1. Could buy it for a small amount of $$$
HOMESTEAD ACT
Homestead Act was a law developed in 1862 by Congress to promote settlement of the Great Plains.
Age 21 and the head of the family could have 160 acres of land if they improved it in five years
Could buy it for a small amount of $$$

2. Great Plains--The grassland extending through west-central portion of the US.

3. Differences in land ownership Railroad
INDIAN CONFLICTS
clash
Differences in land ownership
Railroad
Settlers trespassing on Indian Land
Discovery of gold
Slaughter of the buffalo
Broken treaties

4. 1871 to 1875, the US supported the extermination of 11 million buffalo.

5. US INDIAN POLICY
Take away the food source from the Native American and they will be forced to submit and go to the reservations.
Skull

6. The near extinction of the buffalo.
Destruction of the Buffalo Herds
The near extinction of the buffalo.

7. Tribes of the Great Plains
Sioux
Cheyenne
Crow
Arapaho
Kiowa

8. COWBOYS Original cowboys came from Mexico (Aztec prisoners)
They eventually traveled into New Mexico teaching the Pueblo Indians how to ride and rope
Today there are many influences from “cowboy” culture.

9. COWBOYS
Let’s see if you can recognize the modern names for these “cowboy” influences

10. Cowboy True or False?
The career of a cowboy lasted from about 25 years of age to about 40 years of age.
True
40 was old for a cowboy because of the large amount of riding and work required.

11. The most frequent cause of death for a cowboy was from Native American’s or cattle rustlers.
False
Pneumonia or riding accidents caused most cowboy deaths

12. Cowboys had to be expert marksmen to protect the herd from cattle rustlers and Native American raiders.
False
A cowboy probably did not carry a gun and even more likely never shot anyone.

13. Famous Cowboys… …who were probably never cowboys.
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickock
Martha Jane Cannary “Calamity Jane”

14. Cattle Drive Ranchers: Raised longhorn cattle
a. Located in southern Great Plains (Texas)
b. Profit from demand for beef growing in cities
c. Cattle had to be “driven” to the railroads
d. Long Drive- Long, dangerous trip: heat, Native Americans, rivers, storms
usually happend once a year

15. Great Plain Settlers
Key trails helps western towns grow Chisolm Trial-Texas to Abilene, Kansas Baxter Trail- Texas to Kansas City, MO Goodnight-Loving Trial- Texas to Cheyenne, Wyo.

16. The End of the Open West Overgrazing Drought and Cold
Caused farmers to focus on smaller herds
The invention of Barbed wire helped them fence the herds
The open west was no more (around )

17. Chisolm Trail

18. Great Plain Settlers
(3) Farmers-Lived on plots of land called homesteads a. Homestead Act (1862)- federal gov’t plan to give 160 acres of free land to any settler who world move out west and improve the land for 5 years. b. Exodusters- nickname for African Americans who moved out west to escape the problems of South and receive free land c. Lived in Sod Houses; Nicknamed a “Soddy” or “Soddies”
d. Faced hardships: droughts, Native Americans attacks, loneliness

19. Railroad opens the West
The federal government gave railroad companies a lot of land for laying track
1867 two companies begin a race to the middle

20. Central Pacific Railroad moved East from Sacramento, California
Union Pacific Railroad moved WEST from Omaha, Nebraska

21. May 19, 1869 they met at Promontory Point, Utah

22. Great Plain Settlers
II.Problems Faced on the Great Plains a. Conflicts with Railroads 1. Railroads received huge land grants, then sold to settlers at higher prices 2. Railroads were the only link to East and West 3. Corrupt Business Practices of Railroads a. Monopolies- Few lines went through the Great Plains. Settlers faced high prices as a result b. High Freight Rates- amounts charged for shipping goods “Long haul vs. Short haul” dispute upset settlers

23. Despite these problems thousands moved west to farm the land

24. A Pioneer’s Sod House, SD
Soddy—homes on the western frontier built out of bricks of turf.

25. Lived in dugouts and soddies

26. Great Plain Settlers
e. Technology needed to make farming more productive on the Plains 1. Steel Plow-to break up the thick soil (sod) 2. Steel Windmill- needed to pump underground water 3. Mechanical Reaper- to harvest crops 4. Barbed Wire- to prevent animals from destroying crops 5. Transcontinental Railroad/Refrigerated Cars- to transport crops to market for sell

27. Map 13 of 45

28. Conflicts with Indians

29. Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse
Sitting Bull (Sioux) and Crazy Horse (Cheyenne) were two chiefs who refused to sign the treaty.
They defiantly left the reservation.
"One does not sell the earth upon which the people walk" Crazy Horse

30. The Battle of Little Big Horn 1876
He was heavily outnumbered and trapped.
Custer & all 220 of his men died.
“Custer’s Last Stand” outraged Americans and led to govt. retribution.
The Sioux and Cheyenne were crushed within a year.

31. Nez Percé tribal retreat (1877)
Chief Joseph, Nez Perce
Nez Percé tribal retreat (1877)
Refusing to go to the reservation, he led his tribe on a 1,400 march trying to get to Canada. Trying to meet up with Sitting Bull.
Eventually surrendered.
In 3 months, the band of about 700, 200 of whom were warriors, fought 2,000 U.S. soldiers in 4 major battles and skirmishes

32. Battle of Wounded Knee – Dec.1890
7th Calvary rounded up starving and freezing Sioux and attempted to confiscate all weapons
Violence erupted, 300 Indians and 25 whites lay dead.
This is the last of the Indian conflicts.

33. Dawes Act of 1887 U.S. INDIAN POLICY Quicker Americanization
Assimilate, mainstreamed and absorbed into US society
Adopt Christianity and White education
Individual land ownership
Abandon tribe, culture and become farmers

34. Indian Assimilation Attempts
Native American children were taken to off- reservation Indian schools where they would be taught white man’s ways.

35. Back in the Eastern cities…..
Meanwhile
Back in the Eastern cities…..

36. The Emergence of Political Machines
Organized group that controls a city’s political party
• Give services to voters, businesses for political, financial support
• After Civil War, machines gain control of major cities

37. WILLIAM BOSS TWEED Corrupt political leader put New York City in debt
Kept Democratic Party in power in NYC called Tammany Hall
Formed the Tweed Ring
Bought votes, encouraged corruption, controlled NYC politics

38. WILLIAM BOSS TWEED
Exposed for his corruption by cartoonist and editor, Thomas Nast
Tweed Ring fell and 1873 Tweed convicted of embezzlement
Later Tweed was arrested on a civil charge and jailed in NYC, later died there

39. 1876 Election *Disputed Electoral votes
Tilden did not receive enough electoral votes.
Special Commission gives votes to Hayes.
Hayes wins the election
Democrats refuse to recognize Hayes as President *
*Disputed Electoral votes
164
369 total electoral votes, need 185 to win.

40. CORRUPT BARGAIN vs
Rutherford B. Hayes Samuel Tilden
The election of 1876 and the Compromise of 1877 are referred to as the Corrupt Bargain.
The Democrats and Republicans work out a deal to recognize Hayes as President
In return, President Hayes must end Reconstruction and pull the Union troops out of the South.

41. Laissez faire supports our economic system of capitalism
An economic belief supported by the U.S. that opposes the government regulating business.
Laissez-faire means ‘allow to be’ in French or the government stays out of you business.
Laissez faire supports our economic system of capitalism

42. Credit Mobilier PRESIDENT GRANT'S SCANDALS
Phony construction company owned by stockholders of Union Pacific Railroad.
Hired Credit Mobilier to build the transcontinental railroad
Charged the U.S. government nearly twice the actual cost of the project.
Bribed Congress to stop the investigation.
Largest scandal in U.S. history, and led to greater public awareness of government corruption.

43. Whiskey Ring Salary Grab PRESIDENT GRANT'S SCANDALS
A group of President Grant’s officials imported whiskey
Used their offices to avoid paying taxes
Cheated US treasury of millions.
Salary Grab
Congress gave itself a raise, $5,000 to $7,500 annually.
Congressmen received a retroactive check for $5,000, plus their raise……
Became a political issue….Later repealed.

44. BESSEMER PROCESS New Uses for Steel
In 1856 Henry Bessemer devised a way of converting iron into steel on a large scale.
His invention involved blowing air through molten iron in a converter, or furnace, in order to burn off the excess carbon.
His invention revolutionized the Industrial Age.
New Uses for Steel
Steel used in railroads, barbed wire, farm machines
Changes construction: Brooklyn Bridge; steel-framed skyscrapers

45. Farmers Unite to Address Common Problems
Review of problems for farmers in the late 1800s:
Trapped in debt due to mortgaging
Banks foreclosing on mortgages
Railroads were taking advantage of farmers by overcharging transportation fees
Prices of crops were falling
Good farming land was becoming scarce

46. Economic Distress
During the Civil War, the US had issued almost $500 million in paper money, called greenbacks
They could not be exchanged for silver or gold
They were worth less than hard money of the same face value
Hard money was coins and paper money printed in yellow ink that could be exchanged for gold

48. Retirement of the Greenbacks
After the war, the gov’t began taking greenbacks out of circulation, but this had more effects on the farmers:
Increased value of hard money
Farmers now had to pay back loans using money that cost more than the money they actually had
At this time, they were still receiving less money for their crops
Between – a bushel of wheat fell from $2 to 68 cents

49. Problems with the Railroads
Why were the railroad companies able to charge so much for shipping and storage?
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO COMPETITION
Union Pacific and Central Pacific partook in a merger –
since there were no other western railroad companies - they could charge whatever price they wanted and the farmers had no other option, so they had to pay
In addition – grain brokers and merchants met with railroad companies secretly to determine market prices of crops

51. The Farmer’s Begin to Fight Back
In 1867, Oliver Hudson Kelley started the Patrons of Husbandry, an organization for farmers that became popularly known as the Grange
Its original purpose was to provide a social outlet and an educational forum for isolated farm families
But by the 1870s, Grange members spent most of their time and energy fighting the railroads
Their plan was to set up farmers’ cooperatives and teach farmers how to organize and encourage state legislature to regulate railroads

53. 1st LAWS TO REGULATE BIG BUSINESS
State representatives voted into office by members of the Grange who in turn represented the interests of farmers and passed state laws regulating railroad prices in 18 states.
Granger State Laws
Supreme Court decision stating that states had the ability to regulate private property if it affected public interest.
Munn v. Illinois (1876)

54. The Plight of the Farmers

55. Between 1800 to 1900, US Govt. issued 500,000 patents
KEY INVENTIONS
Between 1800 to 1900, US Govt. issued 500,000 patents
BETWEEN 1860 TO 1877
Elevator
Bessemer Process
Sewing Machine
Dynamite
Typewriter
Levi Blue Jeans/Basketball
Telephone

56. LABOR UNION National Labor Union William Sylvis, 1866
Skilled, unskilled, farmers but excluded Chinese…
Cooperatives, 8 hr. work day, against labor strikes
Founded a political party in 1872
Involved in the Chinese Exclusion Act.
Lost election, faded away
Replaced by Knights of Labor.

57. Railroad Workers Organize
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
Railway workers protested unfair wage cuts and unsafe working conditions.
The strike was violent and unorganized.
President Hayes sent federal troops to put down the strikes.
From then on, employers relied on federal and state troops to repress labor unrest.