Westward Expansion

What will we discuss today? (Goals & Agenda)

Explore the life of the settlers

Identify challenges of settling the west

Identify innovations which changed the West

Discuss resulting political movements

Three primary topics for discussion

The West

The Cattle

Industry

The Farmers

The Populist

Movement

Growth of the Cattle Industry: with the decline of the buffalo and rise of railroads cattle ranching became BIG business

The Farmers & Homesteaders: Federal land policy , railroads, and further innovation encouraged rapid settlement

The Populist Movement: unfavorable economic cycles and difficult conditions unify farmers

Quick Q & A

What is the cattle industry?

What are the origins of cattle ranching?

Origins of the Cattle Industry Much of American Cattle Ranching & American

Cowboy got origins from Spanish/Mexican culture Longhorn cattle

Brought by the Spaniards Sturdy, short tempered accustomed to dry grasslands

Mexican Vaquero Chaparreras Caballo bronco “rough horse” Charqui “jerky”

Mexican Rancho Coral Rodeo

Growth of Cattle Industry Americanize

Added fur to chaps Boots with pointed

toes and heels The bandanna Six shooter

Growth of the Cattle Industry Not much of a industry

before the Civil War Ranchers didn’t move

far with cattle After the Civil War

demand for beef skyrocketed Population increase in

cities Railroads reach the West Chicago Union Stock

Yards Open (1865)

Demand after Civil War

Growth of the Cattle Industry With an

increase in demand, cattle ranchers will take their herds on the Long Drive

The Trails Western Trail Chisholm Trail Baxter Springs

Trail Goodnight-Loving

Trail

Growth of the Cattle Industry

THE HARDSHIPS

3 months on the trail Coffee, beans, bacon,

bread Sleeping on the

ground, bathing in streams

The dangers River crossings Lightning stampede

DECLINE OF THE INDUSTRY Increasing numbers of

ranchers trying to make it Competition for grazing

land Sheepherders (range

wars) Drought of 1883 Blizzard of 1887

68 degrees below zero Barbed wire

Closing of the wide open West

Quick Q & A

Which two (pull)factors drove settlement of the west?

Homestead Act/ Railroads

Farmers of the Plains

Faced immediate hardships Droughts/floods Fires Blizzards Locust Possible raids by Outlaws/native

americans Limited trees on the plains

Farmers on the Plains

Dugouts & Soddies Before farming the

land settlers had to build shelter for themselves

Because of lack of lumber, settlers used the prairie turf, grass and earth to make shelters

Havens for snakes, insects and other pests

Innovations for the Plains 1837 (John Deere)

Steel Plow 1847 reaper 1874 barbed wire By 1890 there are

over 900 manufacturers of farm equipment

In 1830 it took 183 minutes to produce a bushel of grain; by 1900 it took 10 minutes

What does this all mean for the farmers?

Government Programs for the plains

Morrill Land Grant Act 1862 & 1890

Land to states for agricultural colleges