Changes on the Western Frontier Ch. 13

Section 1: Cultures Clash on the Prarie Main Idea: The cattle industry boomed in the late 1800s, as the culture of the Plains Indians declined.

Plains Indians Great Plains

Plains Indians Some had villages, some nomadic By mid-1700s, most tribes left farms to hunt buffalo Used hide for tepees, clothes, shoes, blankets Meat dried into jerky or used for pemmican

Settlers Push Westward Saw plains as unsettled Migrants move west on railroads and wagon trails 1858- gold found in Colorado

Govt and Native Americans 1834- govt said Great Plains was Native reservation 1850s- govt defined boundaries Massacre at Sand Creek The Bozeman Trail Ran through Sioux land

Govt and Native Americans June 1876- Sioux and Cheyenne attack U.S. troops led by Colonel George A. Custer Crazy Horse, Gall, Sitting Bull

Govt and Native Americans Americans supported assimilation 1887- Congress passed Dawes Act Buffalo 1800- 65 million 1890- less than 1000 1900- one herd

Battle of Wounded Knee December 29, 1890 Brought Indian wars to an end

Cattle Becomes Big Business Plains open for settlers Texas longhorns Mexican vaqueros Chaparreras Charqui Bronco caballo Mestenos rancho

Cattle Becomes Big Business After Civil War, higher demand for beef Cowboys 25% Black, 12% Mexican

Section 2: Settling on the Great Plain Main Idea: Settlers on the Great Plains transformed the land despite great hardships.

Settlers Move West to Farm Rapid settlement Federal land policy Transcontinental railroad 1850-1871: 170 million acres of land grants to railroads

Transcontinental Railroad Started in 1860s- Union Pacific & Central Pacific Civil War vets, Irish and Chinese immigrants, Blacks, Mexicans Finished in 1884 Railroad sold land, brought many immigrants to U.S.

Govt Support 1862- Homestead Act Offered 160 acres for free 1862-1900: 600,000 families Exodusters Only 10% of land settled by families Oklahoma Sooners

Closing the Frontier Explorers Henry Washburn & Nathaniel Langford 1872- govt creates Yellowstone National Park 1879- govt forced railroads to give up land 1890- no more frontier

Challenges of the Plains Droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, locust plagues, raids by outlaws/Native Americans Soddies and dugouts Farm machinery

Agricultural Education Morrill Act of 1862 and 1890 Gave federal land to states to help finance agricultural colleges Hatch Act of 1887 Created agricultural experiment stations

Farmers in Debt Expensive machinery Price of crops could change Shipping grain

Section 3: Farmers and the Populist Movement Main Idea: Farmers united to address their economic problems, giving rise to the Populist movement.

Economic Problems Retiring greenbacks increased value of money in circulation Price of crops dropped

Railroads Farmers paid high prices to transport grain Lack of competition Suppliers charged high interest rates

The Farmer’s Alliance 1867- Oliver Hudson Kelley starts Patrons of Husbandry Organization for farmers AKA- the Grange Fought railroads Led to Farmer’s Alliances Included sympathizers Educate farmers on loans, interest, railroads, banks

Populism Needed political power 1892- start Populist Party “People’s Party” ; “movement of the people”

Populism Economic Reforms Increase money supply, graduated income tax, federal loan program Political Reform Popular vote for U.S. senators, single term for POTUS and VP, secret ballots 8 hour work day, restrict immigration Democratic Party eventually adopted many Populist programs

Panic of 1893 Farmers in debt, railroads expanded too fast Feb. 1893- multiple railroad companies go bankrupt Govts gold supply low 15,000 businesses and 500 banks gone 3 million lost jobs 1/5 unemployed

Silver or Gold Bimetallism Gold standard Presidential election of 1896 Populists backed Dem. Candidate- William Jennings Bryan William McKinley wins election- Populism declines