1. The Wild Wild West

2. Geography of the West
Towns in Missouri were thought to be the end before the frontier
Frontier – unsettled land in western United States
The West is considered states beyond the Rocky Mountains like Oregon, California, etc.
There are deserts, mountains, rivers, lakes, basins, plateaus, mesas, & even a volcano in the West

3. Influence of Railroads
Railroads helped settle the West
Trains carried resources like: minerals, timber, crops, & cattle to the East coast
Trains also carried miners, ranchers, & farmers to settle the West
Trains & Native Americans – not friends
Train routes often went through the routes of the animals they hunted or even through their own lands

4. Go West, Why?
Before the Civil War, the South did not want the land in the West settled
They feared more non-slave territories
Government decided it was time to settle the west by offering free land
Homestead Act – You can have 160 acres for free if you live on it for 5 years and improve it
Many African Americans settled in Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, & Illinois after the Civil War
The Railroads were growing
It’s easier to head west

5. Challenges in the West Many challenges faced the people who moved West
There were no trees, so houses were built from sod (thick grass)
Had to dig wells for water
Blizzards, hailstorms, tornados, fires, drought
Insects ate crops
New inventions helped some of the challenges
Steel plow – helped farming & built sod houses
Windmills – helped pump water from wells
Barbed wire – kept cattle in or out
Reapers & threshers – helped harvest crops

6. Mining in the West
Gold has struck again in Nevada, Colorado, & South Dakota
People raced to go to these areas
Boomtowns appeared due to gold strikes
Boomtown – a town that has a sudden burst of population & economic growth
When the gold & other mined resources ran out people moved to the next town
Boomtowns became ghost towns

7. Cattle Drives Cattle ranching made big money for 20 years
Ranchers hired cowhands to drive cattle from Texas to Kansas
Vaqueros – 1st cowhands came from Mexico
Cattle was put on trains & sent east
Cattle driving was very difficult - you had to keep the cows or “the money” together
Obstacles were: nature, thieves, & Native Americans

8. Native American Life Most Plains tribes lived in villages
The Spanish brought horses in the 1500’s to the Native Americans & changed their way of life
Horses helped travel & hunting buffalo
All parts of the buffalo were used: food, clothing, blankets, tools, jewelry, etc.
Now Native Americans could travel with the buffalo

9. The Government Lies
The Native Americans were promised no one would take their land (HA! We know better)
When the settlers kept whining they wanted more land the government broke their promise
The government set up “boundaries” or “reservations” for the Native Americans
Some Native Americans went along with this while others resisted
Sand Creek Massacre – The Cheyenne fought back & the militia killed 150 tribe members

10. Native American Leaders
Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse – Sioux chiefs who tried to push settlers off their land
Chief Joseph – Nez Perce chief said, “It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises.”
Geronimo – an Apache leader who resisted to being put on a reservation
No matter how hard they tried, unfortunately the Native Americans ended up on reservations anyway

11. Dawes Act
There were people who actually believed what we had done to the Native Americans was wrong
An idea of assimilation was discussed as a way for Native Americans to “fit in” to white culture
Dawes Act – encouraged Native Americans to give up their customs to become farmers on reservations
Not all Native Americans wanted to be farmers
If they did want to be farmers, they weren’t given the tools or technology the white man had, so it was very difficult

12. Women in the West Life was challenging for women in the West
Life was lonely due to few neighbors & women did not go into town with the men
Women were doctors, nurses, cooks, mothers, teachers, & responsible for the homestead
Homestead – a piece of land & the house on it
The Western states acknowledged the importance of women
Wyoming was the first state to fight for women’s right to vote
Soon after Colorado, Utah, and Idaho stood up for women too

13. Western Cities Cities grew for a few reasons
Gold & precious mineral strikes
A “refueling” or supply renewal point
Railroad stops
Many cities did not have formal laws or government
Cities & towns were rough
Some people took the law into their own hands
Vigilantes made their own rules

14. Don’t Forget Us
There were many groups of people who helped make the West what it is today
Vaqueros – the 1st cowhands from Mexico
African Americans – cattle ranchers & western army soldiers
Chinese immigrants – builders of the railroad in the West
Native Americans – promises broken & forced to leave their homes
Pioneers – all those crazy, um, I mean brave people who took a chance

15. Closing the Frontier Fenced in fields replaced open plains
In Oklahoma thousands of people rushed at the sound of a gun shot to claim land for themselves – 2 million acres were sold
The frontier meant opportunity for many
You could make something of yourself if you moved West
You could start a new life
A good day - was a day of good, hard work

16. How the West has influenced us today…
Cowboy boots & hats
Blue Jeans
Leather goods (bags, coats, vests, suspenders, etc.)
Home remedies (Hiccups – drink water while standing on your head)
Saddles
Stories (Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane, Jesse James)
movies, books, poems, songs
Railroad growth & travel
Food - apples, potatoes, salt water taffy
Activities – rodeos, card games, bull riding
Patterned clothing
Treasure hunts
Pony Express – the 1st post office
Bandanas

17. Slang of the “Wild West”
Big Bug - - an important person
Coffee boiler - - a lazy person
Dude - - a person from the East
Fandango - - a big party
Fetch - - Bring or give
Fork over - - to pay
Fuss - - disturbance
Get a wiggle on - - hurry up
Grand - - excellent beautiful
Hobble your lip - - be quiet
Howdy - - hello
In apple pie order - - in tip top shape
Jig is up - - it is over
Pass the buck - - to avoid responsibility
Pull in your horns - - Back off!
Skedaddle - - RUN!
Stumped - - confused

18. Sources
Garcia, Jesus, et.al. (2003). Creating America. Chapter 19 Sections 1-4. McDougal Littell. Evanston, Illinois.
Atwater, G.M. “Western Slangs & Phrases.” A Writer’s Guide to the Old West. October 26, April 21,