Changes on the Western Frontier Mr. Winchell US History Immigration and Industrialization Unit

Westward Expansion Impacts the Native Americans The culture of the Native Americans on the Plains was very different than that of the white settlers. The Native Americans believed land could not be owned. White settlers thought if you started a business, built a house, or began mining, the land was yours, and that the Native Americans forfeited the land by not doing any of this Gold was discovered in Colorado in 1858, drawing even more settlers towards the middle of the country.

Westward Expansion Impacts the Native Americans Between 1864 and 1866, numerous conflicts between the Native Americans and the settlers caused tension between the two sides. Massacre at Sand Creek, in Colorado, killed 150 Native Americans, mostly women and children. Over 80 American soldiers were killed on the Bozeman trail. In June 1876, General Custer took his forces to fight the Sioux and Cheyenne and were all killed.

Dawes Act In 1887, Congress passed the Dawes Act. Aimed at ‘Americanizing’ the Native Americans. Set aside and gave land to individual Native Americans and encouraged them to farm, settle, and become more American.

Settling on the Great Plains New railroads opened access for settling. The Homestead Act offered 1160 acres of land free to any citizen who was the head of a household. From 1862 to 1900, over 600,000 families took advantage of this offer. Several thousand were African American settlers moving from the South. The Morrill Act of 1862 and 1890 gave federal land to the states to help finance agricultural colleges/ The Hatch Act of 1887 established agricultural experiment stations to inform farmers of new developments.

Settling on the Great Plains Despite these advantages, farming on the plains was tough. When wheat prices were low, farmers needed to raise more crops to make ends meet. Railroads began charging Western farmers a higher fee than they did to farmers in the East. Railroads charged more for short trips with no competition than short long trips. Railroads claimed they were just doing business, but farmers felt taken advantage of.

The Rise and Fall of the Populist Party 1867-1896

Farmers’ Problems Crop prices fell Farmers had no cash, went further into debt, and their lenders foreclosed on their mortgages The railroad companies charged outrageous prices to ship crops (no regulation!)

Farmers’ Demands Regulate the railroad companies (Stop them from charging such high rates) Make cash more available (back the dollar with silver, not gold, so dollar would be worth less) Constitutional demands: single term for President and Vice-President, secret ballot, popular election of Senators To get industrial workers to support them: 8-hour workday, restrict immigration

Different Groups Representing Farmers’ Interests 1867: The Patrons of Husbandry (The Grange). Oliver Hudson Kelley. Began as a social and educational outlet for farmers but spent more time fighting railroads. 1880s: Farmers’ Alliance and Colored Farmers’ National Alliance 1892: Birth of the Populist, or People’s Party

Populist Party Platform Demanded to lift the burden of debt from farmers and other workers and give regular people a greater voice in government. Their platform was very appealing to people, specifically struggling farmers and desperate laborers.

1892 Presidential Election: Populist candidate won over a million votes!

1896 Election Democrats – 1890s Republicans – 1890s Southerners Wealthy farmers Supported low tariffs (wanted other countries to buy their crops) Northerners Wealthy business men (connected to the railroad) Southern African Americans (poor farmers) Supported high tariffs (didn’t want to compete with other countries’ products)

The Election of 1896 Populists nominated William Jennings Bryan. Bryan ran as a Democrat, reviving the party that had died out in the post-Civil War South. He believed in a combined gold and silver standard. He couldn’t afford to run against William McKinley, but campaigned very hard. He lost by about half a million votes but won the South and the farm areas of the middle West. With McKinley’s election, Populism collapsed, but their legacy is very influential., that the government should be willing and able to assist those in need.

1896 Election Populists decide to improve their chances by supporting the Democratic candidate, William Jennings Bryan, who agreed to support the silver-backed dollar.

1896 Presidential Election: Bryan loses but carries most of the South and West

Central Historical Question Why did the Populist Party attract millions of supporters?