1. 9-2 The Not So Wild West: MythBusters
The wild west
9-2 The Not So Wild West: MythBusters

2. Warm up: : Describe what you see when I say “The Wild West.”
Draw a picture to represent this.

3. Background
The time known as the “wild west” took place in the mid-late 1800’s
The term frontier was used to describe what?
The furthest point west before the “wild west” were the frontier towns in Missouri.

4. Background Many different people headed west for different reasons
Mining
Cattle Farming
Land
Adventure
Freedom
Westerners were not only white males but also newly freed slaves, Mexicans and Native Americans

5. Little Bighorn
As settlers moved west resentful tribes led raids on the frontier towns
In the 1860s hundreds of settlers were killed, soldiers were ambushed and ranches burned
1868 a treaty was meant to protect the Black Hills of the Dakotas
“No white person or persons shall be permitted to settle upon or occupy” or even “to pass through”
Then gold was found… prospectors flooded the area!
The Sioux protested the trespassers
The US army was called in…
Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull led the attack against the Col. Custer and his 250 men
Custer grossly underestimated the Sioux Nation
All 250 men and Custer was massacred in what is know as “Custer’s Last Stand”
Victory was short lived as more soldiers crushed the uprising

6. Wounded Knee
1887: the Dawes Act required native tribes to move to reservations
Most of the Sioux moved to Canada or to reservations following Little Bighorn
Convinced they could regain their greatness and land they began to perform rituals
The US Gov’t did not trust this and sent the army in to ban the ritual
A conflict ensued and Sitting Bull was shot and killed
Several hundred Sioux gathered to protest in South Dakota at Wounded Knee Creek
29 Dec 1890 the army arrives
No knows who it was…but a pistol shot rang out…
By time it was over 250 Sioux and 25 soldiers were dead
This will end the conflicts between settlers and natives
The natives had lost their long struggle to keep their land

7. The West in Pop Culture
Often Hollywood has misled us on how the west really was…
Can you think of any movies that may do this?

8. Wild West Stations Activity
You will read the myth vs. fact sheet with your group.
Next, with your group work to complete the chart on goformative for the particular myth you have.
When the buzzer goes off you will move on to the next station. You will have 8 minutes per station
Rinse and Repeat.

9. Exit Ticket: Recap!!! What have you learned about the wild west?
How does your new knowledge about the real wild west compare to what you used to think about it?
Why do you think we have this false image of the wild west in our heads?