Settling the West

Great Plains - “Great American Desert”

1000 sq miles from the 100th meridian to the Rocky Mountains

Geography: Mountains, Plateaus, Plains, Deserts

Non-Forested area: Tall and short prairie grasses, desert shrubs

Characteristics: poor soil, poor drainage, intense cold, intense winds, not enough rainfall

Animals of the Great Plains

Characteristics: grass eaters, survive with little or no water

Jackrabbit – true hare; ate farmer’s crops

Prairie Dogs – “Squirrels of the Plains” live in colonies, create hazardous holes in ground, controlled through poison

Wolf/Coyote – “Outlaws of the Plains”prey on helpless, sick, or young

Buffalo – dominated human life stupid (because…)

ran slowly & are clumsypoor eyesightno fear of sound (but…)

excellent sense of smell

Humans – Native American Indians

Tribes of the Great PlainsSioux

Cheyenne

Crow

Arapaho

Kiowa

Typical Indian Village

Native (North) American Indians

Relied on two animals – Buffalo & Horse

Buffalo – Meat = foodHide = shelter & clothingBones = tools & weaponsSinew = thread & bow stringsHair = saddle padsHorns = spoons & flasksGallstones = war paintManure = fuel

Horse – Origins = Spanish ConquistadorsAbandoned & left to breed

= Mustangs

Importance of the Horse

• Became nomadic

• Less inclined to farm

• Used as a “beast of burden” – pack animal

• Source of Wealth – paid debts, bought wives,could be eaten if necessary

• Become better buffalo hunters

New Weapons developed due to the Horse

Small Bow – 2 ½ - 3 ft long

Arrows – tipped with points of bone, flint, or steel barbs

Most carried a shield made from hides of buffalo necks (which had been smokedand then hardened with

glue made from horse’s hoofs)

By nature, the Plains Indians were more fierce, cruel, and least civilized of all of the tribes

Most Feared = Comanche Indians• spent majority of time mounted

• used horse itself as a shield during battle

• greatest horse thieves (smelled likehorses so other horses didn’t spook)

Perfected the art of torturing their enemies

• Artistic dissections

• Partial flayings

• Dislocation of body parts

• Breaking and/or splitting of fingers & toes

LanguageUnique – quiet forms

• Sign Language – helped different tribes communicate

US Army (under Capt. Clark) studied and included sign

language into the signal flags – used first in the

Civil War

• Smoke Signals

Encounters with Whites

Early 1800s – Whites moved Indians to reservations in Oklahoma – Trail of Tears

US Gov’t paid Indians annuities 30-50 cents an acre once yearWasn’t enough to live off of –

starved

Indians left reservations to find food

There goes the neighborhood!

Army sent 9th/10th Cavalry Units (Buffalo Soldiers) Were called in to hunt the Indians down

Promontory, Utah

Railroads brought people West and in 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad was completed.

1st TRANSCONTINENTAL

RAILROAD

• May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah “The Wedding of the Rails”

• Central Pacific and Union Pacific

• May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah “The Wedding of the Rails”

• Central Pacific and Union Pacific

May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah“The Wedding of the Rails”

Central Pacific and Union Pacific

Railroad – “iron arrow” – hired people to laytracks; shot buffalo to feed RR workers. “Buffalo Bill” Cody – sharpshooter for RR

Took hides for buffalo robes & tongues; Killed 1000+/day

Buffalo destroyed iron RR tracks

Taming of the Plains Indians

Decline of the Buffalo

By 1885 – fewer than 1000 left out of 15M

Six-Shooter (revolver) – inventor Samuel ColtTexas Rangers needed protection

from the Comanches. Advantage = 6 shots

Winchester Repeating Rifle

Colt .45 pistol

Disease – like other Native Americans, PlainsIndians were not immune to White man’sdiseases such as small pox and measles

Liquor – “fire water” – cannot tolerate alcohol became addicted easily

3Bs (bullets, bacteria, bottle) brought by RR

Major Conflicts

Fetterman’s Massacre – Sioux Chiefs Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, & Sitting Bull ambush US Army led by Capt Fetterman

Sand Creek Massacre – Army sent to punish Sioux for Fetterman’s Massacre. Army killed Indians under white flag of truce

Nez Perce – under Chief Joseph tried to flee to Canada. Army finally caught & returned the Nez Perce to the reservations“I Will Fight No More Forever”

Battle of Little Bighorn – Army sent to bring back Sioux to reservations. 7th Cavalry took on 2500 Indians w/ 210 soldiers“Custer’s Last Stand”

Little Big Horn Memorial Site

With the massacre of the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn public attention is turned towards what the Gov’t was doing.

Helen Hunt Jackson – A Century of Dishonordetailed: --US Gov’t’s repeated violation of

treaties--Mistreatment of Indians on reservations

Sarah Winnemucca – Life Among the Paiutes:Their Wrongs and Claims (same as Jackson)

Gov’t Assimilation Policy

Dawes Act:Broke up reservationsHead of household = 160 acresSingle Men = 80 acresChildren = 40 acres

Began to education Indiansread/writefarming techniques

Life on the Reservations

Turned to spiritual activities or traditional dances:

a. Bison Dance - bring back buffalo

b. Spirit or Mescalero Dance – drive away evil and

sickness and bring good fortune to the tribe.

c. Snake or Rain Dance – used to bring in a good

harvest.

d. Sun Dance – manhood ritual; visible symbol of bravery and in some cases necessary in order to marry young

girls.

Paiute medicine man Wovoka promised the return of the buffalo

and Indian way of life.

The religion prophesied the end of the westward expansion of whites

and a return of Indian land.

The ritual lasted five successive days, being danced each night and on the last night continued

until morning.

Hypnotic trances and shaking accompanied this ceremony, which was supposed to be repeated every six weeks.

The Ghost Dance Movement 1890

The Ghost Dance Movement 1890

Battle of Wounded Knee – last Indian battle

Indians were performing theGhost Dance – designed to bring back animals, dead relatives, and return to a life before the white man’s arrival (wore ceremonial clothing that for protection against Whites)

If performed – would be immune to white man’s bullets.

Ghost Shirt

Accounts differ but shots were fired and bothIndians and soldiers were killed.

Impact – religious ceremony that proved thatIndians were not immune to white man’sbullets – Indians lost all hope and resigned themselves to life on thereservations

300 Indians & 25 Whites died

Break for Activity

Cattle Kingdom

Spanish brought cattle to the New World &abandoned

New breed developed – longhornTougherCan survive on poor grasslands By 1865 - 5 million roaming freeHad long horns (4-6 ft span)

• No real market in Texas

• In Texas, sold for $3-$5 a head until RR came west

• In the railheads, sold for 30-$50 a head

• Pioneers -- Cattle Barons --with ranches of 1,000+ acres

• Average ranch = 3,000 head of cattle

Demand for Cattle Increased because:

Civil War – N & S needed fresh meat & the only source was from out West

Railroads – came out west to railheads in Missouri & Kansas

Winter: Repaired gearGathered firewoodCut ice from waterholesTended to sick cows/calvesFound straysDrove cattle to snow-free grass

Yearly Routine on Ranches

Spring: Check water conditionsRescue cows from mud

holesRound up:

horses – broke them for riding

cows – branding of mavericks

(no brands)castrated young bulls

Handout - Brands

Summer: Inspect water holes Check for worms Scatter bulls for mating

Fall: Finish branding Sort cattle (keep or sell) Start Long Drive to Railheads

Long DrivesTook 3,000 head of cattle

1 chuck wagon/cook

1 Trail boss

1 Wrangler – Remuda (7-10 extra horses per cowboy)

• 12-15 cowboys – average age = 18;

paid $1/day

• 2-3 months to complete

• Traveled 25-30 miles/day

( =1,000+ miles)

• Worked 18 hour days

Point: most dangerous --stampedesmost desirable -- clean air

Swing/Flank: kept herd together

Drag: least desirable – dust & smell

found stragglers that had wandered off from the main herd

Long Drive Positions

Most Famous Trails:

Chisholm Trail (most famous)

Shawnee Trail

Western Trail

Goodnight-

Loving Trail

(sold to miners) Handout – Trails & Positions

Cowboy Uniform

Hat - Most wore sombreros for protection from rain, snow, hail, and sun Used as a fan and bucket to carry water

Part of uniform most particular about

Bandana - Used as a mask – keep out dust Form of insulation in hat

Wash clothe Tourniquet (snake bite/gored

by longhorns)

Duster - Protective overcoat w/ split in back

Chaps – Leg protection

shotgun (pant like)

batwing (tied/buckled on the side)

woolies (front covered with wool)

Spurs – Used to move the horse quickly Most common type = work spur

Boots – Designed to keep foot in stirrup Most common type today = ropers

Cowboy Equipment

Rope/Lariat – Used to capture cows/horses Avg length = 60 ft.

Running Iron – straight iron rod used to free-hand brands on mavericks

Knife – 6 inch blade stored in boot/waist

Saddle – Personally ownedCost - $30.00 lasted 25-30 years

Horse – Used on the range but usually was not personally owned

Gun/Rifle – Most repeating rifles Only carried on open range

NOT on long drives for fear of stampedes

Mexican Influence:

Original Cowboys came from Mexico

Language:

vaquero – cowboylasso – ropinglariat -- rope

RODEOAmerica’s oldest

original sport

Most lasting form of amusementFriendly competition between ranches

Nat Love – most famous all-around

Cowboy

Rough Stock EventsStaying on the animal for 8 second

Saddle Bronc BarebackBull Riding

Timed Events Competition based on an individual’s best time

Steer WrestlingCalf RopingBarrel Racing

End of the Cattle Kingdom• Arrival of the sheepherders – sheep

clipped grass too short for cows to eat

• Beef prices fell by 40% - overstocking ranges

• Mother Nature – drought, floods, blizzards in the 1890s

• Lack of good, clean water

• Invention of barbed wire - Joseph Glidden

• Arrival of farmers – used barbed wire to close

off the open range

• Range wars started – competition for land/water increased b/w ranchers and farmers

• Forced to reduce herd size and start breeding programs

• Ranches became hay farms as well as grazing ranches (need hay for winter)

• Stories exaggerated by dime novels

Branding Cattle &

Cowboy Slang Activities

Handout

Arrival of the Farmers1862 – Homestead Act

1. Gov’t gave 160 acres for a

$10.00 deposit.

2. After 5 years of improving the land, farmers got clear title.

3. Used barbed wire to stake out their claims

Life on the Prairie

Homes – Made out of sod – dirt & grass little bit of wood - expensiveWells had to be dug 300+ ft.

to find water

Climate – extremes (100°F+ vs. below 0°)

Examples of Sod Houses

Farming Styles

Normal Farming – using iron/steel plow planted 6 inch rows

Dry Farming – planting seeds deep into the ground to find moisture in areas that onlyget 15-20 inches of rain a year

Bonanza Farming – LARGE farms of up to 50,000 acres using crews of workers

Primary Crop = WHEAT

Problems Farmers Encountered

• Drought

• Prairie Fires burned crops

• Grasshopper plagues ate crops

• Planted too shallow and prevailing winds blew away top soil (with nutrients)

• Overproduction of crops caused prices to drop

• Bought expensive machinery on credit

• Bought farms on credit

• Banks foreclosed – couldn’t pay off debts

• Forced to become tenant farmers working for someone else

Growth of the Mining Industry

Types of Mining:

Placer Mining –

uses picks,pans, & shovels

Quartz Mining – digging deep in the ground to find the mineral that one was looking for

Hydraulic Mining – used a stream of water to blast out sides of mountains – used with placer mining technique

Biggest American Strike: Comstock Lode, 1859

Henry Comstock found huge SILVER deposit

The extensive and expensive surface and underground workings of the various Comstock silver mines required large outlays of investment capital.  Most of the investors were in San Francisco.

Virginia City into a boom town due to SILVER

1. caused crime to increase

2. led to vigilance committees civilians who took law into their own hands since regular

lawmen were in short supply

3. Attracted women – • did laundry for miners • danced in saloons

and took tips from miners

• performed personal services (prostitution)

(Women used silver (& gold) and bought property)

Other Metal Deposits

Gold – Pikes Peak, Colorado

Black Hills, Dakota Territory

Lead – Leadville, Colorado

Copper – Montana Territory

(Precious metals needed for factories back East & plays into the Industrial Revolution of

the late 1800s)

Wrap Up:

Manifest Destiny: Am believed they had a God-given right to occupy the land from theAtlantic to the Pacific.

Those that came west, encountered the NativeAmericans, started huge cattle ranches, established farms, and mined for precious metals.