Bell Ringer
• What is/was Manifest Destiny
• Name a piece of land that the United States
Gained after 1800.
• “Go West Young Man” is a famous American
quote. Why go west?
Bell Ringer
• What group largely built the transcontinental
railroad?
• What is a reservation? (Not referring to
dinner)
• What did the Supreme Court case of
Worcester v Georgia rule? What actually
happened?
Bell Ringer
• What did the Dawes Act do?
• What is Bimetallism?
• Why were problems between farmers and
Indian common? Could they have been
avoided?
CH 12: Change and Conflict in the
American West
How the West was Won (Bought)
• In the early 1800s the USA was limited to lands East
of the Mississippi River
• However, we know by the Civil War California and
Texas were states: How?
• The US bought and won itself a country because of
their belief in Manifest Destiny.
• This was the idea that Americans should control from
“sea to shining sea.”
The Land
• Louisiana Purchase: Bought from
France (1803)
• Florida Cession: Treaty with Spain
(1819)
• Webster-Ashburton Treaty: Britain
(1842)
• Texas Annexation: Took from Spain
(1845)
• Oregon Country: Agreement with
Britain (1846)
• Mexican Cession: Won from the
Spanish American War (1848)
• Gadsden Purchase: Bought from
Mexico (1853)
Indian Removal Act
• During all of this Indians were
constantly being driven off their
land.
• In 1830 the Indian Removal Act
kicked all Indians off their land
East of the Mississippi.
• Even though the Supreme Court
ruled in Worcester v Georgia
that the Cherokee had rights to
their land: President Andrew
Jackson moved them west.
• This whole event was known as the Trail of
Tears.
Insert Civil War Knowledge Here
• Now that the Civil War was done, people were
looking for new opportunity… and all eyes
turned West
Why West? Reason 1
• Mining: In 1849 miners in
California found gold.
Everyone hoped to get
rich and the influx of
people made California’s
population jump from
93,000 in 1850 to
380,000 in 1860
Why West? Reason 2
• Ranching: Ranching had
been popular in Texas
before the US owned it.
Many US ranchers left to
fight the Civil War. The
cattle multiplied in their
absence. New ranchers
would find unbranded
cattle, claim them as their
own, and drive them to
market.
Why West? Reason 3
• Railroad: Now that people were on the West
coast there was profit in having a railroad that
reached that far. The first transcontinentalrailroad would be started in 1865 and finished by
1869. (Immigrants, Chinese, would build huge
sections of the railroad)
Why West? Reason 4
• Free Land: As people
headed west they realized
there were large sections
of unclaimed land. The
Homestead Act gave
anyone who wanted it 160
acres of land for 5 years. If
they made it profitable
they could keep it.
• Morrill Land-Grant gave
states large chunks of land
if they opened up public
Agricultural Colleges
Reason 4 Part II
• Many slaves fled the South
after the Civil War ends.
Those who flee are known
as Exodusters (from
Exodus in the Bible)
• Thousands will go West,
and settle across the
country.
• Many freedmen actually
become Cowboys or
Farmers.
But the Indians?
• What no one was concerned about
was the Native Plains Indians.
• Most Americans thought that
movement West showed the
nation’s Progress.
• There were numerous tribes that
lived in the Great Plains who’s land
was being taken and destroyed.
They opposed the invasion.
• This was in addition to the Indians
who were forced West on the Trail
of Tears.
Indian Treatment
• The Indian Removal Act
moved the largest tribes
from the East to the
Oklahoma Territory
• The settlers ran into the
native Great Plains tribes,
and conflicts occurred.
• The settlers started to
disrupt the plains,
especially by killing Buffalo
in large numbers
• The Indians retaliate
Sandy Creek Massacre (1870)
• The US went out to protect
the settlers.
• They found an encampment
of Indians at Sandy Creek
• More than 150 died, many
women and children, in
what is known as the Sandy
Creek Massacre
• This enraged Plains Indians
even more
Reservations
• In an attempt to stop
conflict the Government
tried to confine Indians to
Reservations
• Even on Reservations
though the Government
ignored the invasion of
settlers if it was for a good
reason (to take gold/silver)
Little Big Horn (1876)
• Not all Indians stay on the
reservations (Sioux,
Apaches, Comanches,
Cheyennes, and Arapahos)
• In 1876 the Sioux &
Cheyennes were camped
near Little Big Horn, MT.
• This group would come
under attack by US Calvary
& General George Custer
Little Big Horn: Custer’s Last Stand
• The Indians much larger
force beats the US
Calvary under the
leadership of Sitting
Bull and Crazy Horse
• Commonly known as
Custer’s Last Stand
• These Indians will be
hunted down,
captured, and forced
onto reservations.
Dawes Act
• The government decides the Indians need to
assimilate.
• Congress passed the Dawes Act in 1887. Indian tribes
could no longer own land, but Indian families could (so
they could ideally become small farmers… like the
settlers .
• This is completely contrary to the culture of American
Indians, and almost destroys them as a people.
• Many Indians sold their land to Settlers looking for a
quick way to earn money.
Wounded Knee Massacre (1890)
• Considered the last great US-Indian
conflict of the time the US Calvary
was sent to the Lakota Pine Ridge
Indian Reservation to disarm them.
– Ghost Dance: the dance would
reunite the living with the spirits of
the dead and bring peace, prosperity,
and unity to native peoples
throughout the region
• “Supposedly” a deaf Indian refused
to give up his gun because he didn’t
understand what was happening, a
shot went off, and the Calvary kills
almost everyone in the camp.
• About 300 American Indians are
killed.
The Plight of the Farmer
• Despite getting 160 acres of
land for free farmers faced
problems.
• Expensive machines made
many take loans, and they
weren’t making enough to
pay them back.
• This lead to
Populism/Populist Party.
– Populism: A political group
that focuses on the common
people’s interest over the
interest of the wealthy.
Granger Laws- Farmers Complain about Rail Roads
• Several States pass Granger Laws, or
laws saying that states can regulate
rail road rates
– Farmers complaining prices were too
high
• Supreme Court Rules in Wabash, St
Louis & Pacific R.R. v Illinois that the
US government should regulate
interstate trade.
• The Interstate Commerce
Commission is set up to ensure “fair
rates” on the railroad
– Even though they lose it’s a win for
Farmers
Farmers complain about Money
• Farmers wanted the Government to
regulate crop prices (so they could
make more $$$)
• They encouraged government to
increase the cash flow through a
political group known as the
Greenbacks. (Greenback Party)
• At that time the US was on a gold
standard
• Every $1.00 in the US was backed by
$1.00 of gold in the treasury.
(Problems???)
– The US had been under a Bimetallism
currency system before the Civil War, but
switched to the Gold standard during the
war
Free Silver
• Farmer’s Alliances (1880s)
• Farmers argue US monetary
policy should follow
Bimetallism (Gold + Silver)
• This idea is championed by the
Populist Party and William
Jennings Bryan (Free Silver)
• Famous “Cross of Gold Speech”
• Bryan would just lose to
McKinley (51%-46.7% Pop Vote)
• McKinley formally keeps the US
on the Gold Standard