PAPER 2a REVISION GUIDE

The American West

c1835 – c1895

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Topics for revision Red Amber Green Ready?

1. The early settlement of the West, c1835-c1865:The Plains Indians:

Plains Indian society Survival on the Great Plains Beliefs about nature and land US government policy towards Plains Indians:

‘Permanent’ Indian Frontier Indian Appropriations Act (1851)

Migration and early settlement: Factors encouraging migration west:

Oregon Trial Gold Rush (1849) Manifest Destiny

Process and problems of migration Development of white settlement farming Problems of white settlement farmingConflict and tension: Tension between settlers and Plains Indians The Fort Laramie Treaty (1851) Significance of the Treaty Problems of lawlessness Attempts to tackle lawlessness

2. Development of the Plains, c1862-c1876:Development of settlement in the West: Significance of the American Civil War

Government action The Homestead Act (1862) The Pacific Railroad Act (1862)

Tackling problems of homesteading Railroads and settlement of the West Problems of law and order

Impact of Civil War Reno Gang

Ranching and the cattle industry: Texan cattle industry before Civil War Growth of cattle industry after War

Joseph McCoy and Abilene Goodnight-Loving Trail

John Iliff and ranching on the Plains Cattle Barons Cowboys and changes in cattle industry Rivalry between ranchers and homesteadersChanges in the way of life of the Plains Indians: Impact of railroads Cattle industry US government policy towards the Plains Indians Impact of reservations Conflict with the Plains Indians

Little Crow’s War (1862) Sand Creek Massacre (1864) Red Cloud’s War (1866-68) Second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868)

Timeline of key events

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1. The Early Settlement of the West, c1835 - c1862

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c1834 Permanent Indian Frontier set up1836 The Oregon Trial opened1843 The ‘Great Emigration’ on the Oregon Trial1846 Donner Party head west but meet with disaster and death

Mormons travel to the Great Salt Lake1848 Gold discovered in California1849 California Gold Rush1851 Fort Laramie Treaty (1)

The Indian Appropriations Act1858-59 Gold discovered in the Rocky Mountains

1859 Gold mines opened in Colorado and Nevada1861-65 The American Civil War

1862 Homestead ActLittle Crow’s War

1864 Pacific Railway Act passed and work begins on the transcontinental railwaySand Creek Massacre

1865 Slavery abolished in the USA1866-68 Red Cloud’s War

1866 Goodnight and Loving reach Fort Sumner with a herd of cattleFetterman’s Trap

1867 Abilene becomes the first cow town1868 The ‘Winter Campaign’

President Grant’s ‘Peace Policy’Fort Laramie Treaty (2)

1869 First Transcontinental Railroad completed1870 Cattle Ranching begins on the Plains, leading to the ‘Open Range’1873 Timber Culture Act1874 Barbed wire begins to be mass-produced

Wind-powered water pump introducedCuster leads expedition to the Black Hills

1876 The Battle of Little Big Horn1876-81 The Great Sioux War

1879 Exoduster Movement1881 The OK Corral1885 All Plains Indians are resettled on to reservations

1886-87 Severe winter leads to the end of the open range1887 The Dawes Act1890 Wounded Knee Massacre

The US government closes Frontier1892 Johnson County War1893 Oklahoma Land Rush

The Plains Indians:

Many different tribes made up the people known as the Plains Indians. Different tribes lived on the Great Plains – to survive bands within a tribe had to

work together and occasionally tribes would co-operate to survive. The Sioux nation was one of the biggest tribes living on the Plains.

Chiefs, Councils and Warrior brotherhoods:

Chiefs were the leaders of the Plains Indian society – each tribe had many chiefs who had different roles eg. Spiritual chief and war chief.

Elders and chiefs made up the tribe’s council which consulted on important decisions and all had to agree before a decision was made.

There were several different brotherhoods within a tribe. Brotherhoods trained young men in fighting skills and tribes’ beliefs. Warrior brotherhoods were not under the command of the tribal council

meaning that they might not always respect peace treaties.

Women and Plains Indian society:

Women could not become chiefs and a successful man could have more than one wife (polygamy).

They were responsible for feeding, clothing their family and processing buffalo hides and meat for trade.

Women’s roles were highly respected in Plains Indian society – it was viewed that everyone had a specialised role essential to survival.

Survival on the Great Plains:

Survival on the Plains depended on hunting buffalo, therefore Plains Indians followed buffalo migrations through summer and autumn.

Plains Indians developed great skills such as horse-riding and archery to ensure they could hunt the buffalo.

They also followed a nomadic (travelling) lifestyle – lived in tipis and used every part of the buffalo for food, fuel, clothing, shelter and ornaments.

Plains Indians believed that all nature and land must be treated with respect or the spirits would no longer agree to help them survive.

Horses were essential –used for hunting, travelling and warfare.

Beliefs:

Everything in nature had a spirit and sometimes helped humans.

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Plains Indians danced rituals (eg. Sun Dance) to enter the spirit world. Land was seen as sacred – some tribes farmed land but believed it wasn’t

owned by anyone. Other tribes believed it was disrespectful to farm land. Attitudes to war – tribes would raid each other for food, horses, weapons and

people (women and children). To limit warrior loses, tribes developed the ‘counting coup’, warriors would hit or touch (instead of killing) an enemy and try to get away uninjured.

US government policy towards Plains Indians:

Key events: the Indian Trade and Intercourse Act (1834) Americans saw the Plains Indians as savage who did not improve the land The US federal government struggled for a solution to ‘the Indian problem’ –

they tried the following:o A ‘permanent Indian Frontier’ (1830) to move American Indians west of

the Mississippi river.o People travelling West followed trials – US army forced Plains Indians to

move away and stop them attacking the trials.o Indian Appropriations Act (1851) – government paid to move Plains

Indians in Indian Territory onto reservations.

Migration and early settlement:

Factors affecting the West:

Economic – in 1837, crisis meant people wanted a new life in the West. Farmland in Oregon – the promise of free farming land in the West was a

powerful ‘pull’ factor. The Oregon Trial was a practical way for migrants to get across the Rocky Mountains with wagons.

Government help encouraged movement to Oregon. They provided $30,000 for an expedition to map the Oregon Trial to help migrants.

Gold Rush, 1849 – 100,000 people left the East to travel to California. Thousands travelled find gold. There were several consequences:o It promoted the West as a place for success, new starts and freedom.o Farming in California grew, soon it was exporting food products.o Money helped pay for the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869.o Rapid growth of mining towns led to problems of law and order.o New migrants murdered or enslaved Californian Indians.

Manifest Destiny – Americans believed they could live all over America

Development and problems of white settlement farming:

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By 1850s, the government promoted farming on the Great Plains. Whites had never farmed on the Plains and problems included low rainfall, few

trees and climate extremes. This led to a number of consequences including lack of crops, water, timber for

houses and cooking. These conditions made it hard for white settlers to survive on the Great Plains.

Farming was difficult as the soil was difficult to plough and crops failed due to dry or cold weather and prairie fires burnt crops and livestock.

Conflict and tension:

Tension between settlers and Plains Indians:

Conflict was unavoidable as resources were scarce and raiding others was an important survival strategy for the Plains Indians.

White settlers believed they were naturally superior but were afraid that Plains Indians would attack or scalp them.

Thousands of white migrants travelling along the Oregon Trial meant migrants killed large numbers of buffalo.

The Fort Laramie Treaty (1851):

US government responded to the mistrust between whites and Indians by organising a council to guarantee safe migrant access across Indian land.

There were several problems in getting an agreement:1. Choosing council representatives2. Getting representatives from all tribes3. Agreeing boundaries4. Translation difficulties

Sept 1851, the Treaty was finally signed. The Treaty agreements:

Plains Indians would: US government would:

End fighting between tribes Allow migrants safe travel Permit railroad companies to survey their lands Allow government roads and army posts in

their land Pay compensation if treaty is broken

Protect Plains Indians from white Americans (including migrants)

Pay tribes an annuity (a yearly payment) of $50,000 as long as the Treaty terms are kept

Significance and problems with the Treaty:

Safe passage for migrants undermined the Permanent Indian Frontier.

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US government’s annuity meant Plains Indians had a relationship with the government depending on them behaving as they were asked.

Individual chiefs had signed the treaty; bands would decide if they followed the treaty. Boundaries of tribes’ territory weren’t seen as serious.

Problems of lawlessness in early towns and settlements:

There were laws in the West, the problem was enforcing these laws. Mass settlement in California meant mining camps attracted people to make

money from prospectors, often by illegal methods. In 1849 – San Francisco’s population increased (from 1,000 to 25,000). Rival

gangs took control of city areas and law officers were ineffective.

Government action:

Federal government decided on laws for each territory in the West. Problems with law and order:

o Geography - territories were huge areas with scattered settlements.o Federal government spending meant law enforcement was badly paid. As a

result, many law officers were corrupt.o They had no legal training and injustice caused tension.

Crime in San Francisco created the ‘vigilance committee’ which captured, tried and punished criminals.

Racist attacks increased as mass settlements grew – the state government was also racist, especially towards Chinese settlers.

Attempted solutions:

Federal government – If they had 60,000 people it could apply to become a state and have its own land. If they had less their own law enforcement was controlled by a system set by politicians. It included:o 3 judges, marshals, deputies and posses.

Mining camps – grew and shrank so fast they needed their own solution. o They created temporary courts and temporary judges.

Vigilance committees – spread quickly throughout the West and mining camps.o San Francisco set up Vigilantes (around 200 men). In 1851, 89 men were

captured, ¼ were deported and 15 were handed over to the Federal Marshall.

2. Development of the Plains, c1862 – c1876

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Before the 1860s, the California Gold Rush had been the main factor bringing large numbers of migrants to the West. Many travelled by sea, but two-thirds crossed the USA along the Oregon Trail. After the American Civil War, many people moved to the West to become independent farmers on the Plains.

The significance of the American Civil War:

In 1861, seven southern states left the USA (soon joined by four more) and set up their own Confederacy, which triggered the Civil War.

After four years of fighting the Union (what was left after the Confederacy had left) defeated the Confederacy and the Confederate states re-joined the USA.

After the Civil War, the US government set about rebuilding the USA. This involved repairing the enormous devastation through the South and granting citizenship for former African American slaves.

The economic problems and changes in the South meant many people moved to the West to start a new life.

Government support for Western settlement:

Before the Civil War, the US government was made up of representatives of southern states and representatives of northern states.

Southern states relied on slave labour for their plantation farms. They wanted slavery to be legal in the new Western states.

Northern states wanted new states in the West to be free of slavery. Instead of large plantations owned by rich whites and worked by slaves, northerners wanted family farms and worked by free people.

The Homestead Act:

The Homestead Act promoted the settle of the West. Anyone could file a claim for land as long as they were: the head of a family or

single and over 21, including ex slaves and single women. Once someone had lived on the land for 5 years, built a house and planted 5

acres of crops, they could pay $30 and own their homestead outright - this was called “proving up.”

Achievements: Limitations:

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By 1876, over 6 million acres of government land had successfully become homesteads

It ensured parts of the Great Plains were settled on

It encouraged immigration from Europe. By 1975, more than half of Nebraska’s populations of 123,000 were immigrants

By 1884, over 13 million acres of land had been “proved up” and by 1900, 24 million acres.

Only 16% of public land was used. The government granted more to railroads. The rest was sold to cattle ranchers for higher prices

60% of homestead claims were never proved up, often because of the farming problems

Rich landowners brought land cheaply Many brought land and sold it on for a profit

The Pacific Railroad Act (1862):

Provided incentive for transcontinental railroad building. This made migration to the West much easier and quicker.

They promoted the development of towns, they boosted the sale of land to settlers, and enabled the industrial centres of the North to connect to the developing agriculture of the West.

There were two problems against building a railroad:1) Enormous difficulty and cost of building a 2000km railroad, especially

through the mountains of the West 2) Disagreement between the northern and southern states. The Railroad

Act split the job of building the First Continental Railroad between two companies the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific.

The Pacific Railroad committed the US government to: o Extinguishing any rights Indians might have to land along the routeo Loaning each company $16,000 for every mile of track they laid ($48,000

for mountain areas)

New inventions and crops:

In 1873, railroad agents succeeded

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in persuading a religious community called the Mennonites to move from Russia to the Great Plains - they discovered that “Turkey Red” wheat grew well on their Kansas farms.

The Timber and Culture Act (1873):

Although 160 acres of land was sufficient in the East, it was not enough for successful farming in the West.

The Timber and Culture Act allowed homesteaders to claim a further 160 acres if they planted trees on at least 40 acres.

Trees were important in the West as:o They acted as a “wind break” to shelter crops from damage.o Provided settlers with timber for building houses, fences and furniture,

repaired equipment and could be used as fuel.

Law and Order:

Problems of lawlessness:

New towns created by the railroads were lawless at first – the most lawless were “cow towns”, as cowboys would collect cows and load them onto railroad wagons.

After this, they would celebrate and this caused law and order problems. For example, Kansas lawlessness increased because its population had increased

from 500 in 1867 to 7,000 in 1870. There were crimes like gunfights, murders, prostitution and gambling.

Impact of the Civil War:

The Civil War (1861-65) added significantly to the trouble in the West because ex-soldiers arrived in large numbers after the war.

Gangs and outlaws were former soldiers; many were traumatised by the war and could not find jobs during peacetime.

Law enforcement was too weak to control gangs and they terrified local people. The Reno Gang:o A group of deserters, conmen and thieves. They terrorised the West and

bribed local officials to avoid arrest.o In 1866, they carried out a train robbery breaking open a safe to get $16,000. o The Pinkerton National Detective Agency were hired to arrest the gang. They

caught John Reno but the gang continued.

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o In 1867 and 1868, the gang struck again. On their 5th train robbery attempt one member was captured and gave up the rest of the gang for a reduced sentence. When Pinkerton arrested them, a lynch mob killed them instead.

HOWEVER, not all places were lawless:

Life was very hard and many struggled to make a living. No one could afford to lose property so local communities tried hard to catch and punish thieves.

Ranching and the Cattle Industry

Growth of the Cattle Industry:

When Texas became independent from Mexico in 1836, they took control over the Mexican cattle industry. The Texan cowboys herded cows on long drives.

Cattle diseases such as Texas Fever had major impacts on the cattle drives. In 1855, Missouri farmers formed vigilance committees to block the drives.

1855 - Quarantine law was introduced to prevent infected Texan cattle from entering Missouri. Kansas passed a similar law in 1859.

In 1865 (after the Civil War), beef was in great demand in the Northern cities. It was worth $40 in Chicago, but only $5 in Texas.

Joseph McCoy and Abilene:

In 1867, McCoy realised Abilene could be a new transit point for cattle drives as it had 3 advantages:

1. Kansas had relaxed quarantine laws in 1867.2. Grassland covered Kansas to the Indian Territory and there was a trade route

called the Chisholm Trail that cowboys could bring herds North.3. Cattle could be loaded onto railroad trucks (boxcars) to be shipped to Chicago.

McCoy negotiated with the Kansas Pacific Railroad for a depot where 100 railroad cars could be loaded. The Chisholm Trail was marked through Indian Territory.

Abilene expanded rapidly through marketing and McCoy became rich.

The Goodnight-Loving Trail:

Established in 1866 by Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving – they realised the opportunity of settling cattle directly to the West.

In 1866, they drove 2,000 cattle through hostile Comanche Indian territory. In 1867, Loving was injured in a Comanche attack and died. While Goodnight

continued to drive cattle north to the booming mining towns of Colorado. In 1876, Goodnight was successful - his ranch in Texas expanded to 1 million

acres.

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Other cattle drives started to use the trail to Wyoming too. As a result, Wyoming began to develop its own cattle industry.

John Iliff and ranching on the Plains

Denver City’s population grew due to the Gold Rush - Iliff used this opportunity to sell beef and fatten his herds on the grass from the Plains.

In 1866, Iliff brought land for an open ranch. By 1870, he had 26,000 cattle. He became Denver’s first millionaire by selling beef to mining towns, the teams

building the Pacific Railroad and government for reservations.

Cattle barons:

The 1870s, saw a “beef bonanza” in the West: costs were low (free grass, almost free land and cheap transportations) while profits were high.

As a result - a few men, backed by investors, dominated the industry. Cattle barons ruled local politics and defended their interest fiercely.

Rivalry between Ranchers and Homesteaders:

The Homestead Act (1862) allowed people to claim up to 160 acres of public land.

When this spread to ranching country, it threatened ranchers who would:o File claims under the Homestead Act themselves that contained

waterholes and springs to make the rest of the land unattractiveo Ranch-hands and family members claimed parcels of land and then hand

these rights over to the ranch ownero Rich ranchers took homesteaders to court over claims, knowing most did

not have the money to pay lawyerso Some ranchers threatened homesteaders with violence, damage to their

crops, and accused them of stealing cows

Changes in the way of life for Plains Indians:

Impact of the railroads:

Fort Laramie Treaty (1851) meant tribes allowed railroad teams to enter their lands.

However, Indians were unaware of the grants that financed the railroads and the impact on buffalo hunting.

The Pacific Railroad Act extinguished any rights the Indians had to land. Many Indians were moved to reservations and the railroad triggered conflicts

that grew into the Great Sioux War

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The Cattle Industry:

Cattle and buffalo had the same diet: grass. As cattle numbers increased on the Plains, buffalo numbers declined.

In 1860, there were 130,000 cattle in the West (in Kansas and Nebraska) In 1880, there were 4.5 million cattle: half in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and

Dakota. Many Plain Indians became cowboys when it became to hard to find buffalo and

moved away from their traditional lifestyles. This meant they worked for money and depended on ranchers for jobs.

Gold Prospecting:

In California, gold prospectors had murdered American Indians as well as forcibly removing tribes to get them away from possible claims to gold.

The migration of men from all over the world brought new diseases that devastated the Indian population.

New towns developed, with churches, schools and stores, which were alien to American Indian culture.

In 1862, gold was discovered in Montana Territory, thousands travelled the Bozeman Trail (through the Lakota Sioux’s hunting ground), which was against the terms of the Fort Laramie Treaty.

US government policy towards Plain Indians:

US government moved Indians onto reservations with agreements that:o Indians will lose no more lando They will be protected from attacks by whiteso Be given yearly payments (money and food, livestock, clothing etc)

Impact of reservations:o Government believed reservations would benefit the Plain Indianso They could learn farming, Christianity and white American values.o However, there were major problems:

Showed no understanding of Indian culture Challenges of farming were even worse for Indians than white settler

because the land was poor The Bureau of Indian affairs (managed reservations) were corrupt

and cheated tribes to make themselves richer White settlers were angry at the size of reservations and government

used this as an excuse to reduce their size

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President Grant’s Peace Policy (1868):

In 1868, Grant’s peace policy aimed to calm tensions by improving management of the reservation system. He made three key changes:

o Budget ensure $2 million to ensure Indians were well cared for.o Appointed a new American Indians Commissioner, Ely Parker.o Replaced corrupt agents with religious men (Quakers) who had a strong

reputation for fairness, justice and peacefulness. Parker pushed for Indians to be treated as “wards” (children who needed

protection). This became law in the Indian Appropriation Act (1871).

Conflict with Plains Indians

Little Crow’s War (1862):

Little Crow was chief of the Dakota Sioux from Minnesota. IN 1851, there were 50,000 Plains Indians and only 6,000 whites.

In 1851, Dakota Sioux bands signed a treaty and agreed to move to two reservations – they gave up 24 million acres for $1.4 million with a yearly payment of $80,000.

Problems with the treaty:o Reservations could not provide enough food for the tribeo The agency and local traders cheated the Dakota Sioux – they would

delay annual payments, starving the Sioux.o Settlers began to take pieces of reservation land.

By 1862, crops had failed and late payments meant the Indians had no money for food. Little Crow decided to take back what was theirs.

600 settlers and US soldiers were killed. After this, 400 Dakota Sioux warriors were sentenced to death without evidence of guilt.

The Sandy Creek Massacre (1864):

The Fort Laramie Treaty (1851) guaranteed the Cheyenne and Arapaho large amounts of land.

However, when gold was discovered in Colorado in 1858, prospectors began cutting across their land which scared away the buffalo.

Treaty of Fort Wise (1861) meant Arapaho and Cheyenne chiefs agreed to move onto reservations. Many young warriors rejected this.

Black Kettle (Cheyenne chief) moved to Sandy Creek reservation believing the government would protect him.

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29th November 1864 – Colonel Chivington attacked Black Kettle’s camp and killed over 130 men, women and children.

The massacred showed white Americans were untrustworthy. Tribes attacked forts, killing many white settlers across Colorado Territory.

After Civil War, in 1867 a new treaty was made and the tribes were allowed to hunt buffalo in their old hunting grounds.

Red Cloud’s War (1866-68):

Red Cloud believed his way of life was under threat from whites. By 1865, 2,000 travelled the Bozeman Trail breaking the Fort Laramie Treaty (1851).

Red Cloud realised the government was going to enforce forts along the Bozeman Trail without their consent. He chose to fight against this.

The war involved around 3,000 Plains Indians and 700 US soldiers. Dec 1868, the Lakota Sioux used tactics of sending scouts to be spotted by US

cavalry and then lead them into an ambush (Fetterman’s Trap).

The second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868):

As a result, the US government agree to close the Bozeman Trail. Red Cloud agreed to take his people to reservations in Dakota. They treaty

agreed that the Great Sioux Reservation was to be exclusive. Not all those who had fought with Red Cloud agreed with the treaty. Including

Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse who refused to sign it.

3. Conflict and Conquest, c1876-c1895:

Changes to the Cattle Industry:

Through the 1870s, open ranges became overpopulated resulting in cattle becoming weak due to hunger. Problems included:o Fall in demand – beef was plentiful that shops lowered priceso Conditions of ranches – grass never had time to grow backo ‘Great Die Up’ – winter of 1886-87 was harsh, around 15% of open range

herds died. This left cattlemen bankrupto These conditions put an end to ranching on open ranges.

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Benefits of smaller closed ranches:

Smaller herds were easier to guard - cattle rustling was less of a problem Fewer cattle meant ranchers had more time/money to care for herds Barbed wire ensured ranchers could control breeding which prevented

overpopulation and better quality of meat

Impact of the end of the open range:

Disastrous winter of 1886-87 was called the “Great Die Up” because of the large numbers of cattle that died.

End of the open range meant less demand for cowboys, any who stayed in the industry worked as cattle ranchers (mending fences, looking after herds, inspecting the grass and harvesting hay to feed the cattle).

Exoduster movement (1879):

In 1865 (after the Civil War), 4 million slaves were freed across the USA. The Homestead Act gave freed black slaves an opportunity to start a new life –

these settlers were known as Exodusters. By 1879, 40,000 ex-slaves migrated to Kansas, Missouri, Indiana and Illinois.

Significance of the Exoduster movement:

By 1880, there were 43,107 black Americans in Kansas. Exodusters travelled through different areas and contracted yellow fever. Southerners were outraged the government were giving funding to black slaves.

The Oklahoma Land Rush (1893):

White settlers tried to move into the middle of Indian Territory as it had not been given to any tribe. The US Army continually moved them off.

Land that wasn’t reservations or Indians Territories was sold to whites In 1889, the US government opened up the middle sections of Indian Territory

for white settlement and the area was open for claims. The largest land rush in 1893, when 8 million acres were open for claims.

Conflict and tension:

Continued problems of law and order:

It was hard for law enforcers to keep peace in towns, as populations were high. Settlers elected sheriffs and lawmen but the justice system was influenced by:

o Poverty – most struggled to make a living

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o Geography – territories to large for sheriffs to controlo Vigilantes - people took law into their own handso Problematic lawmen – shortage of men willing to be sheriffso Weak justice system – governs and lawmen were often corrupto Conflict over resources – there was often fighting over land and resources

The importance of Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral (1881):

In cow towns, crime rates were high due to the large amount of drinking, gambling and prostitution carried out by cowboys

Rich businessmen did not like this behaviour and wanted sheriffs and marshals in the towns.

The Johnson County War (1892):

Causes of the Johnson County War:Tensions in Wyoming: Killing of Ella Watson and Jim Averill:In 1870 there were only 9,000 US citizens in the Wyoming Territory and almost all of the land was owned by the government. When railroads were built in the 1860s, huge cattle ranches developed. Rich ranchers moved to the area respectable cattlemen were appointed in government positions. However, the winter of 1886-87 cause huge losses to the industry and people questioned the power of big ranches.

Ella Watson and Jim Averill farmed a homestead of 670 acres in the middle of an opened range owned by Albert Bothwell. Although Watson and Averill had a legal claim to the land, Bothwell wanted them gone. Despites flared and Averill wrote an article in the local newspaper de-nouncing Bothwell and large ranches. In 1889, Watson bought a small herd of cattle to farm on their homestead. Bothwell and his workers accused her of

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Smaller ranches did better during the winter but many big ranchers claimed they stole their cattle. Cattle rustling had often been a problem, but now big ranches were struggling to survive. Big ranches set up the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) to ban small ranchers accused of rustling. The problem was that juries made up of small ranchers and homesteaders disliked the big ranches as they claimed so much land, so small rancher never got punished for rustling.

stealing from their open range; they seized Watson and Averill and hanged them. Afterwards Bothwell took their land and their cattle for himself. Soon other big ranchers fol-lowed Bothwell’s actions, leaving three smaller ranch owners dead. The homesteaders and small ranchers created their own association in 1892. one of their main policies was an early round-up of cattle before the WSGA’s, meaning they could claim all unbranded new calves.

Billy the Kid:

In 1878, he became involved in conflict between cattle baron, John Chisum and settlers/ranchers. This was part of Lincoln County War.

Billy swore to kill everyone who murdered his gang members and he gained public support.

Pat Garret was appointed to end the conflict – he tracked Billy down and arrested him. He was sentenced to death for his crimes.

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The invasion of Johnson County:The WSGA organised an invasion of Johnson County to kill 70 men who they believed were carrying out and encouraging rustling of their cattle. They raised funds of $100,000 to pay for hired guns to do the killing for them and to cover any legal fees for their actions. All of this was made with full knowledge of Wyoming’s governor. On their way to Johnson County the ‘Invaders’, as the WSGA were known, went off plan to go to a ranch were two of the men on their hit list were. A gun fight broke out and word soon reached Johnson County’s sheriff. The sheriff quickly raised an army of 40 men. Outranged citizens joined to protect their homes and families. The invasion was a failure when the invaders had to hide at the TA ranch, surrounded by 300 angry Johnson County residents, until the US army came to save them.

The trail of the Invaders:After the events of the war, Johnson County wanted justice for those killed. However the court case failed. This is because: 1) The invaders had powerful friends, including a state governor, a judge, US marshal and two US senators who supported the WSGA.

2) The governor requested troops be sent to the TA ranch to stop further bloodshed. The troops then moved the invaders away from Johnson County.

3) They were sent to Fort Fetterman so they were protected from vigilantes who wanted to lynch them.

4) The WSGA hired the best Chicago lawyers to defend the Invaders.

5) The lawyers convinced the judge a fair trial was impossible in Johnson County so the trial was moved to Cheyenne where the jury would be made up of rich men instead of small ranchers and homesteaders.

6) Knowing Johnson County was short of money the lawyers extended the trail as long as possible until the County ran out of money and they had to drop the case. None of the invaders were punished.

Significance: The Johnson County wars highlight the public support of vigilantes in the West. Many saw the actions of the rich cattlemen and justice for homesteaders stealing their cattle. The wars highlight the West’s support for vigilante justice as central to the frontiers solutions to lawlessness. However there was a positive of the war. After this event

Why is Billy the Kid important? Although Billy the Kid was a notorious thief and a murderer, he was seen by many as an exciting, reckless, romantic figure. Newspapers and novels told stories of him which excited people in the West. Billy the Kid is significant to law and order in the West because:

1) Powerless people, such as the poor, ethnic minorities, small ranchers and homesteaders, liked the way he

Conflict with Plains Indians:

The Battle of Little Big Horn (June 1876):

In 1874, the North Pacific Railroad was approaching Sioux hunting grounds. The US army were sent to protect those building railroads.

However, Custer (US commander) used it to prospect for gold in the Black Hills. Within months, thousands of settlers had followed Custer.

The Sioux tribes were outraged, especially as it broke the second Fort Laramie Treaty (1869). This tension caused many consequences:1. US government offered to buy the Black Hills from Sioux for $6 million. This

went against the Indians belief about owning land.2. Believing the government had betrayed them they left reservations and joined

Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. 3. Dec 1875 – government ordered the Sioux to

return to their reservations.4. Deep snow in the winter meant it was

impossible for Indians to return to reservations.

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Why is Billy the Kid important? Although Billy the Kid was a notorious thief and a murderer, he was seen by many as an exciting, reckless, romantic figure. Newspapers and novels told stories of him which excited people in the West. Billy the Kid is significant to law and order in the West because:

1) Powerless people, such as the poor, ethnic minorities, small ranchers and homesteaders, liked the way he

From the 1830s to 1870s, different Plains Indians tribes had agreed treaties with the US government to protect their lifestyle. Yet they continually witnessed these treaties fail. The figure to the right summaries key events and consequences of conflicts between the Plains Indians and the white settlers. However tension came to a tipping point over conflict over the Black Hill, sacred Indian land.

Impacts of the battle:Until Little Bighorn, public opinion had been that the Plains Indians were weak savages, now they were seen as a real threat to white Americans. There was enormous pressure on the government to crush Plains Indians resistance after 1876. government policies now move towards destroying Plains Indians way of life. Plains Indians must be kept on reservations– the US army relentless

The Battle:The US army planned to force the Sioux tribes back onto reservations. In June 1876, Custer reached the Indian camp that had 2,000 warriors and Custer army only had 600 men. Custer decided to spilt his men into two groups so they could surround the Indian camp and attack from both sides. 125 men were sent under the control of Major Reno, whilst Custer took the rest to the north of the Indian camp. However Custer’s plan

Destruction of the Indian way of life

Hunting and extermination of the buffalo:

The US government encouraged slaughtering the buffalo. By 1883, the once-vast herd of buffalo had gone.

In the North - Great Sioux reservations protected the northern herds until 1876.o In 1876, the Pacific Railroads reached Sioux land and extermination was

encouraged.o In the South - extermination was encouraged to control the Plains and

increase white settlemento During 1872-74, buffalo hunters killed around 4.5 million compared to the 1

million killed by Plains Indians for food. Economic reasons:o By 1870, buffalo had been hunted for warm clothing and leather for industrial

machineso Price of buffalo hide was $1-$3 - it was easy to make money. o Buffalo hunting opened the Plains for cattle farming and settlers

Government policy: o Plains Indians refused to use reservations while buffalo hunting was available.o Lack of buffalo meant hunting lands for Indians were taken away.o Without buffalo to hunt, Indians were more likely to accept white American’s

way of life.

Plains Indians’ life on reservations:

US government forced Plains Indians onto reservations.

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Impacts of the battle:Until Little Bighorn, public opinion had been that the Plains Indians were weak savages, now they were seen as a real threat to white Americans. There was enormous pressure on the government to crush Plains Indians resistance after 1876. government policies now move towards destroying Plains Indians way of life. Plains Indians must be kept on reservations– the US army relentless

The Battle:The US army planned to force the Sioux tribes back onto reservations. In June 1876, Custer reached the Indian camp that had 2,000 warriors and Custer army only had 600 men. Custer decided to spilt his men into two groups so they could surround the Indian camp and attack from both sides. 125 men were sent under the control of Major Reno, whilst Custer took the rest to the north of the Indian camp. However Custer’s plan

By 1880s, white opinion agreed that allowing Indians to keep large reservations meant they tried to keep their own way of life.

As a result, reservation life began to phase out and Indians were forced to follow American way of life.

Changing attitudes to Plains Indians:

On reservations, Indians still lived as tribes, shared food and money instead of competing against each other like white Americans did.

However, some saw the treatment of Plains Indians as unchristian and wanted change – government policy changed towards Natives too.

The Dawes Act (1887):

Allowed each Plains Indian family 160 acres of reservations land, single Indians were allowed 80 acres and orphans under 18 recieved 40 acres.

Most Indians took this offer and reservation land was sold to white settlers. The only condition was that Plains Indians lived in houses, farmed and adopted

American lifestyle. Many found this difficult and went back to reservations. Significance - freed up reservations land, encouraged Plain Indians to become

American citizens and reduced the amount federal government spending.

The Wounded Knee Massacre (1890):

By 1880s, the Plains Indians were in despair. However, Wovoka (Indian chief) claimed to have a vision that Indians should reject reservations.

President Harrison ordered the US army to go onto reservations and Sitting Bull was killed when they tried to arrest him.

Sitting Bull’s followers fled to Wounded Knee Creek – in confusion, a shot was fired and the US army open fired.

250 Sioux Indians were killed. This was the last clash between Sioux Indians and the US army.

Many whites saw the massacre as revenge for the Battle of Little Big Horn – most were relieved that resistance had been stopped.

Model answers:Q1: Describe two consequences of the introduction of barbed wire in the West, 1874 [8 marks]:

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Provides supporting detail (homesteaders conflict with ranchers that is directly related to the consequence

Identified the consequence of conflict

A consequence of homesteaders’ use of barbed wire was that it caused problems for the cattle industry. Homesteaders’ claims usually included a water

Example exam questions:

Explain two consequences of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851.Explain two consequences of the Homestead Act (1862).Explain two consequences of the Pacific Railroad Act (1862).Explain two consequences of lawlessness in mining towns.Explain two consequences of the winter of 1886-87 for the cattle industry.Explain two consequences of the Battle of Little Big Horn.

Q2: Write a narrative account analysing the key evets un the years 1851-66 that led to the beginning of Red Cloud’s War [8 marks]:

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A consequence of homesteaders’ use of barbed wire was that it caused problems for the cattle industry. Homesteaders’ claims usually included a water

Link made between the

Accurate and relevant evidence used to explain the first eventExplain why

this led to the beginning of Red Cloud’s War.

First event set out clearly The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 was agreed between the

Sioux (and other tribes) and the US government. In return for the Plains Indians guaranteeing safe passage for whites travelling along existing trails, the US government agreed which lands belonged to the Plains Indians ‘forever’, and promised to protect these lands from any trespassing. However, when gold was discovered in Montana in 1862, whites rushed to the new gold fields. In 1863, the Bozeman

Write a narrative account analysing............ (8 marks):

Write a narrative account analysing the ways in which the cattle industry grew in the years 1865-74).Write a narrative account analysing the effects of the Goodnight-Loving Trail on the movement west.Write a narrative account analysing Red Cloud’s War (1866-68) in relation to the tension between Natives and settlers.

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Link made between the

The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 was agreed between the Sioux (and other tribes) and the US government. In return for the Plains Indians guaranteeing safe passage for whites travelling along existing trails, the US government agreed which lands belonged to the Plains Indians ‘forever’, and promised to protect these lands from any trespassing. However, when gold was discovered in Montana in 1862, whites rushed to the new gold fields. In 1863, the Bozeman

Write a narrative account analysing the problems between the Homesteaders and Ranchers in relation to sheep farming.Write a narrative account analysing the Donner Party’s journey west. Write a narrative account analysing the Mormon migration of 1846-47.Write a narrative account analysing the Johnson County War.

Explain the importance of two of the following…………… (16 marks):

The importance of the opening of the First Transcontinental Railroad (1869) for the settlement of the West.The importance of the winter of 1886-87 for the cattle industry.The importance of the Dawes Act (1887) for the way of life of the Plains Indians. The importance of President Grant’s Peace Policy in improving relationships between the natives and the settlers.The importance of new technology in the development of farming on the Plains. The importance of the Oklahoma Land Rush (1893) for settlement in the West.The importance of the Battle of Little Big Horn for government attitudes towards the Plains Indians.The importance of Wyatt Earp in cow towns to control lawlessness.The importance of the buffalo in the survival of the Plains Indians.The importance of the California Gold rush in encouraging migration West.

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