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Competitors for the West and Competitors for the West and Environmental Impacts of Environmental Impacts of

Western Settlement Western Settlement

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Homestead Act of 1862 Homestead Act of 1862 Allowed anyone to file for a Allowed anyone to file for a

quarter-section of free land. quarter-section of free land. Full ownership occurred at Full ownership occurred at

the end of five years if you the end of five years if you had built a house on it, dug had built a house on it, dug a well, broken 10 acres, a well, broken 10 acres, fenced a specified amount, fenced a specified amount, and actually lived there. and actually lived there.

New arrivals to the U.S. and New arrivals to the U.S. and landless citizens were landless citizens were obvious candidates for the obvious candidates for the homestead landshomestead lands

Homesteaders were more Homesteaders were more likely to be the children of likely to be the children of established farmers seeking established farmers seeking a place of their own. a place of their own.

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Building a Sod House Building a Sod House

House Sod was the logical answer to housing for the pioneers who had no trees or stones in sight.

Sod was cheap, easily accessible, and provided excellent insulation.

Because wood was sparse and coal was expensive, early pioneers used buffalo “chips” for fuel.

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Sod Houses Sod Houses

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Sod Houses Sod Houses

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Sod Houses Sod Houses

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Sod Houses Sod Houses

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Gold and Silver Production Gold and Silver Production

One of the factors that led to western One of the factors that led to western expansion of the United States was the expansion of the United States was the mining industry. mining industry.

Individual prospectors found many of the Individual prospectors found many of the West’s richest gold and silver deposits.West’s richest gold and silver deposits.

The majority of the gold and silver The majority of the gold and silver produced was mined by corporations.produced was mined by corporations.

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10

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Life at a Gold Mining Camp Life at a Gold Mining Camp Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clapp Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clapp

wrote about life in a Gold Mining wrote about life in a Gold Mining Camp.Camp.

Her letters were later published in a Her letters were later published in a magazine.magazine.

““Imagine a tiny valley about eight Imagine a tiny valley about eight hundred yards in length, and perhaps hundred yards in length, and perhaps thirty in width, apparently hemmed in thirty in width, apparently hemmed in by lofty hills, almost perpendicular, by lofty hills, almost perpendicular, draperied to their very summits with draperied to their very summits with beautiful fir-trees…” beautiful fir-trees…”

““Through the middle of Rich Bar runs Through the middle of Rich Bar runs the street, thickly planted with about the street, thickly planted with about forty tenements, among which figure forty tenements, among which figure round tents, square tents, plank round tents, square tents, plank hovels, log cabins, etc., the residences hovels, log cabins, etc., the residences varying in elegance and convenience varying in elegance and convenience from the palatial splendor of “The from the palatial splendor of “The Empire” down to a “local habitation” Empire” down to a “local habitation” formed of pine boughs and covered formed of pine boughs and covered with old calico shirts.” with old calico shirts.”

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Life on the Range Life on the Range The life of a cowboy on the Great The life of a cowboy on the Great

Plains in the 1800s was Plains in the 1800s was challenging. challenging.

Working in all types of weather Working in all types of weather conditions, searching for lost conditions, searching for lost cattle, mending fences, and cattle, mending fences, and eating the same food day after eating the same food day after day was common place for these day was common place for these men. men.

The work was hard and The work was hard and dangerous; pay averaged from dangerous; pay averaged from $25 to $40 a month. $25 to $40 a month.

George Martin reminisced with an George Martin reminisced with an interviewer from the Federal interviewer from the Federal Writers Project in the 1930s. Writers Project in the 1930s.

Martin recalled the tough work, Martin recalled the tough work, difficult conditions, and long days difficult conditions, and long days required of ranch hands in Texas.required of ranch hands in Texas.

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Capturing the American Cowboy Capturing the American Cowboy Experience Experience

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, the Thomas A. Edison, Inc. recorded the In the late 1890s and early 1900s, the Thomas A. Edison, Inc. recorded the life of the American Cowboy by using the recently invented motion picture life of the American Cowboy by using the recently invented motion picture camera. camera.

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A System of Modern Geography A System of Modern Geography

The status of Native Americans has changed The status of Native Americans has changed several times throughout the history of the United several times throughout the history of the United States. States.

National leaders stated that Native Americans National leaders stated that Native Americans owned the soil they occupied. owned the soil they occupied.

In the 1830s the United States government In the 1830s the United States government implemented a policy of removal. implemented a policy of removal.

The President of the United States was given the The President of the United States was given the authority to move Native Americans onto land west authority to move Native Americans onto land west of the Mississippi River. of the Mississippi River.

Eventually most Native Americans tribes would be Eventually most Native Americans tribes would be required to settle on reservations.required to settle on reservations.

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Native Lands 1816-1905 Native Lands 1816-1905

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Cattle Trails and Early Cattle Trails and Early Transcontinental Railroads Transcontinental Railroads

Ranchers in southern Ranchers in southern Texas met the East Texas met the East Coast’s demand for meat. Coast’s demand for meat.

In order for the demand In order for the demand to be met, ranchers would to be met, ranchers would have to drive their cattle have to drive their cattle north to towns such as north to towns such as Dodge City, Abilene and Dodge City, Abilene and Ogallala. Ogallala.

At these railheads, the At these railheads, the cattle would be loaded for cattle would be loaded for the journey east of the the journey east of the Mississippi River.Mississippi River.

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Media CitationsMedia Citations

Slide 2: Slide 2: http://www.nps.gov/home/Homesteading%20Map.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/home/Homesteading%20Map.htm Slide 3: Slide 3: http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0600/frameset.htmlhttp://www.nebraskastudies.org/0600/frameset.html Slide 4-7: Slide 4-7:

http://rs6.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ngp:@FILREQ(@fielhttp://rs6.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ngp:@FILREQ(@field(SUBJ+@BAND(sod+houses))+@FIELD(COLLID+ndfa)) d(SUBJ+@BAND(sod+houses))+@FIELD(COLLID+ndfa))

Slide 9-10: Historical Statistics of the United StatesSlide 9-10: Historical Statistics of the United States Slide 11: http://www.eurekagoldpanning.com/images/1898-Slide 11: http://www.eurekagoldpanning.com/images/1898-

Photo.jpgPhoto.jpg Slide 12: Slide 12:

http://www.old-picture.com/old-west/pictures/Cowboy.jpghttp://www.old-picture.com/old-west/pictures/Cowboy.jpg Slide 13: http://www.forttours.com/images/hoppy.jpgSlide 13: http://www.forttours.com/images/hoppy.jpg Slide 15: Slide 15:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jalanne/Maps/Indiahttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jalanne/Maps/Indian_Lands_1816_1905.jpgn_Lands_1816_1905.jpg

Slide 16: Slide 16: http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/31/32716/figurehttp://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/31/32716/figures/DIVI350.jpgs/DIVI350.jpg