Life in the West
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3 million native Americans lived in the West before Europeans arrived
they were diverse in language and culture
West had natural wealth in timber, gold, silver, and other resources
West changed the nation’s economy and politics
Created a folklore of “rugged individuals”
The Explorers
Purpose of the Lewis and Clark Expedition:
• Find the “Northwest Passage”
• Make friendly contact with the native Indian groups
• Find out just what had been bought with the Louisiana Purchase
Up the Missouri River
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Expedition started in May, 1804 from St. Louis, Missouri
Led by Lewis and Clark
Accompanied by a Shoshone woman, Sacagawea
Lewis and Clark
To the Pacific and Back
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Progress of expedition was slowed by rapids and waterfalls
To cross the Rocky Mts. they needed horses.
Traded with the Shoshone
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Friendly Nez Perce in the Pacific
Northwest helped them
The Explorers’ Legacy
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Expedition returned in September 1806:
Had not found a Northwest Passage
Did map a route to the Pacific
Established good relations with the Indians
Brought back information about the West and its peoples
Zebulon Pike explored the valley of the Arkansas River, the Spanish
territory along the Rio Grande and Red River
John C. Fremont mapped between the Mississippi river and the Pacific
Ocean
Pike’s Peak
The Californios
The California Missions
• Junipero Serra started the missions in 1769
• Goal was to convert Indians to
Christianity
• Missions stretched from San Diego
to San Francisco
• Missions were deadly to Indians
• Indians treated harshly and died
from diseases
• Mexican government closed the
the missions in 1833
• Gave the land to soldiers and
settlers
San Juan Capistrano
Life on the Ranchos
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Californios produced almost everything they needed
In 1830’s cattle ranching became California’s most important industry
Cattle provided hides and tallow that were traded
vaquero
Californios’ Legacy
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Place names such as San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco
Crops such as grapes, olives, and citrus fruits
Opened California to the world
The Mountain Men
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Lewis and Clark expedition stirred new interest in the fur trade
In 1807, 42 trappers went up the Missouri River
For 30 years trappers crisscrossed the West in search of furs
The Trapper’s Life
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Lived hard and died young
In spring and fall, set their traps
In summer, they met at
rendezvous to swap furs for
supplies
Trappers were attacked by
fur thieves, Indians,
wolves, and bears
Mountain Men
Freedom and Adventure
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Trappers braved the lifestyle for freedom and adventure
In 1830’s, fur trade was in decline
Many trappers became explorers, army scouts, and traders
Hatchet Jack
Skin a Grizz
Mountain Men’s Legacy
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Mountain men explored most of the West
Routes they pioneered became the Oregon and California Trails
Trading posts became supply stations for the pioneers
Personal journals gave readers an insight into their lives
Possibles bag
Rendezvous
MISSIONARIES
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Nez Perce asked people to come and teach about the “Black Book”
Marcus and Narcissa Whiteman went
Henry and Eliza Spalding also went
Crossed using the Oregon Trail
A Difficult Start
Spaldings worked with the Nez Perce.
Whitman’s worked with the Cayuse.
Henry Spalding and Chief
Joseph
Nez Perce
A Pioneer’s Paradise
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Marcus Whitman convinced people that Oregon was a pioneer’s
paradise
In 1842, Whitman went East
He brought a large group of settlers back with him on the Oregon Trail
Missionaries’ Legacy
Opened the West to settlement.
The Pioneer Women
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Most women were wives and mothers
Some were seeking husbands, homesteads, or other opportunities
On the Trail
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Journey lasted 4 to 6 months and covered 2,000 miles
Generally traveled 15 to 20 miles a day
Women cooked, washed clothes, and took care of children
I Love Lucy
Trail Hazards
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Died from disease, accidents, and drowned crossing rivers
Sweet Betsy from Pike
Pioneer Women’s Legacy
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Brought out strengths and weaknesses they didn’t know they had
Started schools, churches, libraries, literary societies, and charitable groups
Women in western states earned the right to vote 20 years before
others and this was their greatest legacy
Women’s Suffrage
The Mormons
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Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Founded in New York by Joseph Smith in 1830
Persecuted for their religion
When Smith was killed, Brigham Young took over leadership and moved
community to Utah
Mormon’s Legacy
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First Americans to settle in Great Basin
Pioneered farming methods for the dry regions (dams, canals,
irrigation ditches)
Salt Lake City became important stop for food and supplies
Planted their Mormon faith in the Utah desert
The Forty-Niners
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In 1848 gold was discovered
In 1849 thousands of gold seekers came from the East, Mexico, South
America, Europe, Australia, China
Their routes took around the tip of South America, through the jungles
of Panama, across the Pacific Ocean, or overland across America
Life in the Mining Camps
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Camps were rough places with no police
Digging for gold was hard and tedious work
Forty- Niners’ Legacy
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Indian population was reduced in size from warfare and disease
Many Californios lost their land
By 1850, California became first state in the West
California gold country
The Chinese
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By 1852 more than 20,000 Chinese had come to California
At first the Chinese were welcome
As gold mining became more difficult the attitude towards the Chinese
changed
Miners asked the American government to drive the foreigners out of the
goldfields
In 1852, the Chinese had to pay a monthly fee for a license to mine
The Chinese Stay
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Americans bullied the Chinese
Hacked off their braids (queues)
Burned their shacks
Beat them
Some Chinese immigrants left the mines and opened restaurants, laundries,
and stores
Some became farmers in California’s Central Valley
Legacy of the Chinese Immigrants
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Most came in search of gold and return to China rich, a few did
Their hard work, energy, and skills benefited California
Brought with them the arts, tastes, scents, and sounds of an old and rich
culture
Koi pond
New Year’s celebration
Pottery