The West
Indian Removal Act (1830) Land Greed forces Indians off of their land Destroys the Indian family unit
Homestead Act (1862) Gave land to those who lived on it for 5 years People received 160 acres
Battle of Little Big Horn General Custer defeated by Chief Sitting Bull Often called “Custer’s Last Stand”
Massacre at Sand Creek 1858, Gold discovered at Pikes Peak US Col. John Chivington launched an attack on Cheyenne under a white flag. After a series of battles that followed, Cheyenne hold on the west began to slip Massacre at Sand Creek Nov. 29, 1864 Colorado Territory Col. Militia attacks Cheyenne and Arapaho Up to 170 killed, mostly women and children Land was granted to Cheyenne and Arapaho by the Ft. Laramie Treaty (1851)
Dawes General Allotment Act (Dawes Act) Feb. 8, 1887 provided for the division of tribally held lands into individually-owned parcels and opening "surplus" lands to settlement by non- Indians and development by railroads. Dividing reservations
Battle of Wounded Knee December 29, 1890 US 7th Cavalry vs. Lakota Sioux Sioux captured and taken to an encampment Colonel James Forsyth and surrounded the encampment supported by four Hotchkiss guns (repeating gun) Massacred the prisoners.
Cowboys Spanish roots Aztec prisoners used to manage and keep up with Spanish horses and cattle 6 shooter Foods, clothing, terms 25% were Black Americans Avg. age 17 Move cattle from place to place Chisholm Trail, Santé Fe Trail
Beef Demands Ranchers vs. Free Grazers Rise in demand of beef Ranchers: homesteaders who have farmed land and maybe even own large amounts of lands Free grazers: basically cowboys. People who make their money moving cattle from point A to point B to be sold and sent east for beef. Rise in demand of beef Shipping by railroads Barbed wire stopped long cattle drives Kept cattle off of crops and land Battles between “free grazers” and “ranchers” occur.