U.S. History Ch. 5 Notes

The Conflict between Native Americans and Settlers in the West



1834

1. A government law said the entire Great Plains west of the Mississippi belonged to the Native Americans

1849

1. Gold in California
2. Settlers coming through Indian lands

1858

1. Gold in Colorado brings more settlers

1862

1. The Homestead Act
2. Free land to settlers who would cultivate it.
3. MORE SETTLERS.

1869

1. The Transcontinental Railroad completed.
2. Herds of buffalo got in the way of trains
3. Buffalo were source of food and clothing for Native Americans--ALL WIPED OUT!

Native Americans

Struggled to keep land and way of life

Sand Creek Massacre

1. November 29, 1864
2. Cheyenne Village
3. U.S. soldiers killed 200 MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN.

Custer's Last Stand

1. General Custer and 200 of his men tried to attack village of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull.
2. All men were KILLED by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.

Wounded Knee Massacre

December 28, 1890

1. 300 Native American men, women, and children are slaughtered in the snow.

Cowboys in the Cattle Industry

1. The Spanish bring horses to America.
2. Later brought longhorn cattle.

Cowboys

1. Spanish Vaqueros in Mexico
2. First Cowboys
3. Drove the cattle from ranches in Southern Texas to railroads in the North.

a) Journey took about 3 months

b) Called a long drive.

Railroads

-- Growth of railroads allowed ranches in the west to ship cattle to crowded cities in the east-- DEMAND FOR BEEF INCREASES!

Chisholm Trail

1. Most famous long drive
2. To a shipping yard in Abilene, Kansas.

1883

-- Severe drought and heat killed many cattle

--Blizzards and 68º below zero temperatures KILLED MORE CATTLE.

1887

After 1887

1. Ranches raised smaller herds on enclosed ranches
2. The west became covered with private ranches

a) Fenced in with barbed wire

b) Long drives were no longer possible.

FARMERS AND THE FIRST WHITE SETTLERS ON THE GREAT PLAINS

CAUSES

RAILROADS 1850-1871

• U.S. government gives them 170 million acres
• 1869- Transcontinental Railroad completed
• Railroads sell land to attract settlers from Europe

Homestead Act of 1862

160 acres of free land to settlers who will farm it for 5 years or more

Many African Americans go west "Exodusters"

INVENTIONS!

Makes it possible for settlers to survive

1837- John Deere sells steel plow that slices through tough soil

1847- Cyrus McCormick sells reapers for harvesting wheat

PROBLEMS

Cost of farm machinery and land= DEBT

Railroads charge wetsern farmers high prices for shipping

Farmers Problems after the Civil War

Economic Problems

• Gold Standard- All paper money in America must be backed by REAL GOLD in Ft. Knox
• This is hard to do
• There isn't a lot of money around
• Money is very precious and can buy A LOT
• Deflation- The price of goods goes down

FARMERS

Railroads charge high prices

LOANS

Have to pay back with precious money

LOW PRICES

Not much income

• Grange (Oliver Kelley) Organization fights for farmer's rights
• Bimetallism- Let's back up money with silver also, so there will be more money out there. Then prices for crops will go up.
• Populist Party- A political party for farmers and working people. Led by William Jennings Bryan
• "Cross of Gold" Speech (Bryan) - Farmers and working people are being crucified on a "cross of gold". The gold standard makes bankers wealthy when people have to pay back their loans. Bimetallism allows farmers to survive.