Changes on the Western Frontier(Chapter 5)

1. Demise of Indians on Great Plains2. Americans Continue to Migrate West3. Life in the Old West

What became of the Indians who were living on the Great Plains?

• Native Americans lived on the Great Plains (west-central United States)

• They lived a simple family life; the horse & buffalo were important resources

• White settlers moved in and fighting broke out (Sand Creek Massacre, Little Big Horn)

• Ritual Ghost Dance (to bring back buffalo) led to Battle of Wounded Knee

• Forced assimilation gave Native Americans land to farm (Dawes Act)

Why did the American people continue to migrate to the west?

• From 1866-1885, cattle drives (cowboys) became big business (Chisholm Trail)

• Central Pacific & Union Pacific built the transcontinental railroad (began during Civil War)

• Railroads sold land to settlers & Homestead Act of 1862 offered free land to settlers

• In 1889, Oklahoma gave away over 2 million acres of land (huge land rush)

What was life like in the old west for settlers and farmers?

• With few trees people lived in sod houses (limited light and lacked fresh air)

• Tight-knit families worked hard to survive (made everything they needed)

• New inventions (steel plow, new reaper) and the Morrill Acts improved farming

• Farmers faced low crop prices, cut in money supply, & high transportation costs

• Farmers united to fight for reforms (Grange, Farmers’ Alliances)