1. Westward Expansion

2. Stuff to know is in red!

3. “Manifest Destiny” (this is review!) Coined in 1845 Belief that God had destined the U.S. to reach the Pacific Justified westward expansion Would require the subjugation of Native Americans and “taming” of the landscape Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way, a painting influenced by the idea of Manifest Destiny

4. The Myth of “Discovery” (also Review!) Native Americans already lived on the land that white explorers claimed to have “discovered” An extremely diverse set of cultures inhabited North America before Europeans arrived As this map shows, dozens of tribes speaking nearly 20 different languages existed in America before the Europeans came

5. Indian Removal (also Review!) Pressure increased on Native American territory Indian Removal Act of 1830 Forced relocation to Oklahoma Territory Trail of Tears A map showing the major tribes and the routes by which the government relocated them

6. Life on the Frontier All family members had to work Settlers built their own homes and made various household items from scratch Houses built of sod due to scarcity of trees A sod house in North Dakota

7. Terrain made farming difficult Steel plow (1837) made agriculture much more efficient Corn, wheat, livestock, and hunting Great risk of disease and injury Farming on the Frontier “Plowing on the Prairie Beyond the Mississippi”

8. Immigrants on the Frontier Many Immigrants settled the frontier Mostly Europeans, including Germans and Scandinavians Representatives traveled to Europe to entice people to emigrate The Haymakers, by Herbjørn Gausta, a Norwegian immigrant

9. Women on the Frontier Women settled with their husbands and children Played a central role in their new homes Kept traditional roles and added new ones Frontier women standing before a sod house

10. 1862 Families could settle 160 acres Fierce competition for land Displaced more Native Americans The Homestead Act Homesteaders in front of their log cabin–style house

11. Oklahoma Land Rushes 1880s and 1890s Land previously occupied by Native Americans Settlers included Europeans and former slaves First land run on April 22, 1889 “Sooners” Oklahoma Land Rush, 1889 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx aJY8UZxn4 Clip from “Far and Away”

12. New Territories New territories organized in the 1860s No territorial constitutions Territorial governments under direct federal control Eventually became states

13. African Americans Migrating From the South Difficulties for Southern African Americans after the Civil War Migration westward, particularly to Kansas Mostly remained poor, yet better off than if they had stayed in the South! “Exodusters” en route to Kansas

14. The Pony Express Mail could take over six months to arrive from the East Pony Express started in 1860 Mail transmitted by riders on horseback Ended in 1861 An advertisement for Pony Express riders

15. The Telegraph Transmitted written messages over electrical wires Connected many places in the East by 1850 Pacific Telegraph Act of 1860 First transcontinental telegraph in 1861 Men installing telegraph poles on the prairie

16. The Transcontinental Railroad Coast-to-coast railroad line Would facilitate trade and western settlement Chinese and Irish immigrant labor Completed in 1869 The driving of the golden spike, Promontory Point, Utah, 1869

17. Why did America need Railroads? Communication from East to West was not very good Travelling time from East to West took 6 months + It would help fulfil ‘Manifest Destiny’ The U.S. needed to keep up with other countries

18. Effect of the Railroads: Quick and easy travel to the West Previous methods –Wagon Train –Foot –By boat –Pony Express The railroad turned a 6 month journey into a maximum of 8 days

19. Effect of the Railroads: Cheap land for people wanting to go West Once the Railroads were built the Railroad companies had no use for the excess land Sold land off cheap Benefitted Homesteaders and Ranchers who came west.

20. Effect of the Railroads: Destruction of the Indians Hunters used the Railroad to go west to hunt the buffalo Hunters were only interested in buffalo skin 1875 southern buffalo herds wiped out 1885 northern buffalo herds wiped out Indians depended on the buffalo, but now they were gone! 

21. Effect of the Railroads: Helps develop the Cattle Industry Cattle were transported by the railroads making it easier to move them from Texas to the East Cow Towns grew up around these railroad stops

22. The Transcontinental Railroad: Outcomes Increased westward migration Bison nearly exterminated Loss of bison helped keep Native Americans on reservations Hunters shooting at a herd of bison from a train and along the tracks

23. Bison(buffalo) Vast herds in the millions Native Americans hunted to sustain their resource Settlers and professional hunters drove the bison almost to extinction U.S. government actively supported hunting Bison grazing on the Great Plains

24. Indian Reservations U.S. government supported continuing removal onto reservations Attempts to “civilize” Native Americans Treaties Forced relocation Indians on a reservation in the early 20th century

25. U.S. government entered into armed conflict with tribes Sand Creek Massacre (1864) Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876) Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) Apache conflicts The Indian Wars

26. Various views and attitudes Portrayals of Native Americans in literature, drawings, cartoons, etc. White Attitudes Toward Native Americans The Indian as an uncivilized threat (political cartoon) The Indian as “noble savage” (Edward Curtis photo)

27. Vaqueros Mexican and Native American cowboys Civil War soldiers Former slaves Difficult and lonely work Cowboys A vaquero about to rope a steer

28. Cattle Drives Led cattle to trains headed east Meatpacking industry expanded in Chicago Chisholm Trail Chuck wagon and wranglers Era ended by 1890s Cowboys herding cattle on the prairie

29. Romantic Notions of the West Arts and media stoked public fascination “Anything goes” spirit Cowboys and Indians Buffalo Bill A poster advertising Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show