1. Chapter 17The West Transformed 1860-1896

2. Section 1Mining & Railroads 3. 1865 Western Frontier Stretched from Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean Native Americans, Mexican settlers, & pioneersmigrating to California & Oregon Value of the frontier was underestimated & wasoften called the American Desert (prior to Civil War) Railroad builders & miners were among the 1st to transform the West & help make it a part of the Nations economy 4. Boom & Bust Settlement came in a rush Where gold & silver was found Towns formed quickly, but did not last long 1849 Gold rush in California excited the nation Miners spread from California to Nevada, across the Rocky Mts. & to South Dakota 5. Comstock Lode 1859 (Before the Civil War) Irish prospectors discovered gold, but HenryComstock claimed the gold was on his land;became known as the Comstock Lode Comstock Lode contained blue-tinted mud whichmade mining the gold difficult Mud was actually loaded with silver, more valuable than thegold Became richest silver mine in the world Next 20 years: produced $300 million worth of silver Nevada became center of mining 6. The Boom spreads Valuable ores found in Montana, Idaho, &Colorado Along with gold strike in South Dakota 1890s gold found in Alaska Strikes caused excitement, but few actually gotrich Gold deep underground & difficult to extract Comstock gave up mining & sold mining right for$11,000 & two mules 1880s mining had become a big business 7. Boomtown Life Tent Cities Arose near diggings Hotels, stores, & other wood buildings appearedlater Mining towns grew into boomtowns Merchants Followed miners with tools, food, & clothing Items were expensive Women Had various jobs: opened restaurants, washed clothes, took in boarders, & baked pies 8. of miners were foreign-born Irish, Italian, German, Spanish, & Chinese Often faced hostility Chinese: not allowed to claim abandoned mines; often driven out of towns by mobs 9. Frontier Justice Law & Order hard to find Vigilantes formed: self-appointed law keepers Hunted bandits & imposed their own justice Sheriffs, marshals, & judges replaced vigilantesas boomtowns grew 1861 Colorado, Dakota, & Nevada organized into territories 1863 Arizona organized into a territory 1864 Montana organized into a territory 10. The Railroad Boom Race to lay line to boomtowns began Federal Government Offered subsidies to railroads (grants of land ormoney) For every mile of track, govt gave the railroad 10sq. miles of land next to the track 180 million acres altogether Also received federal funds 11. Spanning the Continent Transcontinental railroad dream Rail line that would span across the continent 1862 Leland Stanford: Central Pacific Railroad, won right tobuild line eastward from Sacramento Union Pacific Railroad would build west from Omaha Thousands of workers hired Native born whites, Mexican Americans, AfricanAmericans, Chinese, & Irish Work was hazardous & low paying Daily progress often measured in inches May 10, 1869 Two lines met at Promontory, Utah 12. Effects of the Railroads New towns developed in the West People & supplies poured in Gold & silver poured out Population growth lead to addition of new states Nevada, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, & Wyoming 13. Section 2Native Americans Struggle to Survive 14. People of the Plains 360,000 Native Americans lived in the West afterthe Civil War Life in Transition: Hunted, gathered, raised crops, & fished Europeans arrival changed their lives Tamed herds of wild horses (could travel faster & farther) &traded with French & British for guns (could kill more gamew/ guns) Some groups became wanderers & lived in tepees Followed buffalo herds (buffalo was a source of food, shelter, & clothing) 15. Division of Labors Women managed village life Cared for children & prepared food Carved tools & made tepees Sometimes they went to war Wise women sometimes ruled Men Hunters & warriors Led religious lives Sun Dance: 4 day ceremony that brought togetherthousands of Native American from many nations;men made pledges to the Great Spirit 16. Broken Treaties U.S. treaties promised to protect Native American lands Miners & railroad crews as they pushed West broke these treaties Fort Laramie Treaty 1851 10 thousand people from many Plain nations gathered for a big talk w/ U.S. officials Officials wanted: nations to stop following buffalo; wouldprotect their lands as long as the grass shall grow if theysettled permanently Settlers soon after began settling on Native Americans land, along with the 1859 gold rush to Pikes Peak in Colorado 17. Sand Creek Massacre 1860s Native Americans forced from their land around Pikes Peak Many warriors resisted & attacked supply trains & homes Colonel John Chivington Led 700 volunteers to attack Cheyenne at Sand Creek Cheyenne were friendly & under army protection; they raised a white flag to signal peace Chivington ordered men to attack; more than 100 men, women, & children died 18. Buffalo Soldiers Sand Creek Massacre ignited an era of war African Americans who fought on the Plains for 20 years Part of the U.S. army Fought Native Americans & bandits Started roads & communication lines still found today 19. End of the Buffalo 1870s Giant herds of buffalo vital to Native American way of life began to decline Railroads had hunters kill the animals to feed their crews Others killed them because the value of the buffalo hides Hides were removed and rest of animal was left 20. Last Stand for Custer & the Sioux 1860s New treaties between U.S. & Native Americans Reservations Kiowas, Comanche, & Arapahos moved toOklahoma Life was terrible; poor soil made farming difficult Sioux & Cheyenne moved to Black Hills 1874 gold rush flooded area with miners Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse led attacked to keep whites out 21. Little Bighorn June 1876 Colonel George Armstrong Custer ordered to force Native Americans onto a reservation Attacked a large band of Sioux & Cheyenne at Little Bighorn Valley in Montana Territory Custer & all his men died at the Battle Crazy Horse & Sitting Bull victory did not last long 22. Other Efforts at Resistance Nez Perces Lived in Idaho, Oregon, & Washington Bred horses & cattle Many agreed to go to reservations Chief Joseph fled with a large band in 1877 to Canada U.S. army pursued them Nez Perces traveled 1,300 miles in 75 days Army caught band near Canadas border Chief Joseph declared as he surrendered, I shall fight no more forever 23. The Navajos Raised sheep, horses, & cattle in the Southwest Some bands raided settlers farms for livestock Army called in for protection 1864 Navajos defeated in Arizona after a series of wars Were taken on a Long Walk to the Pecos River where they suffered years of disease & hunger 24. The Apaches Fierce resistance Geronimo refused to go to reservation From Mexico Geronimo & men attacked settlers in Arizona & New Mexico for 10 years 1886 Geronimo was captured & sent to a reservation inOklahoma 25. The Ghost Dance 1880s Native Americans across the Plains began performing aunique dance Dancers fell into a trance; believed they were talking to ghosts oftheir ancestors; believed their ancestors & buffalo would return &white people would leave December 1890 Native American police went to a Sioux Village to stopdances In a struggle to arrest Sitting Bull, police killed him Sioux tried to flee to avoid further violence Army pursued them to Wounded Knee Creek in SD Sioux began to give up guns; a shot rang out & army troopsopened fire with machine guns and rifles 200 Sioux men, women, & children were killed 30 soldiers died The Battle of Wounded Knee marked the end of the era of Indian 26. The Failure of Reform Reformers criticized govt for treatment of N.A. Susette La Flesche Father was Omaha chief Talked about destruction of Native American culture in lectures & articles Alice Fletcher Promoted Native American rights Became agent of U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs 27. The Dawes Act Passed in 1887 Tried to end Native Americans wandering and turnthem into farmers Received 160 acres to farm Schools were also set up to make Native Americanschildren more like other children Dawes Act failed Few took to farming Land sold cheaply to dishonest whites Federal agents replaced native leaders Traditional ways given up, like the buffalo hunt Many grew dependent on the government for food & supplies 28. Section 3The Cattle Kingdom 29. The Rise of the Cattle Industry Wild cattle wandered open range Called longhorns Little care needed: prairie grass & watering holes Means & Markets Stray herds grew from strays lost by Spanishranchers American settlers: set up ranches, but didnt roundup stray herds; no means to get them to market Railroads: provided means to get longhorns tomarket; demand for beef to feed city dwellers,miners, & soldiers rose 30. The Long Drives 1860s Cattle began to be rounded up Cowhand were hired Skilled riders who knew how to herd cattle Moved cattle to rail lines in Kansas, Missouri, & Wyoming (about1,000 miles away) Cattle Drives Spring was ideal time Grass was long & rivers flowed full Multiple horses used Allowed for fresh horse each day Drives lasted 2-3 months Followed worn trails Chisholm Trail: San Antonio, TX to Abilene, Kansas Goodnight Loving Trail: led to rail towns in Wyoming 31. Life on the Trail Hard & Dangerous Work Cowhands kept herds together as the cattle moved along the trails Developed nerves of steel Stampedes could occur without warning Swift river currents could carry longhorns away Fought grass fires, pulled cattle from swamps, & cased off thieves Often spent 18 hours in the saddle Earned less that $1 per day 32. Spanish Roots Cowhands learned herding methods from Spanish & Mexican vaqueros Riding, roping, & branding Wore Mexican spurs & leather chaps Cowboy hat came from Mexican sombrero Used leather lariat, lasso, to catch cattle and horses 1/3 of western cowhands were Mexican 33. The Wild West Cattle drives ended at towns along railroad lines Towns were unruly & developed fantasy of Wild West Cow Towns 1867 Joseph McCoy Cowboys need place for a bath, good meal, bed, & fun Cattle needed place to be penned Founded Abilene, Kansas were Chisholm Trail met KansasPacific Railroad 1st cow town: settle at end of cattle trail Rival cow towns soon developed Wichita & Dodge City Dance halls, saloons, hotels, & restaurants served cowboys Gunfights were rare 34. The Myth of the West Myths Spread due to rough-tumble life in cow towns Filled w/ violence, adventure, & opportunity William Buffalo Bill Cody Former buffalo hunter Created traveling Wild West show in 1883 Gun-slinging cowboys & Native Americans performed Sharp shooting & horseback riding Depicted frontier events (Custers Last Stand) Annie Oakley broke stereotype of woman 35. Boom and Bust in the CattleKingdom Last from 1860s to 1880s Area of ranches, trails, & cow towns known ascattle kingdom Ranchers profited as herds & markets grew The Cattle Boom: Buy calf for $5 & sell mature steer for $60 Profits were extremely high, especially with the introduction of new breeds of cattle Caught fewer diseases & had more meat than longhorns People from East coast & Europe began investing millions in huge cattle companies 36. The Boom Ends Mid-1880s 7 million cattle roamed the open range More than land could feed 1886 & 1887 Scorching summers & frigid winters killed millions of cattle Economic depression put many city dwellers out of work, &demand for beef dropped Sheep starting competing with cattle for grasses Farmers fenced open range to keep cattle away from crops Ranchers had to buy expensive feed Giant cattle ranches gave way to smaller ones that grewtheir own feed Railroads brought lines closer to ranches, doing awaywith long cattle drives 37. Section 4Farming in the West 38. Homesteading 1900 million farmers settled the Great Plains Homestead Act Passed in 1862 Offered 160 acre plot to anyone who resided on land for 5 years Chance for poor to own farms Few had money to move west & start a farm Land companies took over large areas illegally 160 acres not enough to grow crop for profit 1 in 3 homesteaders lasted 5 years 39. Railroads Promote Farming Railroads gave away some of 180 million acres they got from the government Recruited people from eastern U.S., Ireland, Germany, & Scandinavia to settle Great Plains More farms = more shipping 40. A Hard Life on the Plains Not an easy life Scare water supply & crops difficult to grow Farmers struggled to make ends meat Busting Sod Early settlers cut sod into bricks to build walls for their homes Kept homes cool in the summer & warm in the winter 41. New Farming Methods Plows made of wood or iron were not strongenough to break through tough sod 1877 John Deere of Illinois invented a sodbusting plow made of steel Plain farmers, or sodbusters, used drills to plant crops Buried seeds into the ground where there was moisture Reapers were used to harvest crops & threshers to beat off the hard coverings of the grains 42. Windmills used to pump water from hundreds offeet below ground Fences were used to keep cattle away from crops Barb wire was used 1874 Joseph Glidden invented it 43. Farm Families Whole families worked farms Men labored from dawn to dusk Children tended animals & helped with chores Women kept the house, planted & harvested crops, educated children, nursed the sick, sewed clothing, preserved food, & made basics like candles & soap 44. Exodusters African Americans streamed onto the plains Became known as exodusters because theybelieved they were like the Jews fleeing slavery inEgypt Some took up farming, others moved to towns Men often worked as hired hands & women aslaundresses 45. The Spanish Southwest Spanish speaking farmers & sheepherdersresided along the border with Mexico, somebefore the Mexican American War Many of the new railroad lines were built with thehelp of Mexican immigrants Ricos, Hispanic large landowners Fought to keep their lands deeded under Spanish or Mexican law 46. A Last Rush for Land 1880s Few areas of unsettled land on the Plains remained Federal Government agreed to open Oklahoma tohomesteaders Boomers & Sooners April 1889 100,000 people gathered near a line in Oklahoma City Boomers: people who had come to claim some of the 2 million acres of free homesteads Sooners: people who had already sneaked onto the land The Frontier Closes 1890 National census reported U.S. had no more land available for fomesteading 47. Farmers Organize Wheat & Grain from plains fed growing cities A few big farmers prospered Small farmers faced an economic crisis & organized to end it 48. Crisis on the Farm More grain hauled to market = lower grain prices Surplus of crops Smaller farmers hit the hardest Many borrowed money to buy land & machinery Could not repay their loans 49. Cooperative & Political Parties Farmers lived in poverty & isolation Granges were formed in some communities Groups of farmers who met for lectures, sewing bees, & otherevents 1867: local granges formed National Grange 1870s & 1880s Granges began demanding low rates fromrailroads & warehouses that were given to big farmers Elected state officials who passed laws limiting rates Farmers Alliance Set up farm cooperatives: groups of farmers who pool theirmoney to make large purchases of tools, seed, & other suppliesat a discount 1892 Populist Party Formed Unhappy farmers joined w/ labor unions Pushed for social reform Demanded public ownership of railroads & warehouses to control rates, a tax on income to replace property taxes, an 8 hour workday, & other reforms 50. The Election of 1896 Populists supported Democrat William Jennings Bryan Won votes of farmers from the South & West because he supported using silver to raise prices Bankers & business owners claimed raising prices would hurt the economy They backed Republican William McKinley McKinley won; Republicans took both the WhiteHouse & Congress Populists faded