Which argument for expansion Which argument for expansion probably had the greatest appeal probably had the greatest appeal among Americans, and why? among Americans, and why?

Colonial America: How the Colonial America: How the West was LostWest was Lost

I. Visions of the WestI. Visions of the WestA. Turner’s FrontierA. Turner’s Frontier

"The Significance of the Frontier in American "The Significance of the Frontier in American History," 1893: History," 1893: "The existence of an area of free land, its "The existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward explain American American settlement westward explain American development." development." FrontierFrontier "that coarseness and strength "that coarseness and strength combined with acuteness and acquisitiveness; combined with acuteness and acquisitiveness; that practical inventive turn of mind, quick to find that practical inventive turn of mind, quick to find expedients; that masterful grasp of material expedients; that masterful grasp of material things... that restless, nervous energy; that things... that restless, nervous energy; that dominant individualism" = Americanismdominant individualism" = Americanism

Rugged IndividualismRugged Individualism

Farm life on Plains is very difficult: hard Farm life on Plains is very difficult: hard work, essentials (water, fuel) are scarcework, essentials (water, fuel) are scarce

Weather is unpredictable (heat, storms, Weather is unpredictable (heat, storms, blizzards, floods, prairie fires), plus insects blizzards, floods, prairie fires), plus insects

98 Meridian98 Meridian

Democracy for women (compare early Democracy for women (compare early South Carolina + slaves)South Carolina + slaves)Homestead Act (1862) disperses Homestead Act (1862) disperses settlement and creates social isolationsettlement and creates social isolationAlso lonely because many were bachelors; Also lonely because many were bachelors; many abandon farms for cities (late 1800s)many abandon farms for cities (late 1800s)Isolation diminished by mail-order Isolation diminished by mail-order companies and extension of RFD post companies and extension of RFD post serviceservice

B. Cowboys and IndiansB. Cowboys and IndiansWilliam “Buffalo Bill” CodyWilliam “Buffalo Bill” Cody““Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” (1883)Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” (1883)– Buffalo hunt w/ real buffalos, Indian Buffalo hunt w/ real buffalos, Indian

attack on the Deadwood stage with real attack on the Deadwood stage with real Indians, Pony Express ride, and Indians, Pony Express ride, and presentation of Custer’s Last Stand presentation of Custer’s Last Stand w/Lakota who had actually foughtw/Lakota who had actually fought

– Toured Europe, great acclaimToured Europe, great acclaim

½ circus, ½ history lesson½ circus, ½ history lessonAnnie Oakley, Sitting BullAnnie Oakley, Sitting Bull1,700 dime novels1,700 dime novels violent, gunfighting, gambling, violent, gunfighting, gambling, get-rich-quick, lawless hedonism= get-rich-quick, lawless hedonism= “Wild West”“Wild West”

II. Realities of the WestII. Realities of the WestA. Rugged CooperationA. Rugged Cooperation

Massive gov’t assistance throughout (and today)Massive gov’t assistance throughout (and today)Pacific Railway Acts (1862, 1864): US 180 million Pacific Railway Acts (1862, 1864): US 180 million acres to rail companies; States 50 million acresacres to rail companies; States 50 million acresMorrill Land Grant Act (1862): “land grant” Morrill Land Grant Act (1862): “land grant” collegescollegesHomestead ActHomestead Act (1862): 160 acres, small fee if: (1862): 160 acres, small fee if: 1) 21 / head household, 2) citizen or imm. 1) 21 / head household, 2) citizen or imm. seeking, 3) build house, 4) farm 5 yearsseeking, 3) build house, 4) farm 5 years 372,000 farms, 80 million acres372,000 farms, 80 million acres– 50 years post-CW more land than since Jamestown50 years post-CW more land than since Jamestown– Cheap land immigrants + blacks (50,000 Exodusters)Cheap land immigrants + blacks (50,000 Exodusters)

ExpansionExpansion tension w/ Indians tension w/ Indians violence violence cavalrycavalry removal + massacre [Sand Creek (500), removal + massacre [Sand Creek (500), Wounded Knee (200)]Wounded Knee (200)] “Indian Emancipation Act” “Indian Emancipation Act”– ““Disappearing Indian”Disappearing Indian”– Indian “monopoly” on landIndian “monopoly” on land stymie competition stymie competition break- break-

upup

Dawes ActDawes Act (General Allotment Act), 1887 (General Allotment Act), 18871) 160 acres of land to head of each family; single 1) 160 acres of land to head of each family; single

over 18: 80 acres; under 18: 40 acresover 18: 80 acres; under 18: 40 acres2) same legal protection as whites’2) same legal protection as whites’3) Federal government, for 25 years, would hold land 3) Federal government, for 25 years, would hold land

in trust: Indians could not sell land for 25 yearsin trust: Indians could not sell land for 25 years4) Full citizenship rights4) Full citizenship rights5) Fed sell all remaining land not allotted5) Fed sell all remaining land not allotted

Unsuitable for farming; Unsuitable for farming; choose land for culture choose land for culture > economics; refuse > economics; refuse farm; not enough farm; not enough landland debt to whites debt to whites (sharecropping / debt (sharecropping / debt peonage)peonage) lose 2/3 lose 2/3 landland 1934 Indian 1934 Indian

Reorganization Act Reorganization Act

Destruction of the Destruction of the BuffaloBuffalo

1) Weather1) Weather

2) Indians2) Indians

3) Competition 3) Competition horses/cattlehorses/cattle

4) Bill Cody4) Bill Cody

Mechanization agriculture + need for Mechanization agriculture + need for irrigation (environment) + boom/bust irrigation (environment) + boom/bust cyclecycle concentration in large, commercial concentration in large, commercial farmsfarms– Also true (diff. particulars) for ranching + Also true (diff. particulars) for ranching +

miningmining

B. Mild WestB. Mild West

1) Not as violent: more died violently in RxR 1) Not as violent: more died violently in RxR accidents than gunaccidents than gun– 1889: 50 gunmen Wyoming Stock Growers 1889: 50 gunmen Wyoming Stock Growers

Association vs. small ranchers + farmers: 3 days Association vs. small ranchers + farmers: 3 days shooting, 1 death (shot self); Feds save gunmenshooting, 1 death (shot self); Feds save gunmen

2) Violence often socio-economic conflict: 2) Violence often socio-economic conflict: competition for land, resources, powercompetition for land, resources, power3) Violence usually not personal conflicts but 3) Violence usually not personal conflicts but rather conflict between social groups (e.g. pan rather conflict between social groups (e.g. pan miners vs. capitalists’ goons—see miners vs. capitalists’ goons—see Pale RiderPale Rider))Cleaned up quickly as big biz moves inCleaned up quickly as big biz moves in

The Ranching FrontierThe Ranching FrontierPopulation growth + RxR (bulk Population growth + RxR (bulk transportation)transportation) cattle ranching cattle ranching mushrooms after 1860smushrooms after 1860s

Penny press Penny press claims 25-40% profitclaims 25-40% profit

Drive cattle 1,000+ miles from TX to Drive cattle 1,000+ miles from TX to rail link, but soon move to raising herds rail link, but soon move to raising herds near rail link (long drives inefficient)near rail link (long drives inefficient)– Mexican + black cowboysMexican + black cowboys

Profitable open-range ranching w/ Profitable open-range ranching w/ massive use gov’t lands; dominated massive use gov’t lands; dominated large ranchers w/ backing (London, large ranchers w/ backing (London, NYC)NYC)

Grazing WarsGrazing WarsMassive cattle ranching conflicts commercial Massive cattle ranching conflicts commercial farms + sheep herds (“wooly critters”)farms + sheep herds (“wooly critters”)

West lacks materials for traditional fences: West lacks materials for traditional fences: who owns what?who owns what? Mass production barbed Mass production barbed wire solves conflictwire solves conflict

Wire accelerates farming (protect); ranching Wire accelerates farming (protect); ranching moves toward big business, away from moves toward big business, away from open-range (large-scale isolate)open-range (large-scale isolate)

Winter 1887-88Winter 1887-88 Small ranchers out, most Small ranchers out, most cowboys wage-earnerscowboys wage-earners