Opening the West

Transcription

1 Opening the West

2 Mining Booms California gold rush ends in mid 1850s - miners still hoping to find gold 1858 gold was found at Pikes Peak in Colorado Rockies. Skimmed gold dust from the streams - most was deep in the underground lodes - rich streaks of ore running between rock layer Nevada s Carson River - Called Comstock Lode (Henry Comstock owned a share of the land) Miners were making $20 a day (servants earned less than $1) By the spring of 1859 about 50,000 prospectors have flocked to the goldfields of Colorado Only few were profitable Boomtowns - towns that developed almost over night Pg. 553 Lively and often lawless Spending and gambling Violence - no real police or prisons - vigilantes Men mostly lived there - women would work as laundresses, cooks, or entertainers.

3 Railroads Connect East and West Colorado becomes a state in 1876, North and South Dakota, Washington and Montana in 1889, Wyoming and Idaho in Survival of mining communities lies on transportation Gold and silver have little value unless they reach factories, ports, and markets Stagecoaches and wagons could not move fast enough - railroads. Railroad network expanded rapidly between 1865 and ,000 miles to 150,000 miles. Pacific Railway Acts were passed in 1862, allowing the first transcontinental railroad to be completed in 1869, making possible a six-day trip from New York to San Francisco.

4 Government and the Railroads Railroads were constructed with subsidies financial aid and land grants from the government. Railroad executives made the argument that their companies should receive free public land where they would lay their tracks Since it would bring benefits from East to West. Bring business and benefits to the whole nation Govt. grants more than 130 million acres to the RR companies Purchased or obtained by treaties from Native Americans Included land for tracks and strips of land along the railway 20 to 80 miles Example: LA gave Southern Pacific Railroad money and paid for a passenger terminal to ensure that the RR would be built near their town.

5 Transcontinental Railroad Span the continent and connect Atlantic to Pacific - began in 1850s Union Pacific Company - westward from Omaha, Nebraska 10,000 Chinese workers $28 per month 742 miles of track (harsher conditions) Harsh conditions Irish and AA - Low wages Laid 1,038 miles of track Central Pacific - Eastward from Sacramento, CA Southern vs. Northern (both want the tracks to go through them) During the Civil War the Northern Govt. chose the Northerly route. Govt offers land grants for companies who would build. Heat, icy winter, cleared forests, blasted tunnels through mountains, etc. May 10, construction was completed Leland Stanford - Gov. of CA - drove a golden spike through the last tie. Telegraph lines flashed across country The last rail is laid...the last spike driven The Pacific Railroad complete.

6 Pg. 556 Primary Source

7 Effects of the Railroads 1883, 2 more transcontinental railroads & dozens shorter lines were built Thousands of workers westward Towns sprang up along the railroads = Denver, Colorado Trains carried more metal & produce. More tracks laid = more steel needed - steal industry boom Coal production Air Brakes - pull longer & heavier goods. Agricultural goods to market Time Zones exactly one hour later than the zone to its west American Railway Association created this in 1883 Safety issues - eg. Boston was ahead of NY collisions Congress recognizes this in 1918 It made the people more homogenous (alike), breaking the peculiarities and proclaims (local ways) which marked separate and unmingiling regions. -Omaha Daily Republican

8 Ranchers and Farmers

9 Railroads and Cow Towns The Spanish settled Mexico and Texas the brough a tough breed of cattle Longhorns Spread throughout Texas - Open range Ranchers added to the heards by capturing them and branding them showing ownership Markets for beef were in the North and East Cattle could now be hearded miles/loaded on trains for shipment Longhorns that were worth $3 were going for $40 Long Drives - herding of cattle 1,000 miles Traveled to Cow Towns - located on the route near RR. Led from Texas to Abilene, Kansas, on the Chisholm Trail - pg. 562

10 Life on the Great Plains Cowhands - Dangerous conditions: weather, stampede, saddle for 15 hours Veterans of the Civil War, African Americans (searching for better life; Nat Love), & Hispanics Cattle herding began in the Spanish Southwest Vaqueros - Hispanic ranch hands Cattle Kingdom Ends Ranching eventually replaces cattle drives Produce hardier cattle - too much cattle = price drop Farming = Economic activity in the palins Pg. 561 / Netflix

11 Native American Struggles

12 Following the Buffalo Govt.intervening on NA land Red Cloud wants to ensure safety of whites moving into NA territory The white children (settlers) have surrounded me and left me nothing but an island. Omaha & Osage lived in communities w/ farmers and hunters Plains Indians - Sioux, Comanche and Blackfeet- nomadic life Following the buffalo - source of food/living American hunters/ RR workers use them to feed the crews Americans target Buffalo for hide to sell.

13 Native American Conflict Indian Peace Commission to develop a policy towards NA. Moving NA to reservations - plots of land. Army would deal with any group that did not want to move. Reservations - Indian Territory Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs Mange the reservations Poor land, failed to deliver food and supplies, poor quality food. Many nations did move - but later abandoned

14 Conflict 1860s many armed clashes Minnesota Territory - Sioux warriors led by Red Cloud burned and looted white settlers homes in summer hundreds died. Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho Army stationed at Bozeman Trail - used to reach gold mines Crazy Horse acted as a decoy leads troop to an ambush where warriors wiped out the lot. Fetterman Massacre. Colorado - Raiding wagons, trains, stealing cattle and horses from ranchers. Gov. orders NA to surrender - prommise food and protection, Some do not - Chief Black Kettle to negotiate peace - attacked by. Col. John Chivington Agree to stop fighting oct Pg. 569 Red Cloud

15 Little Bighorn Black Hills of the Dakotas - rumored to be gold No white person or persons shall be permitted. to settle on that land. People flocked - the Sioux protested - govt. Tried to buy the land Sitting Bull - important leader of the Lakota Sioux refuses I do not want to sell an land. Not even this much, he said holding a pinch of dust Gathers Sioux & cheyenne warriors & meets with Crazy Horse Lieutenant col. George Custer and 210 soldiers collide - less than 30 minutes all are dead at Little Bighorn. Shocked the nation Army soon crushed the uprising sending Sitting Bull and followed to Canada the Lakota and cheyenne agree to live on reservations.

16 Apache People Apache people - Would break the US people up into groups - could be at war w/ one and not the other Women were highly regarded - US only talked to the men Saw land had sacraded - US gold/value Two types of raids Blue Coats - lived in forts Ranchers groups - raised cattle Mining groups - dug holes in the ground You would get in and out with no one knowing you were there Revenge raid - Kill and scare US Govt. tries to lump them together Several diff. Groups Not allowed to raid/ starvation/ wouldn't give them food

17 Apache Wars $100 for a scalp for and Apache leader Gen. James Carlton - there is to be no council heald with the indians, the men will be slayed and woman and children held prisoners. Geronimo - raids on US people $40 million Us dollars spent to kill 100 Apache and returned thousands of US army On September 4, 1886, surrendered in Skeleton Canyon, Arizona, after fighting for his homeland for almost 30 years He was the last American Indian warrior to formally surrender to the United States Exiled to Oklahoma and not able to return to his people after pleading to Pres. Roosevelt Place my people in their native homes so that our name will not become extinct. I pray to you cut the ropes, make me free, let me die in my own country an old man who has

18 A Changing Culture Movement of whites into territory, slaughter of buffalo, US army attacks, reservations, etc. Dawes Act Aimed to remove what whites regarded as weaknesses: Lack of private property and nomadic tradition Breakup reservation land - NA would become farmers or ranchers and then American Citizens. Little training or enthusiasm to succeed Land was too small to be profitable - so they sold it.

19 Chief Joseph was a leader of the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce Tribe, who became famous in 1877 for leading his people on an epic flight across the Rocky Mountains

20 Wounded Knee A ceremony called the Ghost Dance celebrated the hope for a day when settlers would disappear and the buffalo would return Army thought Sitting Bull was leading this = made them nervous Tried to arrest him - shot and killed him in a scuffle Several hundred Lakota Sioux gathered at Wounded Knee Dec Army went to collect their weapons Shot rang out army responded with fire 200 Sioux and 25 soldiers are killed Marked the end of the armed conflict between Native Americans and the US govt. \ Pg.570 people in history

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22 Farmers in Protest

23 A Farmers Organization The price for crops declined but the shipping of good remained high Blamed the railroad companies - charged farmers more to ship crops Angry with Eastern manufacturers - charged high prices for their product Resented bankers - charged high interest rate Railroad companies took possessions of the land and the bankers took possession of the farmer. - Sen. William A. Peffer National Grange - first farmers organization Offered farmers education, fellowship and support Organized social gatherings Cash-only cooperatives - economic self sufficiency Charged lower prices, prevented farmers from buying on credit 1878 RR put so much pressure on the states that they repealed acts to help farmers Farmers are short on cash and still had to borrow = FAIL of the Grange.

24 Farmers Alliance A network of organizations that sprang up in the west and south in 1880s 1890 Southern Alliance had over 3 million Colored Farmers National Alliance - AA farmers 1 million Sponsored education and co-ops. Federal Govt. would store the crops and lend money to farmers Farmers would pay back loans when crops sold Regional differences and personality clashed kept the alliances a part

25 Populist Party 1890 election the Farmers Alliance became active in politics. Worked to turn the movement into a political party People s Party of the USA or Populist Party GOAL - appeal to the common people Claimed that the Govt., not private companies should own RR and Telegraph networkers Wanted to replace the country's gold based currency with free silver More circulation - can pay of debts Supported political labor reforms Limiting the pres and vp. terms, electing senators directly, use of secret ballots, shorter working hours and income tax Tax higher earnings more heavily. Pg. 577 Political cartoon

26 Free Silver Division from North & South 1890s Democrat controlled Southern state leg. Placed limits on the rights of AAs Many freedmen who might have supported the populist couldn't vote Farmers and debtors would join Many white southerners couldn't join a party with AA Supporting free silver Thought it would clear their loans West joined If govt. Coined large quantities of silver the mining cos. Would have a place to sell their metal.

27 Election of 1896 Dems elect William Jennings Bryan Reps elect William McKinley Opposed free silver, Economic depression that slowed business in the 1890s was over. Firey speaker, supported free silver & other populist goals, believed in farmers, traveled across the nation to give speeches, attacked bankers Bryan s ideas were not as urgent McKinley wins! Populist ideas make an impact! 1900s US abandons gold 8 hour work day Income tax Secret ballot Direct election of senators (pg. 576)