people went west looking for farmland and gold. they passed through the great plains & over the...
TRANSCRIPT
People went west looking for farmland and gold.They passed through the Great Plains & over the Rocky Mountains.
Pike’s Peak or Bust
• Men went to the Rockies to dig for gold.• “Gold Rush” – people went in search of
making it Rich!• Comstock Lode – one of the richest silver &
gold strikes ever
Mining Camp to Boom Town• As soon as gold or silver was found people hurried to
the site.• Miners and shop keepers often lived in tents• Sometimes women set up cook tents and sold meals• Whole cities grew up near sites• If the strike was rich – wood buildings would replace
tents• Boom town – a town that grows quickly around a
gold/silver strike
Helps Settle the West • Discovery of gold and silver help settle the west• Populations grew and asked for statehood.• Colorado, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho
Mining Companies• Groups of wealthy men formed companies
and bought out miners claims.• Miners made very little money• Mine owners made millions• Those that opened stores made money too.
Cattle Herding• Open range – no fences on the
Plains• Cattle roamed across the
Southern Plains• Texans hired cowhands to round
up herds
• Cowhands moved herds to railheads
• Railheads – stations were ranchers sold cattle to buyers
• Cattle then shipped in cars to meatpacking plants
• 2-3 months to move cattle on cattle drives• Cattle drives – the moving of the cattle• Long, dusty, dangerous• 12+ cowhands on horseback moved 2,000
or more restless cattle.
Cowboy ClothesClothes had a purpose!
bandanna
spurs
lasso
Branding ironsaddleboots
Chaps
Wide brim hat
The End of the Open Range
• Ranchers also sold to mining camps, US Army, and other ranchers
• Too many cattle for sale = price dropped• Farmers moved onto the plains and put up fences• The days of the open range and long cattle drives
were over.