settling the west. great plains - “great american desert” 1000 sq miles from the 100th meridian...
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Great Plains - “Great American Desert”
1000 sq miles from the 100th meridian to the Rocky Mountains
Geography: Mountains, Plateaus, Plains, Deserts
Non-Forested area: Tall and short prairie grasses, desert shrubs
Characteristics: poor soil, poor drainage, intense cold, intense winds, not enough rainfall
Animals of the Great Plains
Characteristics: grass eaters, survive with little or no water
Jackrabbit – true hare; ate farmer’s crops
Prairie Dogs – “Squirrels of the Plains” live in colonies, create hazardous holes in ground, controlled through poison
Wolf/Coyote – “Outlaws of the Plains”prey on helpless, sick, or young
Buffalo – dominated human life stupid (because…)
ran slowly & are clumsypoor eyesightno fear of sound (but…)
excellent sense of smell
Humans – Native American Indians
Tribes of the Great PlainsSioux
Cheyenne
Crow
Arapaho
Kiowa
Typical Indian Village
Native (North) American Indians
Relied on two animals – Buffalo & Horse
Buffalo – Meat = foodHide = shelter & clothingBones = tools & weaponsSinew = thread & bow stringsHair = saddle padsHorns = spoons & flasksGallstones = war paintManure = fuel
Horse – Origins = Spanish ConquistadorsAbandoned & left to breed
= Mustangs
Importance of the Horse
• Became nomadic
• Less inclined to farm
• Used as a “beast of burden” – pack animal
• Source of Wealth – paid debts, bought wives,could be eaten if necessary
• Become better buffalo hunters
New Weapons developed due to the Horse
Small Bow – 2 ½ - 3 ft long
Arrows – tipped with points of bone, flint, or steel barbs
Most carried a shield made from hides of buffalo necks (which had been smokedand then hardened with
glue made from horse’s hoofs)
By nature, the Plains Indians were more fierce, cruel, and least civilized of all of the tribes
Most Feared = Comanche Indians• spent majority of time mounted
• used horse itself as a shield during battle
• greatest horse thieves (smelled likehorses so other horses didn’t spook)
Perfected the art of torturing their enemies
• Artistic dissections
• Partial flayings
• Dislocation of body parts
• Breaking and/or splitting of fingers & toes
LanguageUnique – quiet forms
• Sign Language – helped different tribes communicate
US Army (under Capt. Clark) studied and included sign
language into the signal flags – used first in the
Civil War
• Smoke Signals
Encounters with Whites
Early 1800s – Whites moved Indians to reservations in Oklahoma – Trail of Tears
US Gov’t paid Indians annuities 30-50 cents an acre once yearWasn’t enough to live off of –
starved
Indians left reservations to find food
There goes the neighborhood!
Army sent 9th/10th Cavalry Units (Buffalo Soldiers) Were called in to hunt the Indians down
Promontory, Utah
Railroads brought people West and in 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad was completed.
1st TRANSCONTINENTAL
RAILROAD
• May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah “The Wedding of the Rails”
• Central Pacific and Union Pacific
• May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah “The Wedding of the Rails”
• Central Pacific and Union Pacific
May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah“The Wedding of the Rails”
Central Pacific and Union Pacific
Railroad – “iron arrow” – hired people to laytracks; shot buffalo to feed RR workers. “Buffalo Bill” Cody – sharpshooter for RR
Took hides for buffalo robes & tongues; Killed 1000+/day
Buffalo destroyed iron RR tracks
Taming of the Plains Indians
Decline of the Buffalo
By 1885 – fewer than 1000 left out of 15M
Six-Shooter (revolver) – inventor Samuel ColtTexas Rangers needed protection
from the Comanches. Advantage = 6 shots
Winchester Repeating Rifle
Colt .45 pistol
Disease – like other Native Americans, PlainsIndians were not immune to White man’sdiseases such as small pox and measles
Liquor – “fire water” – cannot tolerate alcohol became addicted easily
3Bs (bullets, bacteria, bottle) brought by RR
Major Conflicts
Fetterman’s Massacre – Sioux Chiefs Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, & Sitting Bull ambush US Army led by Capt Fetterman
Sand Creek Massacre – Army sent to punish Sioux for Fetterman’s Massacre. Army killed Indians under white flag of truce
Nez Perce – under Chief Joseph tried to flee to Canada. Army finally caught & returned the Nez Perce to the reservations“I Will Fight No More Forever”
Battle of Little Bighorn – Army sent to bring back Sioux to reservations. 7th Cavalry took on 2500 Indians w/ 210 soldiers“Custer’s Last Stand”
Little Big Horn Memorial Site
With the massacre of the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn public attention is turned towards what the Gov’t was doing.
Helen Hunt Jackson – A Century of Dishonordetailed: --US Gov’t’s repeated violation of
treaties--Mistreatment of Indians on reservations
Sarah Winnemucca – Life Among the Paiutes:Their Wrongs and Claims (same as Jackson)
Gov’t Assimilation Policy
Dawes Act:Broke up reservationsHead of household = 160 acresSingle Men = 80 acresChildren = 40 acres
Began to education Indiansread/writefarming techniques
Life on the Reservations
Turned to spiritual activities or traditional dances:
a. Bison Dance - bring back buffalo
b. Spirit or Mescalero Dance – drive away evil and
sickness and bring good fortune to the tribe.
c. Snake or Rain Dance – used to bring in a good
harvest.
d. Sun Dance – manhood ritual; visible symbol of bravery and in some cases necessary in order to marry young
girls.
Paiute medicine man Wovoka promised the return of the buffalo
and Indian way of life.
The religion prophesied the end of the westward expansion of whites
and a return of Indian land.
The ritual lasted five successive days, being danced each night and on the last night continued
until morning.
Hypnotic trances and shaking accompanied this ceremony, which was supposed to be repeated every six weeks.
The Ghost Dance Movement 1890
The Ghost Dance Movement 1890
Battle of Wounded Knee – last Indian battle
Indians were performing theGhost Dance – designed to bring back animals, dead relatives, and return to a life before the white man’s arrival (wore ceremonial clothing that for protection against Whites)
If performed – would be immune to white man’s bullets.
Ghost Shirt
Accounts differ but shots were fired and bothIndians and soldiers were killed.
Impact – religious ceremony that proved thatIndians were not immune to white man’sbullets – Indians lost all hope and resigned themselves to life on thereservations
300 Indians & 25 Whites died
Cattle Kingdom
Spanish brought cattle to the New World &abandoned
New breed developed – longhornTougherCan survive on poor grasslands By 1865 - 5 million roaming freeHad long horns (4-6 ft span)
• No real market in Texas
• In Texas, sold for $3-$5 a head until RR came west
• In the railheads, sold for 30-$50 a head
• Pioneers -- Cattle Barons --with ranches of 1,000+ acres
• Average ranch = 3,000 head of cattle
Demand for Cattle Increased because:
Civil War – N & S needed fresh meat & the only source was from out West
Railroads – came out west to railheads in Missouri & Kansas
Winter: Repaired gearGathered firewoodCut ice from waterholesTended to sick cows/calvesFound straysDrove cattle to snow-free grass
Yearly Routine on Ranches
Spring: Check water conditionsRescue cows from mud
holesRound up:
horses – broke them for riding
cows – branding of mavericks
(no brands)castrated young bulls
Handout - Brands
Summer: Inspect water holes Check for worms Scatter bulls for mating
Fall: Finish branding Sort cattle (keep or sell) Start Long Drive to Railheads
Long DrivesTook 3,000 head of cattle
1 chuck wagon/cook
1 Trail boss
1 Wrangler – Remuda (7-10 extra horses per cowboy)
• 12-15 cowboys – average age = 18;
paid $1/day
• 2-3 months to complete
• Traveled 25-30 miles/day
( =1,000+ miles)
• Worked 18 hour days
Point: most dangerous --stampedesmost desirable -- clean air
Swing/Flank: kept herd together
Drag: least desirable – dust & smell
found stragglers that had wandered off from the main herd
Long Drive Positions
Most Famous Trails:
Chisholm Trail (most famous)
Shawnee Trail
Western Trail
Goodnight-
Loving Trail
(sold to miners) Handout – Trails & Positions
Cowboy Uniform
Hat - Most wore sombreros for protection from rain, snow, hail, and sun Used as a fan and bucket to carry water
Part of uniform most particular about
Bandana - Used as a mask – keep out dust Form of insulation in hat
Wash clothe Tourniquet (snake bite/gored
by longhorns)
Duster - Protective overcoat w/ split in back
Chaps – Leg protection
shotgun (pant like)
batwing (tied/buckled on the side)
woolies (front covered with wool)
Spurs – Used to move the horse quickly Most common type = work spur
Boots – Designed to keep foot in stirrup Most common type today = ropers
Cowboy Equipment
Rope/Lariat – Used to capture cows/horses Avg length = 60 ft.
Running Iron – straight iron rod used to free-hand brands on mavericks
Knife – 6 inch blade stored in boot/waist
Saddle – Personally ownedCost - $30.00 lasted 25-30 years
Horse – Used on the range but usually was not personally owned
Gun/Rifle – Most repeating rifles Only carried on open range
NOT on long drives for fear of stampedes
Mexican Influence:
Original Cowboys came from Mexico
Language:
vaquero – cowboylasso – ropinglariat -- rope
RODEOAmerica’s oldest
original sport
Most lasting form of amusementFriendly competition between ranches
Nat Love – most famous all-around
Cowboy
Rough Stock EventsStaying on the animal for 8 second
Saddle Bronc BarebackBull Riding
Timed Events Competition based on an individual’s best time
Steer WrestlingCalf RopingBarrel Racing
End of the Cattle Kingdom• Arrival of the sheepherders – sheep
clipped grass too short for cows to eat
• Beef prices fell by 40% - overstocking ranges
• Mother Nature – drought, floods, blizzards in the 1890s
• Lack of good, clean water
• Invention of barbed wire - Joseph Glidden
• Arrival of farmers – used barbed wire to close
off the open range
• Range wars started – competition for land/water increased b/w ranchers and farmers
• Forced to reduce herd size and start breeding programs
• Ranches became hay farms as well as grazing ranches (need hay for winter)
• Stories exaggerated by dime novels
Arrival of the Farmers1862 – Homestead Act
1. Gov’t gave 160 acres for a
$10.00 deposit.
2. After 5 years of improving the land, farmers got clear title.
3. Used barbed wire to stake out their claims
Life on the Prairie
Homes – Made out of sod – dirt & grass little bit of wood - expensiveWells had to be dug 300+ ft.
to find water
Climate – extremes (100°F+ vs. below 0°)
Examples of Sod Houses
Farming Styles
Normal Farming – using iron/steel plow planted 6 inch rows
Dry Farming – planting seeds deep into the ground to find moisture in areas that onlyget 15-20 inches of rain a year
Bonanza Farming – LARGE farms of up to 50,000 acres using crews of workers
Primary Crop = WHEAT
Problems Farmers Encountered
• Drought
• Prairie Fires burned crops
• Grasshopper plagues ate crops
• Planted too shallow and prevailing winds blew away top soil (with nutrients)
• Overproduction of crops caused prices to drop
• Bought expensive machinery on credit
• Bought farms on credit
• Banks foreclosed – couldn’t pay off debts
• Forced to become tenant farmers working for someone else
Growth of the Mining Industry
Types of Mining:
Placer Mining –
uses picks,pans, & shovels
Quartz Mining – digging deep in the ground to find the mineral that one was looking for
Hydraulic Mining – used a stream of water to blast out sides of mountains – used with placer mining technique
Biggest American Strike: Comstock Lode, 1859
Henry Comstock found huge SILVER deposit
The extensive and expensive surface and underground workings of the various Comstock silver mines required large outlays of investment capital. Most of the investors were in San Francisco.
Virginia City into a boom town due to SILVER
1. caused crime to increase
2. led to vigilance committees civilians who took law into their own hands since regular
lawmen were in short supply
3. Attracted women – • did laundry for miners • danced in saloons
and took tips from miners
• performed personal services (prostitution)
(Women used silver (& gold) and bought property)
Other Metal Deposits
Gold – Pikes Peak, Colorado
Black Hills, Dakota Territory
Lead – Leadville, Colorado
Copper – Montana Territory
(Precious metals needed for factories back East & plays into the Industrial Revolution of
the late 1800s)
Wrap Up:
Manifest Destiny: Am believed they had a God-given right to occupy the land from theAtlantic to the Pacific.
Those that came west, encountered the NativeAmericans, started huge cattle ranches, established farms, and mined for precious metals.
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