Chapter 3 Miners Ranchers and Railroads Timeline 18551888 Key Terms frontier Comstock Lode boomtowns Cattle Kingdom cattle drive Chisholm Trail Pony Express transcontinental railroad ID: 794896
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Slide1
Growing America
America Moves West
Chapter 3
Slide2Miners, Ranchers, and Railroads
Timeline: 1855-1888
Key Terms: frontier, Comstock Lode, boomtowns, Cattle Kingdom, cattle drive, Chisholm Trail, Pony Express, transcontinental railroad
Main Ideas: A mining boom brought growth to the West. The demand for cattle created a short-lived Cattle Kingdom on the Great Plains. East and West were connected by the transcontinental railroad.
Slide3Mining Boom Brings Growth
California joined the country in 1850 so settlers began to travel to the west coast
This undeveloped area (frontier) continued to change- homes, fences, farms
Railroad eventually changed the landscape of the west. It was used to transfer natural resources back and forth from east to west (vice versa).
Most valuable resources were gold and silver
Slide4Cause and Effect
Causes: new land for settlers, mineral resources, supportive businesses, and immigration
Effects: new towns, railroads connect cities, and the Cattle Kingdom
Slide5Big Business
Comstock Lode- large collection of gold & silver in Nevada-lured thousands
Comstock Lode produced more than $500 million in 20 years through mining
Problems with mining: dangerous, unsafe equipment, dark dusty tunnels, stuffy air, explosions, cave ins, and fire
Labor unions were formed to protect the miners
Slide6Importance of Cowboys
Cowboys/cowhands took care of the cattle on the ranches using techniques used by Mexican ranchers (vaqueros).
Most important job was the cattle drive-long, hot, dangerous journey taking cows to the railhead. Usually lasted months. Cowboys stopped in towns and stirred trouble.
Wyatt Earp was a law officer that became famous for keeping peace
Chisholm Trail-most popular route to transfer cows from Texas to Kansas
Slide7Boomtowns
Settlers from America and other countries travelled to mine for gold
Communities grew quickly around a mine – boomtown – and disappeared immediately when the mine closed.
Boomtowns typically had a general store,, saloon, and boardinghouses/hotel
The few women in boomtowns washed, cooked, sewed, and chopped wood
Slide8The Cattle Kingdom
Cattle industry grew rapidly also due to high demand in the East.
Cows were cheap in Texas ($3-$6) but people paid more for them in other states like Kansas ($38) and New York ($80). Longhorns were popular.
Joseph McCoy built cow pens in Kansas to put them on the railroad to sell in New York.
The Cattle Kingdom spread from Texas to Canada throughout the Great Plains.
Slide9End of the Open Range
Great Plains was covered with open range until farmers bought land where cattle once roamed
B
arbed wire was invented in 1874 so large amounts of land to be fenced
This helped conclude the Cattle Kingdom. Cows ate the prairie grass. Severe winters killed cows. Ruined financial lives of ranchers and ended the Cattle Kingdom.
Slide10Transcontinental Railroad
Need for goods to transfer across the country increased.
Pony Express began to carry messages on horseback in 1860.
Telegraph replaced the Pony Express. (Listen to telegraph online)
Transcontinental railroad made transportation easier and faster
Slide11Great Race
Federal government loaned money to build railroad- called the Pacific Railway Act. The agreement gave land for the railroad if the railroad would carry military and mail cheaply. Others were trying to create more railroads.
Central Pacific (Cali) and Union Pacific (Nebraska) began building with plans to meet in the middle.
Conclusion was in Promontory, Utah where a golden spike was used to connect the railroads which made one railroad across the Great Plains.
Slide12Railroad Workers
Immigrants and Americans worked with many challenges – travel, explosions, snow, disease, heat, etc.
It took years to build the railroad but became largest industry in U.S.
Soon afterwards, the Great Plains was crisscrossed with numerous railroads which made transportation faster and easier. The interdependent economy and population grew near railroads, families moved to the Plains.
Four time zones were created in 1883. (Watch Men that
Built America)
Slide13Golden Spike
Promontory Point, Utah is today a museum honoring the final spike of the building of the transcontinental railroad in 1869.
Companies continued to build railroads to connect with the transcontinental railroad until the west was crisscrossed with railroads.
There were parties, parades, and celebrations throughout the country once the railroad was completed-it was a BIG deal to everyone!
Slide14Results of the Railroad
Increased economic growth and population in the western states
Better transportation of people and products
Increased land sells in the west
Helped western businesses like miners, ranchers, and farmers
Helped eastern businesses exchange products
Four time zones were established
Investments from Americans-made railroads a BIG business
Slide15Wars for the West
Key Terms: Treaty of Fort Laramie, reservations, Crazy Horse, Treaty of Medicine Lodge, buffalo soldiers, George Armstrong Custer, Sitting Bull, Battle of the Little Bighorn, Massacre at Wounded Knee, Long Walk, Geronimo, Ghost Dance, Sarah Winnemucca, Dawes General Allotment Act
Main Ideas: As settlers moved to the Great Plains, they encountered the Plains Indians. The US Army and Native Americans fought over land throughout the west. Despite efforts to reform US policy toward Native Americans, conflict continued.
Slide16Settlers Encounter Plains Indians
Great Plains covered the center of the US from Canada to Texas and many Native Americans lived there. US tried to negotiate treaties over land despite the numerous languages. They used a common sign language.
Native American Tribes: Apache, Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Pawnee, Sioux…
Indians depended on horse & buffalo for survival. Food, shelter, clothing, utensils and tools cam from buffalo. Horses helped them to kill buffalo.
Slide17Struggle to Keep Land
Treaty of Fort Laramie-FIRST major treaty between US and Indians-acknowledged Indian land but allowed US to build forts and roads.
Soon afterwards, US created reservations-areas of federal land set aside for Indians but hunting was difficult remaining on reservation. Indians were nomads and followed the buffalo.
Bozeman Trail allowed miners to cross the Plains. Sioux leader, Crazy Horse ambushed troops.
Slide18Other Treaties
Second Treaty of Fort Laramie-US closed Bozeman Trail, abandoned forts and provided land for reservation
Treaty of Medicine Lodge-Indians agreed to live on reservation. Comanche Indians fought until they finally surrendered.
African American Buffalo soldiers assisted US in forcing Indians to leave
Slide19Battle of Little Bighorn
US Lt George Custer discovered gold in S. Dakota mountains. Sioux Indians claimed the land so fighting began.
Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull surrounded and conquered Custer’s troops in Montana-worst defeat in the west.
Revenge at the Battle of Wounded Knee-last major battle in the west.
Slide20Long Walk
Navajo Indians refused to surrender so the US troops invaded
US Army led Navajo’s on a 300 mile march to a reservation. Many Indians died on the way
Geronimo led the southern Indians until he surrendered to the US Army
Slide21Ghost Dance
Religious movement predicting paradise
US feared it was a war chant encouraging rebellion so they outlawed it
Sarah Winnemucca – Native American encouraged reform through speeches
Helen Hunt Jackson wrote books about reservations and needs for reform
Slide22Dawes Act
Dawes General Allotment Act 1887-tried to decrease traditional influence on Indian society by making land ownership private rather than shared
It promised land to Indians but failed-only gave a little poor soil to Indians
Broke up reservations and took 2/3 of Indian land
Slide23Chief Joseph
What would you do to protect your home and ways of life? (discuss)
1840-1904 in present day Oregon, Nez Perce Indians
Tried to lead 700 Indians on a 3 month 1400 mile hike to Canada
Hungry, cold, exhausted, and sick
Analyze Chief Joseph’s speech (p.99)
Slide24Farming & Populism
Key Terms: Homestead Act, Morrill Act,
exoduster
, sodbuster, dry farming, Annie Bidwell, National Grange, deflation, William Jennings Bryan, Populist Party
Main Ideas: Many Americans started new lives on the Great Plains. Economic challenges led to the creation of farmers’ political groups. By the 1890’s, the western frontier had com to an end.
Slide25Life on the Plains
Homestead Act 1862 gave government owned land to small farmers-160 acres in exchange for 5 years of living and farming that land
Morrill Act gave 17 million acres of government land to states for them to sell and use the money to build colleges and teach agriculture (farming) and engineering (Auburn University)
Slide26Great Plains Settlers
Single women
African Americans
White settlers
European immigrants from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Czechoslovakia
Exoduster
-southern African Americans escaping prejudice to live in the west
Slide27Farming
Challenges: extreme heat and cold, poor soil, crop failure
Successes: sodbusters broke up hard dry soil for planting; mechanical farming introduced machines to the farm which required less workers
Dry farming was a method used to shift away from water dependent crops like corn
Europeans introduced a wheat seed that grew in dry climates
Eventually, the Great Plains became known as the breadbasket of the world
Slide28Building Communities
Women settling the Plains brought a new respect which facilitated strong political voices
Annie Bidwell from California used her influence to support moral and social issues
Created local church and school to support one another
Children did chores
Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote Little House on the Prairie (book/
tv
show)
Slide29Farmers’ Income Issues
US population doubled between 1860-1900 so farms tripled
Overproduction decreased prices of crops and farmers could not pay bills. Some lost their farms and homes due to debt. They became tenant farmers working someone else’s farm.
Slide30Farmers’ Political Groups
Farmers formed a group to politically protect their interests
National Grange – social and educational organization for farmers was formed; membership grew quickly
Campaigned for candidates who supported farmers’ goals
Interstate Commerce Act provided national regulations over trade between states to ensure fair railroad rates
It was not enforced though
Slide31Free Silver Debate
All paper money had to be backed by gold in the US Treasury (research)
Money supply couldn’t keep up with population increase which led to deflation-decrease in money supply and lowers prices
Solution: allow unlimited coining of silver backed by silver
William Jennings Bryan was a candidate that supported the silver coins
Coins didn’t help as much as expected
Slide32Populist Party
Farmers’ Alliances was a strong political force and eventually became the Populist Party-wanted the government to own railroads and favored the silver coinage. They also supported an 8 hour workday on immigration limits.
Panic of 1893-economic decline that scared Americans and many began to support the Populist Party
Republican William McKinley and Democrat William Jennings Bryan ran for President. Populists supported Bryan since he agreed to silver coinage
McKinley won and Populist Party & Farmers’ Alliances ended
Slide33End of the Frontier
Very little space in the Great Plains was settled by 1870 and most was open range (Song: Home on the Range)
Oklahoma Land Rush-settlers claimed over 11 million acres of Indian land
Some people cheated and claimed land before the rush legally began-they were called sooners (Oklahoma Sooners)
This ended the westward movement in the US
Slide34Test Time
Review p.
107-108