Unit 1, C 13: Changes on the Western Frontier Common Final Terms Common Essay

(Cultures Clash on the Prairie 13.1) The Culture of the Plains Indians – The Horse and Buffalo: Spanish brought horses, which N.A. acquired (guns too) allowing them to hunt farther and more efficiently. Buffalo were used to make teepee’s, clothing, shoes, blankets, etc. Wars over hunting territory not uncommon. – Family Life: lived in small extended family groups with ties to other bands speaking the same language. Men - hunted/fought, Women – butcher game/prepare hides. Belief – powerful spirits control events: Shamans or medicine men/women. Land not owned but for all to use. Settlers Push Westward: wanting to own and “improve” the land. – Lure of Silver and Gold: discovery of gold in Colorado 1858 drew thousands: Irish, German, Polish, Chinese, and A.A. men. Mining camps/cities formed on Native lands.

(Cultures Clash on the Prairie 13.1) The Government Restricts Native Americans – Massacre at Sand Creek: Cheyenne return to winter resting place peacefully, believing they were protected by Fed. Gov. but Gen. S.R. Curtis of Army telegrams Col. John Chivington “... No peace...” 11/29/1864 attack the Cheyenne and Arapaho killing over 150 mostly women and children. – Death on the Bozeman Trail: Crazy Horse ambushes Cap. William J Fetterman & company, 80 soldiers killed. Skirmishes continue until trail is closed. Treaty of Fort Laramie – Sioux agreed to live on reservation along Missouri River forced in 1868 leader of Hunkpapa Sioux Sitting Bull (Tatanka Iyotanka) never signed it. Bloody Battles Continue – Red River War: Kiowa and Comanche 6-year war. US army herds friendly tribes onto reservations opening fire on all others. – Gold Rush: George A Custer reports Gold in Black hills miners rush in. The Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho (Red Cloud and Spotted Tail) appeal to Gov. officials. – Custer’s Last Stand: June 1876 Sioux surround and kill Custer and all the men of the 7 th Calvery. Later Sioux are beaten and flee to Canada. Sitting Bull forced to surrender to save his people from starvation.

Cultures Clash on the Prairie (13.1) The Government Supports Assimilation – get N.A. to give up beliefs and be part of white culture. – The Dawes Act – broke up reservation: 160 acres to each head of household 80 acres to each unmarried adult Sell rest to settlers profits go back to N.A. to buy farm implements. Result: 2/3 taken by whites no $ from sales ever reached the tribe. – The Destruction of the Buffalo: Whites hunt for sport destroying Plains Indians’ main source of food, clothing, shelter, and fuel million buffalo roamed the plains 1890 fewer than 1000 remained 1900 U.S. sheltered a single herd in Yellowstone National Park

Cultures Clash on the Prairie (13.1) The Battle of Wounded Knee: Poverty, Disease, lead to Ghost Dance Ritual to appeal to spirits for return of their lands. Military leaders arrest Sitting Bull and kill him. 12/28/ th Calvary (Custer’s old Regiment) round up 350 starving freezing Sioux and take them to Wounded Knee Creek in S.D. Disarmed by soldiers, a shot was fired, soldiers killed 300 of them this ends the Indian Wars. Cattle Becomes Big Business – Vaqueros (Spanish/Mexicans) and Cowboys: Cowboys way of life and dress actual came from Vaqueros. Ranchers begin using Cowboys to manage hers of Longhorns as food/product. – Growing Demand for Beef: due to increased sizes of cities. Chicago Union Stockyards open in – The Cow Town: Abilene Kansas – Chisholm Trail from San Antonio Texas, through Oklahoma to Kansas. City met with Railroad, cowboys and ranchers sold Cattle that were transported to Stockyards in big cities.

(Cultures Clash on the Prairie 13.1) A Day in the life of a Cowboy – A Days work: hour days ages – Roundup: gather the herd, sort through looking for ranchers brand, brand new calves, prepare for long drive to Cow Town. – The Long Drive: took 3 month. 1 cowboy to 250/300 cattle. One cook, one wrangler, one Trail boss. – Legends of the West: James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok and Martha Jane Burke (Calamity Jane) The end of the Open Range: over grazed land, weather, and barbed wire lead to the end of the open range.

Settling on the Great Plains (13.2) Settlers move Westward to Farm – Railroads open the West: Expansion of railroads allowed western lands to be settled and developed at a faster rate. – Government Support for Settlement Homestead Act: offering 160 acres of land free to any citizen or intended citizen who was head of the household – 600,000 took advantage of the offer. Exodusters – A.A. who moved from the post-reconstruction south to Kansas to claim land – The closing of the frontier 1872 land was set aside for Yellowstone National Park. By 1880 individuals had bought up most of the land from the government.

Settling on the Great Plains (13.2) Settlers Meet the Challenges of the Plains – Dugouts and Soddies Dugouts were homes built into the sides of ravines or small hills. Soddies were free standing homes made from dirt and sod (grass) – Women’s Work: worked the land, cared for families, spent time with churches and other organizations to build communities. – Technical Support for Farmers: Advances in technology (steel plow, reaping machine, etc.) made farm work speeder. By 1890 more than 900 manufacturers of farm equipment. – Agricultural Education: Morrill Act of 1862 and 1890 – gave federal land to the states to help finance agricultural colleges Hatch Act of 1887 established agricultural experiment stations to inform farmers of new developments – Farmers in Debt: Bonanza Farms – enormous single-crop farms of 15,000 – 50,000 acres. Drought came and most went bankrupt.

Farmers and the Populist Movement (13.3) Farmers Unite to address Common Problems – Economic Distress Greenbacks, paper money, farmers used to take out loans were retired and now they had to pay back loans using Hard Money, that had a higher value. Crop prices dropping also negatively impacted farmers who went further into debt. – Problems with the Railroads Farmers were charged higher rates for shipment/storage of crops via railroad more for a short trip vs. long. – The Farmer’s Alliances Grange founded by Oliver Hudson Kelly educated farmers on setting up cooperatives, how to organize, set up legislation to regulate rail roads. Farmers’Alliances sent speakers to educate farmers on loan interest rates and gov. control on railroads and banks.

Farmers and the Populist Movement (13.3) The Rise and Fall of Populism – the movement of the people. – The populist Party Platform: to lift debt from farmers (et al.) and get a greater voice in government. – The Panic of 1893 Farmers over extended debt lead to collapse of railroads, businesses, and banks leading to a depression – Silver or Gold Bimetallism – a monetary system that would give either gold or silver in exchange for paper currency or checks. Gold standard – backing dollars solely with gold. – William Jennings Bryan (Democrat) and the “Cross of Gold” speech A call for Bimetallism and free coinage of silver. Ran against Republican William McKinley – The end of Populism McKinley wins election and populism collapsed burying the hopes of the farmers.