An Expanding Nation:The American West

Unit 2

A. The Big Boom: Mining & Railroads

1. Discovery of Gold & SilverA) Led to an increase of prospectors and mining

“Boomtowns”- towns that were created near mining sites

Ex: The silver ComstockLode inNevada

A.The Big Boom: Mining and Railroads

2. Growth of RailroadsA) Better transportation was needed to ship

supplies/people West and metals Eastward to market

1) Subsidies: Money and/or materials given by the government to support a project that benefits the public

B) Transcontinental Railroad - 18691) Meeting of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific

Railroad at Promontory Point, Utah “The Golden Spike”

A.The Big Boom: Mining & Railroads

3. Impact of the RailroadsA) Economic

Increased demand for coal & steelEasier for people to move to the West for work

Growth of Western citiesReduced the cost of shipping

B) Time Zones for safety

B. Ranching and Farming

1. Ranching & The “Cattle Kingdom”A) More railroads and large natural resource of

cattle spurred the ranching and cattle business

B) The “Long Drive” - trips of hundreds of miles to lead cattle to railroad hubs

1) Led by:A) CowhandsB) Vaqueros - cowhands of Hispanic origin

B. Ranching and Farming

2. Farming on the Great PlainsA) The Homestead Act - 1862

1) Gave up to 165 acres of land to any family that paid $10 and agreed to live there for 5 years

2) Promise of cheap land increased migration of farmers to the Great Plains

C. Conflict with Native Americans

1. Traditional Native American lifeA) Tribes on the Great Plains were nomadic

Moved often to follow herds of buffalo

C. Conflict with Native Americans

2. Causes of conflict on the Great PlainsA) Loss of buffalo populationB) Destruction of Native American culture

Attempt to force Plains tribes onto reservations by force

1) Reservation: area of land set aside for use by a group

A) Government corruption and lack of respect for the rights of Native Americans was prevalent among the officials in charge of Bureau of Indian Affairs

1) Led to harsh living conditions

C. Conflict with Native Americans

3. Conflict on the PlainsA) Main Native American leaders:

1) Sitting Bull (Symbolic) and Crazy Horse (Warrior)

B) Main U.S. Leaders1) General Sheridan and General Custer

C) Main area of confrontation: Dakota TerritoriesRumors of gold in the Black Hills (sacred tribal grounds)

C. Conflict with Native Americans

4. Major Conflicts on the PlainsA) Battle of Little Bighorn - “Custer’s Last

Stand”Native American forces led by Crazy Horse

B) Wounded Knee After an attempt to arrest Sitting Bull that led to his

deathTension between army and Sioux “Ghost Dancers”

200 Sioux killed including women and children20 soldiers killed Final conflict on the Great Plains

C. Conflict with Native Americans

5. Other Native American leadersA) Chief Joseph - Nez Perce tribe

Pacific NorthwestLed his tribe on the “Long March” of over 1,000 miles in

an attempt to reach Canada before being surrounded and surrendering

B) Chief Geronimo - Apache tribeSouthwest

C. Conflict with Native Americans

6. The Dawes Act - 1887A) Passed by Congress to break up reservation

and tribal cultureWanted Native Americans to transition to life based on

private property Did not result in much success and reservation life has

continued to be a topic of disagreement through the present day

Do Now:

A. Sitting Bull B. Custer C. Geronimo

D. Chief Joseph E. Crazy Horse

1) Led the victory at Little Bighorn2) Defeated at Little Bighorn3) Led the Apache Tribe4) Led the Nez Perce Tribe5) Symbolic leader of the Sioux Tribe

D. The Rise of Populism

1. Farmers Financial ProblemsA) The Homestead Act set land prices below fair

market price in an attempt to encourage Western settlement

1) Too much supply of farming was the result and prices for farm products were therefore low, even though costs involved with farming (supplies, transportation) were high

D. The Rise of Populism

2. The National GrangeA) Network of farmers’ groups that formed

cooperatives1) Cooperatives: a business owned by and operated for the

entire group

3. Farmers’ AlliancesA) Political organization that focused on

government intervention to help farmers

D. The Rise of Populism

4. The Populist PartyA) Party Platform (beliefs):

Government ownership of railroadsReplace the gold standard with “free silver”

Would lead to inflation - an increase in pricesShorter hours for workersNational income taxDirect election of United States Senators

Many reforms favored by Populist would later happen due to the Progressive movement

Understanding Inflation

Inflation: Increase in prices over a period of time

Caused by too much money being put into circulation

Value of money is decreasedPurchasing Power: How much you can

buy for “x” amount of dollars - goes down during inflation

D. The Rise of Populism

B) 1896 Election - Highpoint of Populist PartyPopulist and Democratic Party co-nominated Populist

William Jennings Bryan