Conquering the West and Native American Conflict

America After the Civil War: 1870-1900 Industrialization & Urbanization Ranching, Mining, & Farming Reconstruction & Rise of Jim Crow Segregation

The “New South”?

Sharecropping

We won’t discuss much about the South in this unit because, when Reconstruction ended in 1877, few significant economic or political changes took place until the 1940s “Jim Crow” reigned supreme as whites legally segregated the South into 2 distinct societies

America in the Gilded Age: 1870-1900 The North: Experienced a “2nd Industrial Revolution,” mass immigration, & urbanization

Railroads, steel, & oil companies formed America’s first monopolies American industry & urbanization grew

America in the Gilded Age: 1870-1900 The West: Manifest Destiny continued after 1865 as miners homesteaders, & ranchers headed West

Established new states & closed the frontier by 1890 The United States by 1890 Washington North Dakota Montana Idaho Established new states & closed the frontier by 1890 South Dakota Colorado Wyoming

..but this came at the expense of Native Americans Western raw materials fueled eastern factories Crushed Native Americans

Settlement of the West

The Mining Bonanza Mining was the 1st magnet to attract settlers to the West CA (1849) started the gold rush, but strikes in Pikes Peak, CO & Carson River Valley, NV (1859) set off wild migrations to the West: Comstock Lode = $306 million John Mackay’s Big Bonanza made him richest man in world John Mackay earned $25 a minute from his gold/silver lode in Sierra Mountains

Mining Regions of the West Created need for local gov’t, law enforcement, sanitation, businesses, prostitutes Mining Regions of the West ; Discoveries of gold & silver led to overnight mining towns

Mining Regions of the West Individual “placer miners” took little skill or money to start, but could not reach deep lodes Mining Regions of the West ;

Corporations had the expensive machinery (“hydraulic mining techniques”) to extract most of the gold in the West ;

Mining Bonanza "Courts of Justice Closed to Chinese ¼ to ½ of the mining population was foreign born: Latin American miners brought experience & new techniques Chinese brought a tireless ethic Led to hostility & riots: Foreign Miners’ Act in 1852 charged a monthly mining fee Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 suspended Chinese immigration "Courts of Justice Closed to Chinese Extra Taxes to 'Yellowjack'"

The Cattle Bonanza In the 1860s, cattle ranching boomed Ranchers used the “open range” to graze longhorns By 1867, ranchers started using trains to ship cattle to Chicago

The Cattle Bonanza ½ of all cowboys were black & ¼ were Mexican By 1880, the “open range” was ending: Wheat growers, homesteaders, & barbed wire blocked the range Many switched to raising sheep But “range wars” erupted over grazing rights between cowboys & “sheep-boys”

The Farming Bonanza The U.S. gov’t offered incentives for farmers to settle the West: Homestead Act (1862)—gave 160 acres of land if families pledged to live there for 5 years 2/3 of all homesteaders failed to farm their land Other gov’t acts helped develop western lands by planting trees & building irrigation systems Due to land grants, RRs were the largest western landowners 500 million acres doled to businesses but only 80 million to homesteaders

The Farming Bonanza In 1870, homesteaders pushed West & adapted to the harsh farming conditions: Farmers used dry farming techniques & planted tougher varieties of wheat New machinery sped harvesting & planting; led to bonanza farms By 1890, the U.S. became a major crop exporter A pioneer sod house

In 1900, the West made up 30% of the U.S. population (was 1% in 1850) Homestead Sales, 1870-1940 In 1900, the West made up 30% of the U.S. population (was 1% in 1850)

Exodusters Exodusters were black farmers who moved West to escape Southern crop liens & Jim Crow Laws

Exodusters Exodusters were black farmers who moved West to escapeSouthern crop liens & Jim Crow Laws

Rails Across the Continent In 1862, Congress authorized the transcontinental railroad: Union Pacific worked westward from Nebraska (Irish laborers) Central Pacific worked eastward from CA (Chinese immigrants) May 10, 1869 the 2 tracks met at Promontory Point in Utah By 1900, 4 more lines were built to the Pacific 1869 is same year as Suez Canal completion—similar effects; both opened access & tie two worlds together 7

Irish workers made up a large percentage of laborers on the eastern section Chinese workers made up a large percentage of laborers on the western leg 1st transcontinental railroad connected the west coast to eastern cities in 1869

Federal Land Grants to Railroads by 1871 The national gov’t doled $65 million & millions of acres in land grants (received reduced rates for shipping)

The Transcontinental Railroad In 1870, RR companies developed the 1st time zones to better schedule the RR system; the US would not adopt time zones until 1918

“Pullman cars” & “refrigeration cars”

Railroad Construction, 1830-1920

U.S. INDIAN POLICY 1850: approximately 250,000 Indians lived on the great plains 25,000 whites lived west of Mississippi River 60,000,000 bison Reasons for westward expansion: -Manifest Destiny -Gold/resources -Homestead Act -Railroads -Overcrowding in East -Problems in Europe Expansion led to conflict with people who were already there

Originally much more lenient to plains Indians U.S. INDIAN POLICY Originally much more lenient to plains Indians Generally agreed to share land Some reservations, but usually good land Later changed to forced movement Extermination Assimilation

US INDIAN POLICY Take away the food source from the Native American and they will be forced to submit and go to the reservations.

1 hunter = 100 buffalo per day

Dakota Sioux War of 1862 As of 1851, Santee Sioux in Minnesota had agreed to live on Reservation near Minnesota river Relations were generally good 1862, crops were destroyed by insects and government annuities Never came- with winter approaching, Sioux were going to starve August, 1862, Chief Little Crow led his warriors on a rampage- Killing all whites in the area (400 the first day) 800 killed total and 30,000 whites left Minnesota September, 1862- Army reinforcements arrive and put down the Rebellion First real outbreak of violence on plains between whites and Indian

Dakota Sioux War of 1862 Siege of New Ulm

Sand Creek- 1864 1863: Cheyenne in Colorado begin raiding settlements after Government supplies failed to arrive Citizens of Colorado fear for their safety and Governor creates a militia to find these raiding parties John Chivington is selected as leader November, 1864: Chivington attacks Black Kettle’s Cheyenne Village on Sand Creek reservation and kills nearly everyone in it Horrific atrocities are committed but Cheyenne are now contained (for the moment)

Colonel John Chivington “Kill and scalp all, big and little!” Sand Creek, CO Massacre November 29, 1864

Red Cloud’s War- 1866 Gold is discovered in Montana in 1863 and miners began moving into the area Passed through Sioux country to get there and Sioux began to attack them Military brought in to defeat the Lakota, led by Red Cloud and his warriors (one of whom was Crazy Horse) Fetterman massacre After two years of fighting, U.S. conceded victory to the Sioux- noteworthy for 2 reasons: Only WAR ever won by Indians against U.S. Sioux were guaranteed all of Western S.D. in treaty, including Black Hills; also free to roam in unpopulated areas

Gold! Gold discovered in the Black Hills in 1874. Govt. tries to purchase the land, but the Sioux refuse. Gold fever and miners refuse to respect Sioux land….. Conflict erupts!

Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse Sitting Bull (Hunkpapa Sioux) and Crazy Horse (Ogalala Sioux) were two chiefs who refused to sign the treaty. All Indians ordered back onto reservation "One does not sell the earth upon which the people walk" Crazy Horse

Little Big Horn River, Montana - 1876 George Armstrong Custer was sent to force the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho back to their reservations (part of a larger force). He was in command of the 7th Calvary. June 26, 1876

The Battle of Little Big Horn 1876 He was heavily outnumbered and trapped. Custer & all 220 of his men died. “Custer’s Last Stand” outraged Americans and led to govt. retribution. The Sioux and Cheyenne were crushed in the following years. Best and worst thing for N.A.

Painting-Little Bighorn

Memorial-Little Bighorn

Chief Joseph I will fight no more forever! 1877- led 800 Nez Perce over 1700 miles in 3 months trying to escape to Canada; chased by 2000 soldiers; caught 40 miles from border

Geronimo, Apache Chief: Hopeless Cause 1880’s- led series of raids against settlers in Southwest Fought for years before being captured Chiracahua Apache- his surrender in 1886 marked the end of Indian resistance in Southwest

Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 This opened the Indian Territory to the settlers. What used to be Indian Territory out west was opened to Americans once Indians are finally on the reservation. State of Oklahoma would be formed.

Sioux reservation declined over the years…Why? Discovery of gold. Resistance to move to the reservation Battle of Wounded Knee Black Hills

Dawes Act of 1887 U.S. INDIAN POLICY Quicker Americanization Assimilate, mainstreamed and absorbed into US society Adopt Christianity and White education Individual land ownership Abandon tribe, culture and become farmers Male claimed 160 acres of land Children would be sent to Indian schools Farm land for 25 years- then they owned it. 1924 gain citizenship and right to vote Failed policy Indian resistance and corruption

The Ghost Dance Movement -1890 Paiute medicine man Wovoka promised the return of the buffalo and Indian way of life. The religion prophesied the end of the westward expansion of whites and a return of Indian land. The ritual lasted five successive days, being danced each night and on the last night continued until morning. Hypnotic trances and shaking accompanied this ceremony, which was supposed to be repeated every six weeks.

The Ghost Dance Movement -1890 Ghost Dance movement spread to the Sioux They religiously danced even after they were told to stop by reservation authorities. Military went to arrest Sitting Bull, where he was killed. Many Sioux followers left the reservation and joined Bigfoot’s group, who were now on the run

Telegram to Washington, D.C. Nov. 15, 1890 GHOST DANCE Telegram to Washington, D.C. Nov. 15, 1890 "Indians are dancing in the snow and are wild and crazy. I have fully informed you that the employees and the government property at this agency have no protection and are at the mercy of the Ghost Dancers. ... We need protection and we need it now ...nothing [short] of 1000 troops will stop this dancing." Dr. Daniel F. Royer, Agent, Pine Ridge Agency Ghost Dance 4

GHOST SHIRT Indian warriors fighting against the US wore Ghost Shirts which were to stop the penetration of American soldiers bullets……It gave them supernatural powers as was believed……… Ghost Shirt Ghost Shirt

Battle of Wounded Knee – Dec.1890 7th Calvary caught Bigfoot’s people near Wounded Knee, SD They attempted to confiscate all weapons when a shot was fired.

Battle of Wounded Knee – Dec.1890 Violence erupted, 300 Indians and 25 whites lay dead. This is the last of the Indian conflicts. Chief Big Foot

Battle of Wounded Knee – Dec.1890 The dead of Big Foot's people were buried in a mass grave. The still frozen stiff bodies were dumped unceremoniously into the hole. The United States handed out over twenty Congressional Medals of Honor to soldiers of the Seventh Cavalry who had participated in the battle.

A CENTURY OF DISHONOR Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885), activist for Native American rights and author of Century of Dishonor was published in 1881. Jackson also began work on a book condemning the government’s Indian policy and its record of broken treaties. When Jackson sent a copy to every member of Congress with the following admonition printed in red on the cover: "Look upon your hands: they are stained with the blood of your relations."  To her disappointment, the book had little impact.