westward expansion after the civil war
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WESTWARD EXPANSION AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
EQ: How was America transformed as a result of westward expansion?
MININGEven though the California Gold Rush was over, people were still trying to get rich
Gold was found at Pikes Peak in the Colorado Rockies
Most gold was underground, therefore mining became a huge business
A larger company would have greater success at finding gold than an individual
MININGGold and silver strikes created “boomtowns”
Miners made money quickly and quickly gambled it away
Once all of the ore from the mines was gone, “booms” became “busts” and boomtowns became ghost towns
As gold and silver mining decreased, mining for other metals such as copper, lead, and zinc increased
RAILROADS
Transportation was vital to mining
Metals had little value unless they could be transported
Government gave “subsidies” (money) and land grants to railroad companies
A TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD
In the 1850’s railroad companies searched for a route to connect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
This was an enormous challenge- 1,700 miles of track across the country
Two companies: 1.) Central Pacific Company and 2.) Union Pacific Company
Central Pacific would begin in Sacramento, CA and work east
Union Pacific would begin in Omaha, NE and work west (this would connect to existing railroads in the east)
Work was very difficult and pay was low
Most Union Pacific workers were Irish immigrants and African Americans
Most Central Pacific immigrants were Chinese
A specific crew of immigrants from both sides completed the last 10 miles in 12 hours to finish in time for the ceremony
The two tracks met at Promontory Summit, Utah
Leland Stanford, governor of California drove a final golden spike that completed the project.
A TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD
THE CATTLE BUSINESSRanchers in places like Texas were herding wild longhorn cattle as a business
Most of Texas was on the “open range.” In open range, cattle roam freely regardless of who owns the land
Demand for beef was high in big cities ($40 per head of cattle)
Ranchers would take “drive” cattle for hundreds of miles to reach railroads (“long drives”)
Towns would pop up at the end of cattle drives, near railroads. These were called “cow towns”
COWHANDS (COWBOYS)Cowhands rode all day in all kinds of weather
Faced many dangers including violent storms, “rustlers” who tried to steal cattle, and stampedes
Many were Civil War veterans who moved west for a better life
Some were Native Americans
Western cowhands of Hispanic ethnicity were called “vaqueros”
Vaqueros introduced riding, roping, and branding
Nat (“Nate”) Love was one of the most famous
He was a former slave
THE HOMESTEAD ACTThis was passed to encourage settlement on the Great Plains
Up to 160 acres were given to a family who agrees to pay a $10 fee and agree to live on the land for 5 years
Later laws increased the amount of land given
Some women and African Americans claimed homesteads as well
African Americans would claim land to escape mistreatment in the South
Not all settlers were homesteaders. Some bought land at a very cheap price.
LIFE ON THE GREAT PLAINSWood was scarce because there weren't many trees
Settlers built their houses out of sod (packed soil)
Extreme climate was a challenge. Some years would be extremely dry and during some years, it would flood
During drought, brushfires would spread
Summer would bring clouds of grasshoppers, which would destroy crops
Winters could be cold and snowy, so families had to store food
Everyone in the family would work, therefore children couldn’t attend school regularly
NEW FARMING METHODSFarmers were called “sodbusters”
They developed new methods and tools
Dry farming- trapping limited moisture in the soil. They would accomplish this by plowing right after rainfall
John Deere invented the steel plow to cut through tough layers of sod
OTHER INVENTIONSSix-shooter: Invented by Samuel Colt. It was used by both sides in the Civil War and by the U.S. Army in conflicts with Native Americans
Barbed-wire: Used instead of wood to build fences
Windmills: Used wind energy to pump water from deep wells
CONFLICTS WITH NATIVE AMERICANS
1867- The Indian Peace Commission developed a policy for moving all Native Americans to a few large reservations
Government gave themselves the authority to use military force on groups that refused to move
LIFE ON A RESERVATIONReservations were managed by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs
Most of the land was unfit for farming and hunting
Government failed to deliver quality goods and supplies that they promised
Native Americans began to believe that conflict was the only answer
LITTLE BIGHORNMany conflicts had occurred between the Great Plains Indians (Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho) and the military
A treaty in 1868 was supposed to bring peace w/ Sioux but more conflict erupted over white settlement of the Black Hills in North and South Dakota
The U.S. promised “no white person or persons shall be permitted” to settle in the Black Hills
Rumors began to spread about gold in the Black Hills
LITTLE BIGHORN
The government tried to buy the Black Hills
Sioux chief, Sitting Bull, refused
“I do not want to sell any land…Not even as much as this”- Sitting Bull as he’s holding a pinch of dust
LITTLE BIGHORNIn June of 1876, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse gathered Sioux and Cheyenne warriors along the Little Bighorn River
U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer arrived w/ 250 soldiers
Custer’s men faced THOUSANDS of warriors, but he still attacked
Custer and almost all of his men were killed (“Custer’s Last Stand”)
SITTING BULL AFTER LITTLE BIGHORN
The Sioux continued to fight after Little Bighorn but the disappearance of buffalo made life difficult
Sitting Bull worked in a traveling “Wild West Show” operated by “Buffalo” Bill Cody
GERONIMOBorn in Mexico
Led his people (Apache) against colonization of land against both Mexican and U.S. settlers
After the Apache were moved to Arizona, he led raids on behalf of his people
He finally surrendered in 1886
CHIEF JOSEPH1877- The U.S. ordered the Nez Perce to move to a reservation in Idaho or be removed by force
Chief Joseph decided to leave, but before he could act, a small group from his tribe attacked and killed settlers
Chief Joseph and others fled to Canada, knowing they had no chance against the U.S. Army
The U.S. Army surrounded the Nez Perce and blocked them from getting food or water
Chief Joseph final surrendered and uttered the famous words, “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.”
WOUNDED KNEE1889- western Native Americans were performing a ceremony called the Ghost Dance celebrating hope for the day where settlers would disappear and the buffalo would return
The U.S. government began to get worried so they banned the Ghost Dance movement
Officials blamed Sitting Bull and tried to arrest him
During a scuffle, Sitting Bull was shot and killed
WOUNDED KNEEAfter Sitting Bull’s death, several hundred armed Sioux gathered at Wounded Knee Creek
The U.S. sent troops to Wounded Knee to collect weapons from the Sioux
Somehow a gun went off and the army returned fire
200 Sioux and 25 soldiers were killed
ASSIMILATIONAssimilation- blending Native Americans into white society
Young Native Americans were sent to boarding schools to learn European American ways
They were taught how to dress and act like European American children
They were taught English and forbidden to speak their native language
Many were given European American names
DAWES ACTAuthorized the president to divide Native American land into individual allotments for Native Americans
Those who separated from the tribe and accepted the allotments were granted citizenship
This was meant to assimilate Native Americans into European-American lifestyles
“Excess” reservation land after allotments were sold (even to non-Native Americans)
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