Resources in the WestResources in the West

Mining & CattleMining & Cattle

Miners & RanchersMiners & Ranchers

Mining SettlementsMining Settlements

• Treasure Seekers created Boom Towns

• 49ers – CA; Comstock – NV

• 3 Arizona cities exist because of population boom from mining towns– Tombstone – silver– Globe – silver & copper – Jerome - copper

Challenges from MiningChallenges from Mining

• “Cages” – elevators that rode down underground; had no walls – slight move and you could be pinned

• Power drills – caused dust which produced lung problems

• TNT – unexpected explosions also creating poisonous gas and fires

• Hot underground air filled with toxic gases• Cave-ins and floods from underground springs

The Cattle KingdomThe Cattle Kingdom• Cattle came from Spain and was

brought to CA & TX• these cattle mixed with English

breeds to create Longhorns• Longhorns were tough and resilient

to the cold and disease• Workers taking care of the cattle

became known as “Cowboys”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg5cwSBnyQU

Ranching the Great Ranching the Great PlainsPlains

• Sheep (sheepherders), cattle

• RR encourage settlement

• Problems:– Native Americans – fighting for their home

land– Farmers – sharing the land– Miners – blowing up the land & scaring the

wild life

Farming the Great PlainsFarming the Great Plains

• Homestead Act – gave govt. owned land to small farmers; this led to tons of people migrating west

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxaJY8UZxn4

Farming the Great PlainsFarming the Great Plains•Challenge of farming on the Plains:

•The environment – the freezing winters, scorching summers; blizzards, tornadoes, different land: couldn’t plant the same crops

•Lumber shortage – few wood sources for home building or heating•Grasshoppers – ate crops, food, and clothes•Sod houses – made bc of good insulation & cheap but they disintegrated; wood framed homes prevailed

SUMMARYSUMMARY

• QUIZ TIME

• 1. What are boomtowns?

• 2. Name the genetically bred cow that was used in the Wild West as a tractor?

• 3. Name the law that encouraged settlement in the west to dominate the land.

• 4. Name one major challenge to farming on the Great Plains.