The Wild West
• On your white board, write “The Wild West” and circle it. Around the circle, write as many words as you can that come to mind when you hear “the wild west.” You have a couple of minutes. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.
• Textbook: pgs. 152 to 158• Books on Mr. Burdick’s desk• Computers
Friday, February 4, 2011• Announcements– Powerpoint Presentations on Monday– Option Map Re-test
• CNN Student News• Bellringer• The Myth of the Wild West
The Wild, Wild West.
The Myth of the Wild West
Cowboys
Cowboys – took care of ranchers’ cattle
• Cattle drive: Cowboys herd cattle on long journey to market or to Plains for grazing
Group Presentations• Group 1: The Wars for the West (152-158)• Group 2: Native American tribes• Group 3: Miners and Railroads (159-163)• Group 4: The Cattle Kingdom (164-169)• Group 5: Farming the Great Plains (170-175)
The Real West
• The U.S. sent officials to negotiate treaties with the Native Americans.– Allowed Americans to
build forts and roads and travel across Native lands
– Promised to pay for any damages to Native lands
• After gold was discovered, U.S. government created reservations, areas of federal land set aside for Native Americans.– Land unsuitable for
farming and made hunting buffalo impossible
– Some reluctantly complied, some fought
1890
Today
• In the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory, Sioux leader Sitting Bull receives demands to sell tribe’s reservation land when gold is found there.
• Sitting Bull refuses.• Civil War veteran George
Armstrong Custer leads 264 soldiers in a surprise attack known as The Battle of Little Bighorn.
• Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull lead Sioux forces and surround Custer and his troops.
• Custer is killed. “Custer’s Last Stand”
• It is the last major Sioux victory.
How do we link the East and West?• Miners travel in huge numbers to the west, in
hopes for a quick fortune.• Boomtowns formed around mines. – lacked law and order
• Pony Express is created to send mail by horseback.
• System of messengers 2,000 miles long.
• 10 days
The Transcontinental Railroad
• U.S. gives railroad companies loans and grants to build railroad linking the east and the west.
• In exchange, railroads agree to carry U.S. mail and troops for very little cost.
• Thousands of Irish and Chinese immigrants are hired to help build track.
• Chinese immigrants are paid less and given more dangerous tasks.
• The railroad greatly increased economic and population growth in the West.
• 1865: 35,000 miles of track
• 1890: 200,000 miles of track
• Railroads were now the biggest industry in the U.S.
• The United States had expanded greatly.
