AP U.S. HISTORY
CHAPTER 17
The West: Exploiting an Empire
FEDERAL INDIAN POLICY
 Western
migration
-No interest until 1850s
-California gold rush
-Reservations
 Indian Wars
-Sioux War of 1865-67
-Little Big Horn
-Wounded Knee (1890)
-Cultures destroyed
THE FRONTIER
 “Great
American Desert”
-Grasslands
-Lack of water, timber
 Natives in the west
-Nearly 250,000
-Some driven from east
 Life of Plains Indians
-Nomadic, horses
-Buffalo
-Tribes squabbled
OPENER (FRIDAY, JANUARY 13TH)
Current events day.
Openers will be collected today from the
first two weeks.
END OF TRIBAL LIFE
 Assimilation:
final step
-Dawes Severalty Act
-Education, “Americanization”
-Buffalo decimation
 Legacy of Policies
-Reservation life
-Poverty
-West settled by 1900
SETTLING OF THE WEST
 Trails
-Start in St. Louis
-Six months or more
-Dangers
 Homestead Act (1862)
-160 acres
-128 million to RR’s
-Speculation
-Ranchers
HELEN HUNT JACKSON READING
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Summarize the main idea of this writing
in 35 words (or less).
According to Jackson, why do most
Americans have a negative view of
Native Americans?
What is her explanation for the attacks
by natives against white people?
Why does she believe that natives must
eventually have full citizenship?
What things does she say must stop now
and were they stopped? Example?
OPENER (TUESDAY, JANUARY 17TH)
How has migration played a role in the
formation of the United States as we
know it?
TERRITORIES
 Scarcity
of water
-Limit on population
-Newlands Act (1902)
 Territorial Government
-Similar to colonies
-Appointed officials
-Patronage system
BONANZA MINING
 First
settlers in west
-Prospectors (surface)
-Later, large corporations
-Black Hills rush (1874-76)
 Instant cities
-San Francisco, Tombstone
-Miners, criminals, vigilantes
-Foreigners
-Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
OPENER (WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18TH)
Why were many western towns considered
very dangerous during the mid to late
1800s? Why did people continue to move
and live there?
**USI CAP applications due on Friday!
FARMING STRUGGLES
 Bonanza!
-Mining/farming
 New Methods/Tools
-Barbed wire
-New strains of wheat
 Discontent on Farms
-Drought (1885-90)
-Crop prices decline
-Railroads overcharge
-The Grange
 Final fling: Oklahoma
OPENER (THURSDAY, JANUARY 19TH)
Look over your notes and get ready for the
quiz!