MAIN IDEA-A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE SHAPE THE WEST AND FACE ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS ALONG THE WAY. LIFE IN THE WEST AND THE RISE OF POPULISM

WOMEN IN THE WEST Western frontier provided new opportunities- * teachers, servants, ran businesses, and became outlaws. Western women had more legal rights than other places in the country By 1900 women in Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming had voting rights

THE RISE OF CITIES AND THE SOUTHWEST Railroads brought rapid growth to places like Oregon and Nebraska- cities emerged quickly Increased settlement pushed the Mexicanos Spanish speaking south westerners) in the southwest out of power (economic and political) By 1880’s the Southwest was connected to the rest of the country via railroads Southwest- Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California

U.S. ENCOURAGES SETTLEMENT Homestead act- 160 acres of land free- if you improve the land and live there for 5 years Exodusters- Freed slaves who moved west after harsh discrimination in the south Thousands of Europeans flocked to the west * Germans, Norwegians, Russians, Ukrainians all settled on the Great Plains Harsh life of the “sodbusters” (plains farmers)- faces blizzards, drought, tornadoes, and prairie fires

ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS As farmers became more efficient and grew more food the prices of crops began to drop Example what had sold for $1.45 in 1860 now sold for.45 cents in 1890 Overproduction, expensive equipment, and monopolies on shipping practices left the farmers little choice. Joined together to make a difference – The Grange- sought to meet social needs farm families Cooperatives- groups owned and ran by its own members. These groups demanded action from the government

POPULISM- THE PEOPLE’S PARTY Created by several farm groups that joined together Wanted a free silver policy- that would cause inflation which in turn would cause a rise in prices (would help farmers pay off debt) Party Platform- free silver policy, government ownership of railroads and shorter working hours Did not have enough support from the rest of the country to achieve reforms or to put a candidate in office.

CLOSING OF THE FRONTIER Oklahoma land rush of 1889 signaled the closing of the frontier Census bureau declared that their was no longer a continuous line of frontier land- THE FRONTIER WAS OFFICALLY CLOSED. This marked an end of an era in U.S. history