Settling the WestPeople, Places, and Terms

Chapter 13 Section 1 Cultures Class on the Prairie

Boomtowns- These towns grew up where there had been gold and other mineral strikes; they were rowdy places where

prospectors fought over claims, and thieves haunted the streets and trails

Vigilance Committees- Often, “law and order” in boomtowns was enforced by self-appointed volunteers

who would track down and punish wrongdoers

Long Drive- Ranchers would round of their cattle once a year and drove them long distances to the nearest train depot for transport to slaughter houses in the growing industrial towns (cowboy culture)

Great Plains- The population of this large flat area covering the middle of the U.S. with few trees grew steadily and was

transformed in America’s wheat belt

The last Native American wars

• Final wars between the American military and Native Americans

• Chased, hunted, and killed all over the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains

• By the end of this period (1865- 1890) Native Americans will have been forced onto reservations (usually undesirable land)

• Cheated out of land• Assimilation attempts by White• Some of the major events and people….

Sand Creek Massacre- An incident some describe as a savage battle and others describe as American troops firing on unsuspecting Native American women and children

George A. Custer (Battle of Little Bighorn) - Ignoring orders, and acting on his own initiative, he launched a three-pronged attack in broad daylight on a large group of Native American warriors and lost

Chief Joseph- Chief of the Nez Pierce tribe in the NW. Led his people as they were chased by the American military across the NW for over a thousand miles

“Our Chiefs are killed. The little children are freezing to death. My people have no blankets and no food. I am tired, my heart is sick and tired. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever”

Dawes Act- Attempt to “Americanize” Native Americans by distributing reservation land to individual owners

Assimilate- Some Americans believed the solution to the Native American issues was for them to be absorbed in American society. This would lead to forced relocation, forced name changes, special schools

Annuities- the agreed payments from the U.S. government for the Native Americans who

would agree to live on the reservations

Chapter 13 Section 2Settling on the Great Plains

1862 Homestead Act • Yeoman farmer ideal still very

important• “Free Soil” party is a part of

the new Republican party. (Double meaning to Free Soil)

• Southern Democrats had fought against the Act because of nativists sentiments; thought it would attract undesirable Euros (especially Catholics)

The Act- three step procedure for claiming land in the territories and some of the states1. file an application 2. improve the land: farm, graze (with fences), mine3. file for deed of title

Sodbusters- People who plowed the Plains were called many eventually lost their homesteads

through the combined effects of drought, wind erosion, and overuse of the land

Bonanza Farms- Wheat farms that covered greater than 50,000 acres because they yielded

large profits. Beginning of corporate farming

Chapter 13 Section 3: Farmers and the Populist Movement

• Populist (Populism)- member or adherent of a political party seeking to represent the interests of ordinary people

Grange- social and educational organization through which farmers attempted to combat the power of the railroads

• Bimetallism- farmers and populist leaders advocated for the money supply to be based on both gold and silver (which they thought would free up money for the common man)

• Gold Standard- Basing the monetary (money supply) system on gold. Less money in circulation and a stable dollar

These two position defined the election of 1896 between the next two people.

Monetary Policy Crossroads

William McKinley- Presidential candidate (and winner) who backed the gold standard.

William Jennings Bryan- populist presidential candidate nominated by the Democrats who gave the “Cross of Gold” speech. Supported by the Grange movement