1. WESTWARD MIGRATION

2. Westward Migration Americans began moving west Comstock Lode
More economic opportunities
Wheat, corn
Farm mechanization made it easier
Steel plow, spring tooth harrow, threshers, windmills
Comstock Lode
First silver ore found
East was growing quickly, needed food
Others went west for religious reasons
Mormon Trail
First led by Joseph Smith (New York)
Led into Utah by Brigham Young

4. Oregon Trail

5. Mormon Trail

6. Homestead Act 1862 US gov’t encouraged westward migration
Offered 160 acres of land to settlers and had to farm for 5 years
Not enough land due to drought
Could acquire additional land (Timber Culture Act)
Cost $5 registration fee
Encouraged white settlers to move west
Most were old immigrants
Women were allowed to homestead

7. Morrill Land Grant 1862 US federal gov’t gave western lands to states
States sold land
Money was used to build agriculture and technical colleges
Examples: Virginia Tech and NC State

8. Difficulties of Living in the West
Remote, solitary life
Worked 68 hours week
Very difficult for women
Same work as men
Gained suffrage here first
Built churches and schools
Little House on the Prairie-family values, love, friendship, and faith.

9. Homesteaders Living in a Soddie

11. Impact of White Settlers
Native Americans were displaced
Conflict began
More railroads were built
New States were added to Union
Most gave women suffrage
Last state-Oklahoma
Settlers rushed in to get the last free land in US
Far and Away

12. Railroads First transcontinental railroad completed in 1869
Promontory Point, Utah
Built mainly by Irish and Chinese immigrants
Displaced the Native Americans
Could no longer follow the buffalo
Native Americans used every part of buffalo
‘Native American Wal-Mart’
Time zones

13. Transcontinental Railroad

15. Buffalo

16. Plains Indians Sioux-northern plains Five Civilized Tribes (OK-1830)
Other tribes as well
Different lifestyles
Followed buffalo herds
32m in 1870, 9m. Killed
Some were sedentary

17. Reservation System Indians were placed here by federal gov’t
Offered annual monetary payments in lieu of land
Occasionally, federal gov’t failed to make payments or reduced the size of reservation
Indians resisted, led to war

18. Conflicts between Whites and Native Americans
First Major Conflict
Sand Creek Massacre 1864
Peace between Northern Cheyenne and Colorado Militia
Colorado Militia decides to slaughter 150 Native Americans
It’s On!!!!!!

19. Teton Sioux 1866 Defended hunting land Fraudulent treaty
Killed American cavalry
Mutilated the bodies
Americans called for new techniques to deal with the “Indian problem”

20. Buffalo Soldiers African American Troop Regiment
Created during the Civil War
Fights in the Indian Wars
African Americans can now fight for a country that recognizes them as people!

22. Battle of Little Big Horn 1876
Native Americans joined forces
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse
Fought with General Custer at Little Big Horn
Native Americans massacred all American Troops
Only major Native American victory

23. Little Big Horn

24. Sitting Bull
Colonel George A. Custer

25. Chief Joseph Leader of Nez Perces (Oregon)
Sent to OK after Little Big Horn
Wanted to return to Oregon
Refused permission
Denied food and water
Attempted to escape to Canada
Captured by US Army
“From where the sun now stands, I shall fight no more forever”

26. Save the Indians Carlise Indian School
Help Indians become successful in white society
Assimilation
Helen Hunt Jackson’s A Century of Dishonor
dramatized the federal government's mistreatment of Native Americans in the west

27. Helen Hunt Jackson

28. Dawes Act 1887 Result of Jackson’s book Would create Indian farmers
Gave each family 160 acres of land
Dealt with individual Indians, not tribe
Sold remaining land and purchased farm equipment
Became citizens in 25 years
Most Indians lost property within one generation
Received the poor land

29. Ghost Dance
Believed that Native American ancestors would be resurrected
Ancestors would help Natives ‘obtain their rightful place and regain land lost to white man
Scared soldiers

30. Ghost Dance

31. Wounded Knee Massacre
1891
Last conflict between Whites and Native Americans
Indians were fired upon at Wounded Knee
Women, children and elderly were all killed

32. A mass grave used after the Battle of Wounded Knee

33. Result for Indians Helen Hunt Jackson-A Century of Dishonor
Gained support for Native Americans
Led to the Dawes Act
Land for Native Americans
Called for assimilation
Native Americans should act, dress etc. like White Americans

34. Miners Precious metals were discovered out West Mining towns sprang up
Little law enforcement in these areas

35. Cowboys New cities caused a need for beef
Individuals out west began to raise cattle
First, started to drive cattle to major cities, then cattle would be loaded onto trains
Later, ranches would be built
Cowboys were hired
Most owned their own horses
Open Range ended because of Barbed Wire
Cows could be fenced in thanks to Joseph Glidden’s invention

36. Ranches and Cowboys

37. Farmers Faced many problems after they moved West Drought Insects
Difficult conditions
New technology helped some
Steel Plow
Mechanical Reaper
Windmill

38. Famers continued Blamed problems on railroads
Had to transport goods on trains
Railroads charged high rates
Even higher for short haul versus long haul
Penalized the farmer
Wanted government to regulate railroads
Lower freight charges
Government did not respond

39. Money Problems Farmers also faced problems with credit
Stayed in debt
Borrowed money to plant crops every year
Could not always repay bank
If not, bank foreclosed on property
Farmers wanted more money printed and put into circulation
Demanded the silver standard
Print money based on gold and silver standard
Would increase the cost of farm goods

40. The Grange Farmers organized The Grange Led by Oliver Kelley
Officially asked government to address farmers needs
Were not successful

41. Populist Party Organized in 1892 Met in Omaha Nebraska Omaha Platform
8 Hour workday
Silver Standard
Direct Election of Senators
Won elections in state government, sent representatives to Congress

42. Populists and Democrats Merge
Populist party merged with Democrats in 1896
Democrats argued the same issues as Populists
Nominated William Jennings Bryan
Campaigned across America
Gave “Cross of Gold” speech
“you cannot crucify man on a cross of gold”
Advocated the silver standard

44. William Jennings Bryan

45. Election of 1896 and 1900 Bryan ran against William McKinley (rep)
Bryan campaigned across US on train
Whistle stop campaign
McKinley ran the “Front Porch” campaign
Voters came to see him on his front porch
McKinley wins both elections
Marks the end of the Populist Party

46. Election of 1896