Miners, Ranchers, & Native Americans Chapter 8 Miners, Ranchers, & Native Americans

Growth of the Mining Industry Mining gold, silver, and copper brought the first wave of settlers to the West. Placer Mining Early prospectors would extract shallow deposits of ore. Quartz Mining After ore near the surface began to dwindle Dug deep beneath the surface.

Growth of the Mining Industry The Big Strike in Nevada The Comstock Lode was a rich deposit of silver A cycle of boomtown to ghost town was repeated throughout the West Vigilance committees were self-appointed volunteers to track down and punish wrongdoers

Other Bonanzas Leadville Deep deposits of lead that contained large amounts of silver created this legendary boomtown Spurred the building of railroads through the Rocky Mountains

Open Range Vast grassland of the Great Plains where ranchers herds could graze free of charge.

Long Drive Cattle taken north to railroad tracks & sold for 10 times more than the price in Texas.

The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American frontier, circa 1887

Turn to page 289, look at the paragraph under the picture/drawing “Cowhands on a Cattle Drive.” Write the question below in your notebook, Why was there a shortage of Cattle in the East and what did they do to fix the meat shortage?

The Texas Longhorn

Ranching and Cattle Drives Ranching Becomes Big Business Barbed Wire At first, ranchers saw it as a threat because it kept their herds from roaming freely. Caused a transition of cowboys to ranch hands. Replaced longhorns with European breeds End of long cattle drives.

Farming the Plains Chapter 8 Section 2 Page 292

Frederick Jackson Turner Historian Frederick Jackson Turner in his "Frontier Thesis" (1893) theorized that the frontier was a process that transformed Europeans into a new people, the Americans, whose values focused on equality, democracy, and optimism, as well as individualism, self-reliance, and even violence. Thus, Turner's Frontier Thesis proclaimed the westward frontier as the defining process of American history.

Geography of the Plains Great Plains Extends from the Mississippi River westward to the Rocky Mountains. Stephen Long One of the first explorers to call the Great Plains the “Great American Desert”

The Wheat Belt Many inventions and new farming methods revolutionized agriculture. Dry Farming Farmers planted seeds deep in the ground where there was enough moisture for them Wheat Belt Productive farm area that began at the eastern edge of the Great Plains Wheat had an advantage on the Great Plains because it could withstand drought better than other crops

The Wheat Belt Commercial Farming New machines allowed a single family to bring in a substantial harvest of wheat Bonanza farms Often brought their owners huge profits Farmers Fall on Hard Times Prolonged drought began in the late 1880’s Some homesteaders gave up and returned back east, but others arrived to take their place

Homestead Act A Homesteader could claim up to 160 acres of land and the title if they lived on it for five years.

Why was the Homestead Act so important? Many moved in hopes of riches, adventure, freedom, or a fresh start.

Many homesteaders were immigrants—right off the boat (from Europe). Many of these settlement tried to hang on to their original cultures.

Closing the Frontier Important information to think about: In 1890, settlement throughout the West was so rapid that there was no longer a frontier line Some were concerned; they believed the frontier created a “safety-valve of social discontent” The idea that Americans could always make a fresh start Fredrick Jackson Turner Believed that the opportunities and challenges of frontier life created a uniquely American lifestyle

Chapter 8 Section 3 Native Americans page 297

Culture of the Great Plains The Sioux and Dakota were nomads: The loss of hunting grounds, forced movement, & broken treaties resulted in a serious toll on Native Americans. Many began to resist.

Nomads Roaming vast distances, following their main source of food—the buffalo.

Cultures Under Pressure The Dakota Sioux Uprising The U.S. government issued annuities, or payments to reservation dwellers. Chief Little Crow. Led a resistance against the settlers because Congress was late with the annuity payments. Lakota Sioux Defend Their Territory Fought hard to defend their hunting grounds Leading the were chiefs Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, and Sitting Bull.

Cultures Under Pressure Sand Creek Trade came to a standstill, dozens of ranches were burned, and over 200 settlers killed The Cheyenne came to Camp Lyon to negotiate Colonel Chivington attacked the Cheyenne at Sand creek 14 soldiers died and 6 to 600 Native Americans A doomed Plan for Peace Indian Peace Commission Created two large reservations on the plains

Chief Little Crow Dakota Sioux

The Black Hills, South Dakota

Chief Sitting Bull Lakota Sioux

The Last Native American Wars The Army encouraged white hunters to kill buffalo to force Native Americans on reservations. Battle of the Little Bighorn: George A. Custer Sitting Bull Tragedy at Wounded Knee: Confrontation occurred because the Lakota chief’s followers continued to perform a ritual Ghost dance.

Native American School Children c. 1900

Assimilate To absorb (immigrants or a culturally separate group) into the prevailing culture.

Dawes Act of 1887 Gave each head of the household 160 acres of reservation land for farming.

Some people believed that relationships would improve if Native Americans began to assimilate. The Dawes Act Attempted to help Native Americans by selling land and building a trust of money for them. 160 acres of land to the head of household. 80 acres to a single adult 40 acres to each dependent child. Assimilation

The Federal Government Forced Native Americans onto land “Reserved” for them, or we know it as Reservations. Here’s a link about life on the reservation, http://www.nrcprograms.org/site/PageServer?pagename=naa_livingconditions

As a Result Native Americans are today among the poorest and least educated groups in American Society.

Two monumental honors were bestowed unto Thorpe in 1950 when he was named "the greatest American football player" and the "greatest overall male athlete" by the Associated Press.