Northeast business owners, bankers; Democrats-Southern, Western farmers, laborers

3. Bimetallism —system using both silver and gold to back currency- Democrats

4. Gold standard —backing currency with gold only-Republicans

Paper money considered worthless if cannot be exchanged for metal

5. Silverites: bimetallism would create more money, stimulate economy

6. Gold bugs: gold only would create more stable; if expensive currency

7. Farmers want silver

l GreenbacksØ Paper money

issued by the government starting in the 1860s.

Ø Supply of money increased and so did prices.

Ø Inflation-Decline in the value of

money.

l Farmers wanted the government to resume coining silver.

l Increase money supply.l Causing inflation.

E. BRYAN AND THE“CROSS OF GOLD”

1. Republicans favored the Gold standard and nominated William McKinley

2. Democrats & Populist favored Bimetallism and nominated William Jennings Bryan- famous speech “Cross Of Gold”-supported Bimetallism

3. Despite Bryan’s stirring words, “You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold,” McKinley won the 1896 electionBRYAN’S CROSS OF GOLD

SPEECH

F. THE END OF POPULISM1. With McKinley’s

election victory, Populism collapsed, burying the hopes of the farmer

• Populism left two important legacies: 1) A message that the powerless can organize, have political impact and 2) An agenda of reforms enacted in the 20th

century THE PEOPLE’S PARTY WAS SHORT-LIVED BUT LEFT AN

IMPORTANT LEGACY

STR QuizzesGet your STR study guide out!You will have weekly quizzes over

this study guide. The questions will be comprehensive

and will be fill in the blank. The number of questions will range

from 10-20.Upcoming quizzes will be under

homework the day before the quiz.

Review Western Expansion 1.During what time period did Western Expansion occur?late 1800s-early 1900s2.What three industries led to the expansion of the West?mining, ranching, farming3.This animal provided most of the food and many supplies for Plains Indians.Buffalo4.What were the series of battles fought throughout the American West between the Indians and US army? Indian Wars5.What was the name of the tragic massacre in Colorado where over 200 unarmed Indians promised protection were killed?Sand Creek Massacre6.What was the name of the Battle in which General Custer and his men lost their lives?Little Big Horn

Review Western Expansion 7.This battle officially ended the Indian Wars. Battle of Wounded Knee8.What was the name of Helen Hunt Jackson’s book that chronicled the mistreatment of Indians by the US government and army? A Century of Dishonor9.Which Act gave land to Native Americans in an attempt to make them farmers and land owners? Dawes Act10.What was the forcing of Indians to live as white Americans? Assimilation11.What was the moving of cattle from grazing fields to stockyards called? Long drive

Review Western Expansion 12.What was the most famous trail for long drives? Chisholm Trail13.What was the invention that ended the open grazing fields by containing cattle? Barbed wire14.What type of mining requires digging deep below the earth’s surface?quartz15.What type of mining uses picks, pans and shovels? placer16.What Act provided 160 acres of land to settlers who would develop the land? Homestead Act