The West TransformedThe West Transformed

Chapter 17Chapter 17

Mining and RailroadsMining and Railroads– Boom and bustBoom and bust

Before the Civil War, Before the Civil War, prospectors found prospectors found gold in Nevada, which gold in Nevada, which was owned by Henry was owned by Henry Comstock. Comstock. The Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode was filled with silver, was filled with silver, and made more and made more money in silver then money in silver then gold. About $300 gold. About $300 Million in 20 years. Million in 20 years. After the Civil War, After the Civil War, prospectors moved prospectors moved west, they found ores west, they found ores in Montana, Idaho, in Montana, Idaho, Colorado and South Colorado and South Dakota.Dakota.

Mining and RailroadsMining and RailroadsCities of tents grew Cities of tents grew around these ore around these ore mines, and were called mines, and were called Boomtowns. Merchants Boomtowns. Merchants followed prospectors. followed prospectors. – Women opened Women opened

restaurants, washed restaurants, washed clothes, took in clothes, took in borders. borders.

About ½ of the miners About ½ of the miners were foreignwere foreignTo keep justice in these To keep justice in these towns there were towns there were Vigilantes Vigilantes Once the ore was Once the ore was extracted, the miners extracted, the miners often moved away and often moved away and the towns died.the towns died.

Mining and RailroadsMining and Railroads– The Railroad BoomThe Railroad Boom

Before 1860, Before 1860, railroads ended at railroads ended at the Mississippi River. the Mississippi River. – The government The government

gave subsidies to gave subsidies to people. people.

Mining and RailroadsMining and RailroadsTranscontinental Transcontinental Railroad Railroad – One railway went One railway went

east from east from Sacramento, CA Sacramento, CA called the Central called the Central Pacific RailroadPacific Railroad

– Another was built Another was built west from Omaha, west from Omaha, Nebraska called the Nebraska called the Union Pacific Union Pacific Railroad. Railroad.

– They met in the They met in the middlemiddle

Mining and RailroadsMining and RailroadsTowns sprang up in the Towns sprang up in the west because of the west because of the railroad. railroad. – Gold and silver came Gold and silver came

out of the mines. out of the mines.

– The Transcontinental The Transcontinental RailroadRailroad

Finding gold and silver Finding gold and silver ore in the land out to ore in the land out to the west was what the west was what eventually inspired this eventually inspired this railroad which spanned railroad which spanned the continent. the continent.

Native Americans struggle to Native Americans struggle to survivesurvive

– People of the PlainsPeople of the PlainsIn 1865, about 360,000 In 1865, about 360,000 Native Americans lived Native Americans lived in the Great Plainsin the Great PlainsPlains people lived by Plains people lived by gathering, hunting and gathering, hunting and fishing. fishing. When the Native When the Native Americans traded with Americans traded with the French and British the French and British for guns, they could for guns, they could travel faster and farther. travel faster and farther. Native Americans Native Americans carried their belongings carried their belongings in Travois and lived in in Travois and lived in TepeesTepees

Native Americans struggle to Native Americans struggle to survivesurvive

Plains people flowed Plains people flowed the buffalo herds, the buffalo herds, which played a key which played a key role in the Native role in the Native Americans survival.Americans survival.Women managed the Women managed the village, cared for village, cared for children, made food. children, made food. Men were hunters Men were hunters and warriors and and warriors and often led religious often led religious life. life.

Native Americans struggle to Native Americans struggle to survivesurvive

– Broken TreatiesBroken TreatiesU.S. treaties promised U.S. treaties promised Native Americans land, Native Americans land, when miners and when miners and railroad crews went railroad crews went west, these treaties west, these treaties were broken. were broken. Fort Laramie Treaty-US Fort Laramie Treaty-US officials wanted Native officials wanted Native Americans to stop Americans to stop following buffalo, following buffalo, promising if they settled promising if they settled down, and the down, and the government would government would protect their land.protect their land.– When this was signed, When this was signed,

Settlers moved onto Settlers moved onto their land.their land.

Native Americans struggle to Native Americans struggle to survivesurvive

Sand Creek Massacre-Sand Creek Massacre-As a response by the As a response by the Native Americans to Native Americans to give up their lands, they give up their lands, they attacked supply trains attacked supply trains and homes. and homes. – The response to this The response to this

was that about 700 was that about 700 people attacked the people attacked the Cheyenne tribe. They Cheyenne tribe. They raised a white flag but raised a white flag but 100 people from the 100 people from the tribe were killed tribe were killed anyway.anyway.

– This massacre ignited This massacre ignited war. war.

Native Americans struggle to Native Americans struggle to survivesurvive

The giant herds of The giant herds of buffalo began to die buffalo began to die out because of out because of railroad hunters and railroad hunters and the price of buffalo the price of buffalo robes.robes.

– Last stand for Last stand for Custer and the Custer and the SiouxSioux

Often times land on Often times land on the reservation was the reservation was bad and hard to farm bad and hard to farm on.on.

Native Americans struggle to Native Americans struggle to survivesurvive

The Sioux and The Sioux and Cheyenne lived on a Cheyenne lived on a reservation in the Black reservation in the Black Hills. Hills. – In 1874 there was a In 1874 there was a

gold rush and a flood gold rush and a flood of minersof miners

Sitting Bull and Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led Crazy Horse led attacks to keep attacks to keep out whitesout whites

Little Bighorn- A battle Little Bighorn- A battle between Colonel between Colonel George Custer and the George Custer and the Sioux and Cheyenne to Sioux and Cheyenne to force the Native force the Native Americans onto a Americans onto a reservationreservation– Custer and all of his Custer and all of his

men died in this battlemen died in this battle

Native Americans Struggle to Native Americans Struggle to survivesurvive

– Other efforts of Other efforts of resistanceresistance

When the Nez When the Nez Perces were being Perces were being forced onto a forced onto a reservation, their reservation, their Chief, Chief Joseph Chief, Chief Joseph fled toward Canada fled toward Canada with his people. The with his people. The US Army pursued US Army pursued them, until their them, until their capture near capture near Canada’s border. Canada’s border.

Native Americans Struggle to Native Americans Struggle to survivesurvive

Navajo Indians raided Navajo Indians raided settler’s farms for settler’s farms for livestock, to stop this, livestock, to stop this, the army was called in. the army was called in. Eventually the Navajo Eventually the Navajo were defeated. were defeated.

– The “Long Walk” was The “Long Walk” was made by the Navajos, made by the Navajos, which was forced. which was forced. Many died of disease Many died of disease and hunger.and hunger.

Native Americans Struggle to Native Americans Struggle to survivesurvive

The Ghost DanceThe Ghost Dance– The failure of reformThe failure of reform

A Century of DishonorA Century of Dishonor by Helen Hunt Jackson.by Helen Hunt Jackson.– A book that recorded A book that recorded

the many treaties that the many treaties that were violated by the were violated by the government. government.

The Dawes ActThe Dawes Act– Tried to end Native Tried to end Native

American wandering American wandering and turn them into and turn them into farmers. farmers.

– Gave males 160 acres Gave males 160 acres each to farm. each to farm.

– They set up schoolsThey set up schools– This act failed.This act failed.

The Cattle KingdomThe Cattle Kingdom– Rise of the Cattle Rise of the Cattle

IndustryIndustryFor years wild cattle For years wild cattle wanted the Open wanted the Open RangeRangeWhen American settlers When American settlers moved to the west, they moved to the west, they did not round up the did not round up the stray herds.stray herds.– When the railroads When the railroads

came, Texans could came, Texans could now take the cattle to now take the cattle to marketsmarkets

In spring there were In spring there were Cattle Drives- These Cattle Drives- These drives lasted months to drives lasted months to move the cattle north.move the cattle north.

The Cattle KingdomThe Cattle Kingdom– Life on the TrailLife on the Trail

Cowhands-had to keep Cowhands-had to keep the cattle in check. the cattle in check. – Herding cattle was Herding cattle was

risky; they would risky; they would stampede and could stampede and could get taken away by a get taken away by a river. river.

– Cowhands worked 18 Cowhands worked 18 hours a day and got hours a day and got paid less than $1.paid less than $1.

People learned how to People learned how to be cowhands because be cowhands because of the Vaqueroof the Vaquero– Americans learned to Americans learned to

ride, rope and brand.ride, rope and brand.

The Cattle KingdomThe Cattle Kingdom– The Wild WestThe Wild West

After months on the After months on the trail, cowboys would trail, cowboys would be ready for a bath, a be ready for a bath, a good meal and a soft good meal and a soft bed. This is why Cow bed. This is why Cow towns were formed. towns were formed. Cow towns Cow towns These towns soon These towns soon became popular; became popular; they had dance halls, they had dance halls, saloons, hotels and saloons, hotels and restaurants.restaurants.

The Cattle KingdomThe Cattle KingdomThere were many There were many myths in the west. myths in the west. Although there was Although there was minimal violence, minimal violence, people tried to people tried to advertise for the west advertise for the west by saying there was. by saying there was. – Annie Oakley even Annie Oakley even

broke a stereotype broke a stereotype and could shoot a and could shoot a gun as good as a gun as good as a man.man.

The Cattle KingdomThe Cattle Kingdom– Boom and bust of the Boom and bust of the

Cattle KingdomCattle KingdomThe cattle boom lasted The cattle boom lasted from the 1860’s to the from the 1860’s to the 1880’s1880’sCattle Kingdom-The Cattle Kingdom-The region dominated by the region dominated by the cattle industry and its cattle industry and its ranches, trails, and cow ranches, trails, and cow towns. towns. The boom ended when The boom ended when a cycle of scorching a cycle of scorching summers and frigid summers and frigid winters killed millions of winters killed millions of cattle.cattle.

Farming in the West Farming in the West – HomesteadingHomesteading

Homesteaders- Homesteaders- People were given People were given 160 acres for free if 160 acres for free if they lived and farmed they lived and farmed on it for 5 years.on it for 5 years.– Only 1 in 3 people Only 1 in 3 people

lasted the full 5 lasted the full 5 yearsyears

Railroads gave away Railroads gave away some of the 180 some of the 180 million acres it got million acres it got from the governmentfrom the government

Farming in the West Farming in the West – A hard life on the A hard life on the

plainsplainsThe land that people The land that people were given was hard were given was hard to farm. It was fertile to farm. It was fertile but covered with Sodbut covered with SodFarmers broke Farmers broke through the sod with through the sod with new plows made of new plows made of steel by John Deere. steel by John Deere. – Sodbusters used Sodbusters used

machines to plant machines to plant cropscrops

– Farmers used Farmers used windmills to pump windmills to pump water out.water out.

Farming in the West Farming in the West Whole families worked Whole families worked on farms. on farms. – Men worked from Men worked from

dusk until dawndusk until dawn– Children tended Children tended

animals and helped animals and helped with choreswith chores

– Women kept the Women kept the house, planted and house, planted and harvested, educated harvested, educated the children, made the children, made clothes, preserved clothes, preserved food and made food and made basics like candles basics like candles and soap.and soap.

Farming in the West Farming in the West – A last rush for landA last rush for land

The Oklahoma Land The Oklahoma Land Rush-people rushed Rush-people rushed onto land near onto land near Oklahoma City to Oklahoma City to claim it for free. claim it for free. – Sooners came out Sooners came out

and claimed the and claimed the best landbest land

Farming in the West Farming in the West – Farmers organizeFarmers organize

Farm crisisFarm crisis– There was a surplus of There was a surplus of

food because too food because too many farmers were many farmers were taking grain to the taking grain to the market. market.

Supply vs. Supply vs. Demand Demand

In many communities In many communities there were Granges. there were Granges. The Farmers Alliance The Farmers Alliance was organized in the was organized in the late 1870’s, late 1870’s, – It set up Farm It set up Farm

CooperativesCooperatives

Farming in the WestFarming in the West Populists (the political Populists (the political party) wanted to use party) wanted to use silver as well as gold as silver as well as gold as a basis for money a basis for money supply. They believed supply. They believed that there would be that there would be InflationInflationIn 1896, Democrat In 1896, Democrat William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan ran against Republican ran against Republican William McKinley. William McKinley. – Bryan was known as Bryan was known as

the “Great Commoner” the “Great Commoner” and wanted to use and wanted to use silver as currencysilver as currency

– McKinley won with his McKinley won with his gold alone standard.gold alone standard.