Ch.16 The West Western Migration After Civil War—big migration from East Horace Greeley— “Go West Young Man.” Homestead Act (1862)—1st = 160 acres for 5-years. Western Tribes Variety of tribes Cherokee/Creek forced to go to “Indian Territory” (Oklahoma). Pueblos Plains Indians Diverse Some farmed Nomadic hunters Buffalo Strong opposition to whites at 1st. Ultimately dominated—lack of unity, disease, & technological inferiority. Decline of the Buffalo Demand for hides Interfered with the railroads. 1865-1875—15million to less than 1,000 Dispersal of Tribes Reservation Policy Fort Laramie Treaty (1868) Oklahoma and Dakotas Run by Bureau of Indian Affairs Gold in the Black Hills Discovery of Gold leads to whites going into reservation territory of Dakota Territory. Natives begin to resist. Govt. tries to buy land, but Natives say “no.” Govt. says they need to move. Says all not on new reservation land by 1876 would be considered hostile. Conflict with Indians After the Civil War, troops sent west. William T. Sherman is in charge. Fighting is savage Little Big Horn (Montana, 1876) “Custer’s Last Stand” Scalping Sitting Bull Chief who led those who resisted moving from Black Hills to new reservations. After Little big Horn, fled to Canada. Eventually surrendered. Participated in Wild West Shows. Killed while being arrested to prevent his support of the Ghost Dance. Crazy Horse Leader of Lakota Sioux Led victorious Native forces at Little big Horn. Eventually Surrenders and is killed while a captive. Buffalo Soldiers 1/5 of US military in west were African Americans. Indians called them “Buffalo Soldiers” Ghost Dance Promise of revival of traditional culture and revenge on whites. Ghost Shirts US army tries to stop Indians from performing. Wounded Knee 1890—Infamous massacre . Over 200 Native Americans are killed. Effectively ended Native resistance until the 1960s. Dawes Act Dawes Act (1887) —eliminates tribal land and provided individual land. Forced Assimilation. Schools set up to make Indians into “Americans” Helen Hunt Jackson A Century of Dishonor (1881) Hispanics Most are marginalized by the onslaught of Anglos. Many lose land and become lower class workers Warm Up Explain the significance of Plessey v. Ferguson. What were some of the reasons that Reconstruction came to a n end? What was the Dawes Act? The Chinese Big surge immigrated to Cal. During Gold Rush. Tax on foreign miners + racism. Work on railroad/laundries Chinatowns Anti-Coolie clubs Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 Western Economy Mining 1st Gold and Silver More long-lasting = aluminum, lead, tin, and zinc. 1st individuals—corporations. Comstock Lode Silver in Nevada Boom Towns Towns would spring up almost overnight where gold or silver was discovered. When supply is all mined out, everybody would leave= “ghost towns” Cattle Ranching Followed patterns established by Mexicans/Texans Open Range Branding, roundups, long drives. Chisholm Trial Mining/Ranching Communities Mostly men Rowdy, lawlessness Vigilantes Women Married women performed traditional domestic duties. Single women = cooks, waitresses, tavern keepers, laundries, and prostitutes. Some even owned ranches. Western women could generally participate in politics. More women in west could vote. Why? Turner’s “Frontier Thesis” Frederick Jackson Turner 1893 census says that the frontier is closed. Argued that the frontier was the most important aspect of American development. Fostered individualism and democracy. Romance of the West Glorification of West as East became more industrialized and urban. “Rocky Mountain School” Myth of the Cowboy Romanticized as manly, individualistic, free from regular social constraints and in touch with nature. Reality = low-paid, tedious, grueling and little chance for advancement. Wild West Shows “Buffalo Bill” Cody Annie Oakley Frederic Remington Western Farmers Flourished in the 1870s-early 1880s Mid 1880s = overproduction(& drought) in US farming and Agrarian crisis. Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869. Allowed for more farmers in West Promontory Point, Utah (1869) The Govt. and the RR’s Govt (both state and federal) gave many subsides to RR’s. Free land (land grants) Tax breaks Farmers vs. Ranchers Competition for space created tensions. Range Wars Eventually led to fencing and end of “Open Range” Cattle Drive Trails Characteristics of Western Farming Barbed Wire Irrigation Droughts in late 1880s ruin many western farmers. Commercial Agriculture Increased Commercialization. After Civil War, US agriculture became primarily an international biz (focus is on cash crops).. Prices went down, though, due to: A. Overproduction B. World Competition Farmer’s Grievances Blame others for their plight Railroads Eastern Bankers A. Charged higher rates for farm goods. B. Higher rates for South & West C. “Long haul v. short haul” High interest rates Foreclosures Middlemen Decline In Status American farmers had been mythologized since the founding of the country. Jefferson “Those that labor the earth are the chosen people of God…” By end of 19th century, Eastern industrialists seem to dominate society while farmers situation is on the wane.