Moving West SSUSH11
Railroads The invention of railroads created new possibilities for the Western US. 1862 Congress ordered the Transcontinental Railroad to be built Irish and Chinese immigrants brought in to build it Union Pacific and Central Pacific companies joined tracks in Utah with a gold spike in 1869
Moving West Lots of people could move west easier because of the Railroad. Large numbers of buffalo killed when building the railroad and for their hide Plaines Indians could not survive- forced onto reservations
Indian Resistance Many Indian tribes resisted reservations Cheyenne, Nez Perce, and Sioux rose up and battled with US army- eventually lost in 1877- sent to reservation in S. Dakota
Battle of Wounded Knee Sioux people created “ghost dance” hoping to bring back the buffalo US army though Chief Sitting Bull was using the dance to start an uprising US killed Sitting Bull and chased the Sioux to Wounded Knee creek Killed over 150 old men, women and child (unarmed)