looking to the west (1860-1900) ◊miners, ranchers, farmers, cowboys, workers
TRANSCRIPT
Looking to the West (1860-1900)
Looking to the West (1860-1900)
◊Miners, Ranchers, Farmers, Cowboys, Workers
◊Miners, Ranchers, Farmers, Cowboys, Workers
The Spread of Western MiningThe Spread of Western Mining
MiningMining
◊ Young, single men◊ Desire to strike it
rich◊ Cherry Creek, CO
• Other CO places in the mountains
◊ Helena, MT◊ Virginia City, NV◊ Black Hills (South
Dakota)
◊ Young, single men◊ Desire to strike it
rich◊ Cherry Creek, CO
• Other CO places in the mountains
◊ Helena, MT◊ Virginia City, NV◊ Black Hills (South
Dakota)
The Mining FrontierThe Mining Frontier◊ Some small prospectors made
fortunes◊ Most money made by large
mining corporations.◊ Mining towns had high
populations of foreigners.◊ Environmental destruction due
to blasting, chemicals, and water pollution.
◊ Some small prospectors made fortunes
◊ Most money made by large mining corporations.
◊ Mining towns had high populations of foreigners.
◊ Environmental destruction due to blasting, chemicals, and water pollution.
Mining’s Economic ImpactsMining’s Economic Impacts
◊ The added gold (and silver)• Boosted U.S.
economy• Increased foreign
investment• Stimulated U.S.
involvement in global economy
◊ The added gold (and silver)• Boosted U.S.
economy• Increased foreign
investment• Stimulated U.S.
involvement in global economy
19_11.jpg19_11.jpg
19_27.jpg19_27.jpg
19_29.jpg19_29.jpg
19_30.jpg19_30.jpg
RanchingRanching◊ Fences◊ Large
tracts of land
◊ Huge herds of cattle
◊ Rise of the Cattle Barons
◊ Fences◊ Large
tracts of land
◊ Huge herds of cattle
◊ Rise of the Cattle Barons
The Cattle TrailsThe Cattle Trails
◊ Chisholm Trail- led cattle from ranches to railroad
◊ Chisholm Trail- led cattle from ranches to railroad
Texas Longhorn CattleTexas Longhorn Cattle
◊Tough◊Ornery◊Good sense of smell - could locate sources of groundwater
◊Tough◊Ornery◊Good sense of smell - could locate sources of groundwater
Longhorn CattleLonghorn Cattle
19_10.jpg19_10.jpg
The American CowboyThe American Cowboy
◊ Romanticized◊ Mythologized◊ Lonely, rugged
existence◊ Necessary for
Cattle business
◊ Romanticized◊ Mythologized◊ Lonely, rugged
existence◊ Necessary for
Cattle business
The Cattle DrivesThe Cattle Drives◊ Romanticized,
difficult◊ Spurred growth of
RRs◊ Food “on the hoof”
fed growing demand in Eastern Markets and for Miners
◊ Depended on the Open Range
◊ Romanticized, difficult
◊ Spurred growth of RRs
◊ Food “on the hoof” fed growing demand in Eastern Markets and for Miners
◊ Depended on the Open Range
Farming as BusinessFarming as Business◊ Improved farming
technologies:• Mechanical Reaper
(Early Combine)• Barbed wire• Dry farming• Steel Plow• Windmills• Hybridization• Seed drills
◊ Led to Bonanza farms:• Specialized in a single
cash crop• The rise of
‘agribusiness’.
◊ Improved farming technologies:• Mechanical Reaper
(Early Combine)• Barbed wire• Dry farming• Steel Plow• Windmills• Hybridization• Seed drills
◊ Led to Bonanza farms:• Specialized in a single
cash crop• The rise of
‘agribusiness’.
New Technology Eases Farm LaborNew Technology Eases Farm Labor
Reduced labor force needed for harvest. Allows farmers to maintain larger farms.Mechanized Reaper
Keeps cattle from trampling crops and uses a minimal amount of lumber, which was scarce on the plains.Barbed Wire
Allows cultivation of arid land by using drought-resistant crops and various techniques to minimize evaporation.Dry Farming
Allows farmers to cut through dense, root-choked sod.Steel Plow
Smoothes and levels ground for planting.Harrow
Powers irrigation systems and pumps up ground water.Steel Windmill
Cross-breeding of crop plants, which allows greater yields and uniformity.Hybridization
Array of multiple drills used to carve small trenches in the ground and feed seed into the soil.Grain Drill
Farms controlled by large businesses, managed by professionals, raised massive quantities of a single cash crop.Bonanza Farm
Farming Technologies and InnovationsFarming Technologies and Innovations
Bonanza FarmsBonanza Farms
◊ 10,000 acre farms◊ Wheat boom of the 1880s◊ Population in Dakotas tripled◊ Overproduction, high investment
costs, droughts, and reliance on one-crop agriculture brought an end to the boom
◊ 1890 prices fell, some lost everything
◊ 10,000 acre farms◊ Wheat boom of the 1880s◊ Population in Dakotas tripled◊ Overproduction, high investment
costs, droughts, and reliance on one-crop agriculture brought an end to the boom
◊ 1890 prices fell, some lost everything
The Wild WestThe Wild West
◊ Gunfights◊ Outlaws (Billy
the Kid)◊ Marshals and
Sheriffs (Wyatt Earp)
◊ Mythical◊ Dodge City,
KS◊ Tombstone,
AZ
◊ Gunfights◊ Outlaws (Billy
the Kid)◊ Marshals and
Sheriffs (Wyatt Earp)
◊ Mythical◊ Dodge City,
KS◊ Tombstone,
AZ
Myth vs. RealityMyth vs. Reality◊ Myth
◊ Cowboys were romantic, self-sufficient, and virtuous
◊ All were white◊ Ideal, garden of Eden◊ Could make a
fortune in the west◊ Western towns were
lawless
◊ Myth◊ Cowboys were
romantic, self-sufficient, and virtuous
◊ All were white◊ Ideal, garden of Eden◊ Could make a
fortune in the west◊ Western towns were
lawless
◊ Reality◊ Cowboys were young,
poorly paid, and did hard labor
◊ 20% were black or Mexican◊ Harmonious race relations
on the trail◊ Harsh conditions◊ Most made little, if any
money◊ There were police forces
and order in the West
◊ Reality◊ Cowboys were young,
poorly paid, and did hard labor
◊ 20% were black or Mexican◊ Harmonious race relations
on the trail◊ Harsh conditions◊ Most made little, if any
money◊ There were police forces
and order in the West
The Western MythThe Western Myth◊ Some (Roosevelt) saw
social Darwinism in the west.
◊ Perceived as the last chance to build a truly good society
◊ Novels and accounts glossed over hard labor and ethnic strife.
◊ Reality, western settlement depended more upon companies and railroads than individuals.
◊ Some (Roosevelt) saw social Darwinism in the west.
◊ Perceived as the last chance to build a truly good society
◊ Novels and accounts glossed over hard labor and ethnic strife.
◊ Reality, western settlement depended more upon companies and railroads than individuals.
The Frontier MythThe Frontier Myth
◊ Still lives in the American imagination
◊ Depicted in movies
◊ TV shows (Frontier House, Little House on the Prairie, Gunsmoke, etc.)
◊ Still lives in the American imagination
◊ Depicted in movies
◊ TV shows (Frontier House, Little House on the Prairie, Gunsmoke, etc.)
19_24.jpg19_24.jpg
Railroad WorkersRailroad Workers◊ Mostly immigrants
• Chinese from the west• Irish from the east
◊ Also veterans and African Americans◊ Worked on Transcontinental Railroad◊ Dangerous job; use dynamite to blast
mountains
◊ Mostly immigrants• Chinese from the west• Irish from the east
◊ Also veterans and African Americans◊ Worked on Transcontinental Railroad◊ Dangerous job; use dynamite to blast
mountains
Homestead ActHomestead Act
◊ Passed in 1862◊ Government gave 160 acre farm
plots to anyone willing to live on the land for 5 years, dig a well, and build a road
◊ Passed in 1862◊ Government gave 160 acre farm
plots to anyone willing to live on the land for 5 years, dig a well, and build a road
ExodustersExodusters◊ Former slaves
that fled the South after Reconstruction
◊ Took advantage of Homestead Act opportunities
◊ Former slaves that fled the South after Reconstruction
◊ Took advantage of Homestead Act opportunities
Problems on the Great PlainsProblems on the Great Plains◊ Windstorms◊ Droughts◊ Plagues of locusts◊ Loneliness◊ No lumber
◊ Windstorms◊ Droughts◊ Plagues of locusts◊ Loneliness◊ No lumber
“Soddies” “Soddies” ◊ Sod houses◊ Pioneers cut sections of sod and
stacked them like bricks
◊ Sod houses◊ Pioneers cut sections of sod and
stacked them like bricks
The Best West Photo EverThe Best West Photo Ever
Morrill Act- 1862Morrill Act- 1862◊ Inventions created to
make farming easier in the west
◊ Still needed education◊ Morrill Act granted land to
states to establish agricultural colleges
◊ Inventions created to make farming easier in the west
◊ Still needed education◊ Morrill Act granted land to
states to establish agricultural colleges
18901890
◊ Frontier closes◊ Census concluded no square miles
were left out west with no white inhabitants
◊ Frontier closes◊ Census concluded no square miles
were left out west with no white inhabitants