| Lesson 1 I Settlement of the Last West * "The Last West"=The Missouri R. to Pacific Ocean * American historian Frederick Jackson Turner (1893) he presented Frontier Thesis at the AAHA meeting Frontier Thesis: Dominative historical interpretation-- (understanding the frontier.) The frontier served America as an escape valve--more room to go. A. The Land * 1.2 million sq. miles; 2/3 of U.S. 1. The Great Plains: (Missouri R. to Rocky Mtns.) very open, few trees, people="sodbusters" 2. Rocky Mtns.: continental divide 3. Great Basin: Mohabi Desert area 4. Sierras: Sierras and Cascades Mtns. 5. Pacific Coast B. Settlement * 3 main factors for settling the land: 1. Transcontinental RR's --1st: 1869 after Civil War --3 others --America's 1st big business! subsidized by U.S. govt. 2. Military Conquest of the Indians 3. Liberal Land Distribution --750 million acres of public land into hands of private citizens --How? Homestead Act (1862), Land speculators buy land from govt and sell for profit, companies, people. * Settlement Patterns -Pre Civil War: traders, trappers, mtn. men, missionaries; in 1840's-miners & prospectors -Post Civil War: RR workers, cattlemen, ranchers, independent farmers II. Indians of the Last West A. Major Groups 1. Great Plains: known as "nomadic hunters," expert horsemen, very warlike --Sioux Indians: "Crazy Horse," "Sitting Bull" --existance evolved around buffalo! food, clothing, weapons, shelter! 2. Southwest: some nomads, most farmers --Pueblo, Hopi, Apache (nomads) 3. Northwest: fishermen, encountered by Louis & Clark --Nez Perce="Chief Joseph" B. Conflicting World Views * Definition of world view: cultural lense through which human experience is viewed * Comes from: 1-family of origin; 2-larger ethics-cultural ethnic group; 3-education C. U.S. Govt. & the Indians *European views clashed w/Indian views *Indians lived in communes, no one "owned" land *Americans have principle of "owning" land D. Final Indian Conflicts 1. 1862 Sioux War--Minnesota Frontier --over 1000s whites killed; over 300 Sioux leaders arrested, prepared to execute 2. 1864 Sand Creek, Colorado Massacre--Colonel in militia John Chivington --over 200 Indians killed 3. 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn--famous American General George Armstrong Custer --men killed by Sioux warriors led by Crazy Horse --Purpose--greatest Indian victory; signals the beginning of the end for the Indians 4. 1890 Wounded Knee--last pitched confict --U.S. Calvary vs. Indians led by Chief BigFoot **Result: policy of U.S. to Indians--Reservation systems (1850s) isolated and restricted them. **Hostile Indians left Reservations 5. Ghost Dance--Indian Religious Ceremony--reappearance of dead ancestors --Belief: climactic battle, kill all white men E. The Reformers 1. Helen Hunt Jackson (1881)--wrote A Century of Dishonor --critical history of American Indian policy 2.The Dawes Act (1887)--gave Indians their own lands--break up Indian Tribalism. III. A. Mining Communities 1. 1848 Gold discovered in California--Gold Rush! 1850 California becomes a state 2. 1858 Gold in Colorado 3. 1858 Nevada Territory 4. 1874 Gold in Black Hills of South Dakota * Placer: mining done on the surface * Outcome: mining becomes finance of our civilization B. Lasting Imports 1. Several new states added to the Union (NY, CO, MO, ID, WY, etc.) 2. American finance 3. Better transportation--mining era helped propel transcontinental RRs IV. The Cattle Kingdom A. Cattle Drives Chisolm Trail--San Antonio to RR in Abiliene---Joseph McCoy B. Boom and Bust Mid 1870s Joseph Glidden invented Barbed Wire Range Wars--between Cowboys and Settlers V. Western Land Policies A. Land Acts 1. Homestead Act (1862)--settlers move west and would be given 160 acres of land --must live on it and cultivate it for 5 years, and build some kind of structure on it 2. Morril Land Grant College Act (1862)--gave federal land to each state for building colleges B. Environmental Land Acts 1. Timber Culture Act (1873) specifically directed at Great Plains Region --settlers given 160 acres of land --must plant trees within 4 years 2. Desert Land Act (1877)--allow settlers to double ownership again--320 acres --must devise adequate irrigation plan within 3 years |
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