Westward Expansion: Moving West

Reasons why people moved west after the Civil War In the East, farmland was expensive Poor people could not buy their own land Sharecropping was how many poor whites and ex-slaves had to farm The West (or frontier) was “wide open” – especially the Great Plains where “only” some Indians lived Gold and silver was discovered – drawing people who wanted to get rich quick

Wild Frontier- The Great Plains

More Reasons for Moving West Mountain Men and Trappers had been moving west since Colonial times for animals Still chance to make money – animals were still abundant and their parts could be used to sell Millions of buffalo lived on the Great Plains – easy to kill and hides (skins) worth money back east Sense of adventure and freedom Chance to start a new life – outlaws or people in debt Manifest Destiny- Fate of America to expand West to the Pacific Ocean

Gold and Silver Strikes The CA Gold Rush began in 1849, attracting thousands of gold hunters known as forty-niners.

Major "Strikes" in the California Gold Rush In 1852, the take for the year was $80 million ($1.9 billion in 2005 dollars). Sutter's Mill/Coloma - Jan. 24, 1848 James Marshall kicked off the California gold rush when he spotted some pea-sized bits of gold in a mill raceway. The news brought thousands of prospectors to the area, but neither Marshall nor his employer John Sutter prospered from the find.

Gold and silver mines were discovered throughout the West. Thousands of miners from the U.S., Europe, Mexico, and China flocked to the West to work in the mines. White and Chinese miners hoping to strike it rich during the California Gold Rush at Auburn Ravine in 1852.

The Transcontinental Railroad · Railroad companies raced to lay railroad tracks to the mines in order to supply the miners. There were not many railroad tracks out West.

Union Pacific Railroad Central Pacific Railroad Promontory Point, Utah Omaha, Nebraska . . Union Pacific Railroad x Central Pacific Railroad J j Sacramento, California · In 1863, two companies, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific, began building the first transcontinental railroad.

Immigrant Workers · Labor was scarce due to the hard, dangerous work and low pay. Union Pacific - hired many Irish immigrants Central Pacific - approximately 90% of their workforce were Chinese immigrants · Therefore, immigrant labor was used.

Chinese railroad workers perform their duties in the snow. · The workers endured scorching deserts, blinding snowstorms, and dangers from explosives to blast through mountains. Chinese railroad workers perform their duties in the snow.

Transcontinental Railroad On May 10, 1869, a golden spike was hammered into a track joining the two tracks in Promontory Point, UT completing the transcontinental railroad! The railroads cut travel time west from six months to six days!