Chapter 21-The West

(1850-1890)

The Wars for the West1. I will be able to identify the different American Indian groups who

faced conflict with the U.S. government2. I will be able to explain how each group of American Indians

reacted to being asked to leave their land.3. I will be able to explain the important resources of the Plains

Indians.4. I will be able to identify the American Indian leaders and the U.S.

government officials involved in this set of conflicts.5. I will be able to explain the outcome of U.S. policy toward

American Indians in the West.

The Plains IndiansGreat Plains- 98th Meridian to Rocky Mtns, north

to Canada and south into TexasPlains Indians depended on horse and buffaloMiners and settlers began to move onto the

Plains

The Plains Indians1851- Treaty of Fort Laramie

A. Signed by Northern Plains IndiansB. Accepted American Indians claim to much of the

Great PlainsC. Allowed Americans to build forts and roads and

travel across American Indian land

War on the PlainsGold discovered in 1858 in ColoradoMiners clashed with Cheyenne and Arapaho1861- New Treaty signed

A. Created reservationsB. American Indians must stay on land which made

hunting buffalo impossible

War on the PlainsAmerican Indians refused to stay on reservationsSand Creek Massacre- 200 Cheyenne men,

women and children killedBozeman trail- Used by miners from WY to MN

A. U.S. Army build forts along trailB. Ran through Sioux hunting ground

War on the PlainsSioux leader Red Cloud declared war1866- Crazy Horse ambushed and killed 81 U.S.

Calvary troopsU.S. asked Red Cloud to negotiate but he

refused until soldiers left1866- U.S. closed Bozeman TrailSioux moved to Black Hills reservation in Dakota

War on the Plains1867- Treaty of Medicine Lodge- U.S. asked

Southern Plains Indians to moveMost Plains Indians agreed to live on

reservationsPlains Indians did not want to give up hunting

grounds

War on the PlainsComanche and Texans began to fightTexans could not win the battle so they cut off

the Comanche food supply1875- last Comanche leader, Quanah Parker

surrendered

U.S. War with the Sioux1874- Custer’s soldiers found gold in the Black

Hills (Dakota)U.S. made Sioux sell reservation in the Black

Hills and Sioux refusedCuster’s 7th Calvary on June 25, 1867 found

Sioux camp along Little Bighorn River, MontanaSioux led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull killed

7th Calvary

U.S. War with the Sioux1877- Crazy Horse killed in prisonSitting Bull and followers fled to Canada1881- Sitting Bull and followers returned due to

lack of foodSitting Bull joined Sioux on Standing Rock

Reservation (Dakota)

U.S. War with the SiouxGhost Dance started by Wovoka, a Paiute Indian

A. New life free from sufferingB. Buffalo herds returnC. Settlers disappear

U.S. feared the Ghost Dane would lead to a Sioux uprising

1890- U.S. killed Sitting Bull while trying to arrest himSioux then left reservationMassacre of Wounded Knee- U.S. surrounded Sioux and

killed about 150 Sioux

Indians in Southwest & Far West

NavajoA. 1863- U.S. wanted Navajo to settle on

reservations (Arizona and New Mexico)B. Kit Carson led U.S. troops in raids on Navajo

fields, homes and livestockC. Once they ran out of food and shelter, the Navajo

began to surrenderD. 1864- Long Walk- 300 miles across desert to

Bosque Redondo Reservations

Indians in Southwest & Far West

Nez PerceA. U.S. promised Nez Perce they could live in NE

Oregon, but settlers wanted the landB. Chief Joseph reluctantly agreed to move to the

reservation in IdahoC. Few Nez Perce killed settlers, Nez Perce fledD. Less than 40 miles from Canada, U.S. surrounded

the Nez Perce ad Chief Joseph surrendered

Indians in Southwest & Far West

By 1880s- most American Indians stopped fighting

Apache continued to fightA. Geronimo left the reservation (AZ) and avoided

capture until 1884 and one year later escaped before being caught again, which he again escaped

B. September 1886- Geronimo surrendered and Apache resistance ended

C. Geronimo was sent to Florida as a prisoner of war

Policy and ProtestGovernment agents stole food and moneyLand on reservations was not useful for farming

or buffalo huntingSarah Winnemucca- called for reforms in 1870sHelen Hunt Jackson- wrote Century of Dishonor,

which criticized federal gov’t treatment of American Indians

Policy and Protest1887- Dawes General Allotment Act

A. Land ownership- privateB. Reservations divided into 160 acre plots for

familiesC. 80 acres for single adultsD. Promised U.S. citizenship

Miners and Railroads1. I will be able to locate where the mining booms occurred in the

1870s and how they affected the growing West.2. I will be able to explain how the delivery of information changed

over time.3. I will be able to explain the great railroad race.4. I will be able to explain the effects the railroad had on the West.

The Mining BoomComstock Lode- named after Henry Comstock

A. Bonanza- large deposit of precious oreB. Took expensive equipment to remove gold and

silverC. Large company bought miners claims

The Mining BoomMining was DANGEROUS

A. Wall-less elevator platformB. Little oxygenC. No light- candles did not burnD. Dust from drilling caused lung problemsE. Explosions, cave-ins, floods, firesF. Temp- above 130 F

Mining TownsMining towns produced boomtowns and became

ghost towns when mines closedNo law and order

Linking East and West1860- Pony Express formed. Used messengers

on horseback to carry mail (2,000 mile route)Telegraph lines put Pony Express out of business1862-Pacific Railways Act

A. RR companies received loans and large land grants

B. RR carries U.S. mail and troops at low rates

The Great RaceCentral Pacific and Union Pacific raced to

complete transcontinental RR from Omaha to Sacremento

Must cross Sierra Nevada, deal with snow drifts and harsh weather

RR connected at Promontory, UT

Railroad Company Advertisement Project

Instructions:Design an advertisement for a railroad company. The purpose is to make the public aware of the railroad company’s influence on the settlement and development of the West.

Items to Include: Name of Railroad (2 points) Speed of Travel (2 points) Improvements of

Communication (3 points) Growth of Western

Businesses (5 points) 2 illustrations (2 points) Neatness/color (4 points) Spelling (2 points) Extras (Up to 5 points)

Total: 20 points

The Effects of the RRPanic of 1873- helped to start by RR speculation

and collapse of banking firmDepression followedBy 1880s many smaller western RR were deep

in debt

The Effects of the RRRR increased population and economy of the

WestRR provided better and quicker transportation of

people and products

The Cattle Kingdom1. I will be able to identify:

• Cattle kingdoms• Ranchers• Cowboys

2. I will be able to explain the importance of cattle ranching and cattle drives.

3. I will be able to explain how the end of open ranges impacted the cattle drives and the elements that helped to end the era of open ranges.

The Cattle BoomTexas Longhorns needed little water, could

survive harsh weatherAfter Civil War, demand for beef increasedAbilene, KS- Joseph McCoy built pens for cattle

The Cattle BoomCattle Kingdom- Texas north to CanadaCattle grazed on public land called open range

The RanchersMost owned little land but owned water rights-

range rights to ponds and riversThis right could cut competition by stopping

farmers and other ranchers from using water

Cowboy Job Advertisement

Write a job description for a cowboy in the newspaper.

Worth: 20 pointsThe description must include:

Overall description of the job’s responsibilitiesOverall description of the cowboy’s duties It must be at least a ½ page long

The Cowboys (Cowhands)

Cowboys took care of Ranchers’ cattleVaqueros- Ranch hands cared for cattle and

horsesA. Western saddleB. Lariat- rope for lassoing cattleC. Leather chaps over pants (against thorny brush)D. Broad felt hat (changed to high peaked cowboy

hat)E. bandanna

The CowboysAutumn Round-Up – gathering cattle together

(most dangerous duty)Spring Round-Up – branded young calved and

horsesDisadvantages: Bad weather, cattle thieves,

unpredictable livestock, low wages

Cattle Drives & Cattle Trains

Cattle drive- herded cattle to market or N. Plains for grazing

Chisholm Trail- popular route for cattle drives from San Antonio, TX to Abilene, KS

Western Trail- one of the most heavily used, North from San Antonio, TX to Dodge City, KS

The End of the Open Range

1880s- Refrigerated RR could carry meat to Eastern cities

Chicago- meat packing plants

The End of the Open Range

1874-Joseph Glidden invented barbed wireRanchers fenced in open range and water

sourcesSheep chewed grass so far down, nothing was

left for cattle to eatRanchers/sheep herders/farmers fought over

land

The End of Open Ranges

Eastern cattle died on PlainsTwo severe winters killed 1,000s of cattleRanchers had to buy winter feed

Farming the Great Plains1. I will be able to explain the Homestead Act.2. I will be able to explain the Morrill Act.3. I will be able to explain the farming methods used on the Great

Plains.4. I will be able to explain what daily life was like on the Great

Plains.

New Lands for Settlement

Homestead ActA. U.S. citizen may receive 160 acres of landB. Must live on land for 5 years

Morrill ActA. Granted more than17 million acres of federal land

to states for colleges to teach agriculture and engineering

More than 50,000 people rushed to Oklahoma to stake their claim

Settling the PlainsPeople moved farther West since farmland was

scarce or expensiveExodusters were southern African Americans out

West who wanted economic opportunity and equal rights

Mennonites were one of the first to begin large scale farming in region

Farming the PlainsSodbusters- farmersJohn Deere designed plow (sodbuster) to break

tough sodDry farming- switch from water dependent crops

to hardier crops (ex: red wheat) in order to farm with little rain and keep part of land unplanted for one year

Farming in the PlainsCyrus McCormick- horse drawn McCormick

ReaperGreat Plains known as breadbasket of the

WORLD

Daily Life on the PlainsLittle wood so houses were built out of bricks of

sod cut out of the ground

Communities on the Great Plains

Communities formed to help one another in times of need

Communities established a local church and schoolsA. Schools were one room for all grades

Extra CreditThe U.S. Government is giving away 160 acre plots of land to any U.S. citizen willing to pay a small fee and move to where the land is located. Would you go and why?

Earn up to 5 extra credit points. All submissions must be at least 1 paragraph long and answer the question in full sentences. Due: day of the test - April 27th