1. Humanities Department
Student Expectations:
Before we begin learning, please ensure that you:
Are standing behind your desk in silence;
Have your learning diary and pencil case on your desk;
Have a smart uniform.
Please be seated in SILENCE.
Copy and underline today’s date and title.
Thursday, 19 September 2019
LO: Revise content and skills for KT3 assessment

2. The American West 1835-1895 Learning Journey:
KT1 – The Early settlement of the West
KT2 – Development of the Plains 1862 – 1876
KT3 – Conflicts and Conquest

3. The American West 1835-1895 KT3 – Conflicts and Conquest, 1876-1895
Chapter 7:
Changes in Farming, the Cattle Industry and Settlement
Chapter 8:
Conflict and Tension
Chapter 9:
The Plains Indians: The Destruction of their way of Life
Rivalry between ranchers and homesteaders
Range wars and town conflicts, and solutions to the problems of law and order, including the Lincoln County War 1878, and the significance of Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral 1881, the Johnson County War 1892
Conflict with the Plains Indians: the Great Sioux War 1876, the Battle of Little Bighorn 1876 and its impact, the Wounded Knee Massacre 1890
The hunting and extermination of the buffalo
The Plains Indians life on the reservations
The significance of changing government attitudes to the Plains Indians, including the Dawes General Allotment Act 1887 and the closure of the Indian frontier
Changes in farming: the impact of new technology
Changes in the cattle industry including the impact of the winter of The significance of changes in the nature of ranching and the end of the open range
Continued growth in settlement: the Exoduster movement and Kansas (1879), the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893

4. Changes in Farming:
Between , new technologies and methods began to have a significant impact on farming the Plains
By the 1890s, the problems facing farmers in the West had become manageable!
Dry Farming:
Wind Pumps:
Barbed Wire:
Aimed to conserve amount of water trapped in soil (e.g. ploughing immediately after rain)
Experts promoted dry farming as best method for homesteaders to grow wheat
Main method responsible for turning the Plains into America’s main wheat producing region
Self-regulating wind-mill, turned automatically when the wind changed
By 1880s, powerful wind pumps had been developed that did not need constant repairs and oiling
They became more widespread and solved the problem of finding enough water to farm on the Plains
Ideal solution to lack of timber to make fences
By 1880s, a coating had been applied to make wire stronger
It was also much cheaper
Used by farmers, cattle industry and railroad companies

5. Changes in the Cattle Industry:
Through 1870s, so much money went into cattle ranching that the open range became overstocked.
This situation had several serious consequences for the cattle industry in 1880s.
Too many cattle
As cattlemen made more money they bought and bred more cattle
Overgrazing:
There was too little grass, especially in the 1883 drought
Prices Dropped:
An oversupply of beef meant prices dropped
Less Profit:
Lower prices meant less profit. Some cattlemen sold up, others went bankrupt
Winter of :
Freezing temperatures and deep snow meant at least 15% of cattle died.
More cattlemen went bankrupt.

6. The end of the Open Range: Consequences for Cowboys:
Changes in the Cattle Industry:
The end of the Open Range:
Consequences for Cowboys:
After the winter of , cattle ranchers who’d survived moved to smaller ranches with fenced-in pastures.
Smaller herds were easier to manage and could be brought under shelter in bad weather
Smaller herds in fenced pastures were easier to guard against cattle rustlers
Ranchers brought in high-quality breeds that produced better meat – they were kept separate from other breeds meaning their calves would be high quality too
Smaller numbers of cattle reduced beef supplies and so prices rose again
Higher quality beef also meant higher prices for the meat
The cattle industry began to recover
Many cowboys lost their lives in the winter of , trying to find cattle in deep snowdrifts etc.
Cowboys now had a much less adventurous life, they worked on a ranch branding, de-horning and looking after cattle/ horses – no more long drives
Cowboys lived in bunkhouses, which were usually in poor condition and the standard of living was not good
There were schedules to keep to and rules to follow, which often included a ban on firearms
The smaller ranches only employed a few cowboys, so cowboy numbers dropped

7. The Exoduster Movement 1879:
In 1879, a migration of black Americans from southern states to Kansas took place
This was known as the Exoduster Movement
But why did the Black Americans decide to migrate?
4. Kansas had a reputation as an anti-slavery states, many Black Americans believed their quality of life would improve here!
After the Civil War, Black Americans were supposed to become equal to white citizens. However, policies like sharecropping kept Black Americans financially dependant on the Whites
5. The Homestead Act 1862 gave Black Americans the opportunity to buy land cheaply
6. The Bible story of Exodus encouraged many who believed God would help them escape persecution
2. Key individuals such as Benjamin Singleton promoted Kansas and helped migrants
3. Organisations such as Ku Klux Klan meant violence and terrorism was common against Black Americans
– a fake rumour spread that the government was giving away free land to Black Americans in Kansas – this triggered movement

8. Problems with Farming:
Consequences of the Exoduster Movement, 1879
Problems with Farming:
Response:
Aftermath:
Other settlers had already taken the best land
Most Exodusters had no money for setting up farming
Most Exoduster homesteaders found it very difficult to survive
Southern whites strongly opposed the migration
Whites in Kansas did not think Exodusters should be helped
Kansas governor set up some help for migrants including some money to get started
By 1880, mass migration ended: too may problems
By 1880, black Americans had settled in Kansas.
Exodusters typically stayed poorer than white migrants and had fewer rights

9. Oklahoma Land Rush
Indian territory had different sections for different tribes.
In the middle was a section that wasn’t allocated to any one tribe.
Indian territory was not open to white settlement.
The US Army repeatedly had to move white settlers of the middle section.
Then, in 1889, the US Government opened up the middle section for white settlement.
At midday on 22 April 1889, thousands of white settlers rushed over the boundary to claim their 160 acre section: A LAND RUSH.
There were 7 Oklahoma Land Rushes in total.
The first was 1889, when 2 million acres were opened for settlement.
The last was in 1895, when acres opened for settlement
The largest was the Cherokee Strip Land Rush, when 8 million acres were opened for settlement

10. The American West 1835-1895 KT3 – Conflicts and Conquest, 1876-1895
Chapter 7:
Changes in Farming, the Cattle Industry and Settlement
Chapter 8:
Conflict and Tension
Chapter 9:
The Plains Indians: The Destruction of their way of Life
Rivalry between ranchers and homesteaders
Range wars and town conflicts, and solutions to the problems of law and order, including the Lincoln County War 1878, and the significance of Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral 1881, the Johnson County War 1892
Conflict with the Plains Indians: the Great Sioux War 1876, the Battle of Little Bighorn 1876 and its impact, the Wounded Knee Massacre 1890
The hunting and extermination of the buffalo
The Plains Indians life on the reservations
The significance of changing government attitudes to the Plains Indians, including the Dawes General Allotment Act 1887 and the closure of the Indian frontier
Changes in farming: the impact of new technology
Changes in the cattle industry including the impact of the winter of The significance of changes in the nature of ranching and the end of the open range
Continued growth in settlement: the Exoduster movement and Kansas (1879), the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893

11. Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp
In 1878 became involved in Lincoln County War between cattle baron and smaller ranchers.
Billy’s gang caused chaos across New Mexico
Lawlessness:
Resources – Billy was involved in war between ranchers.
Corruption – law enforcement was weak and were also involved in these wars
Geography – Billy’s gang could easily escape the law and hide in remote areas
Poverty – life for most people was hard, a life of crime was tempting
Earp got into law enforcement after he being in trouble with the law in his early life
Became involved in conflict between rich businessmen and cowboys in Tombstone.
Lawlessness:
Resources – Earp and brothers involved in a war between businessmen and ranchers
Corruption – Earp and brothers accused of criminal activity (robbery and murder), instead of reducing lawlessness, they increased it
Law & order – the gunfight at OK Corral shows lawlessness, Earp should have arrested cowboys, not fought them
Unreliable lawmen – Earp was arrested x9 – lots of officers had criminal pasts
Billy the Kid & Wyatt Earp are both examples of increased lawlessness at this time.
However, the general trend at this time was that law and order was getting more under control

12. The Johnson County War 1892
Background
Events
Consequences
Cattle industry booms in Wyoming and is dominated by wealthy cattle barons.
Winter causes huge losses to cattle industry – small ranches did better
Tensions between big/ small ranchers as law appears to favour small ranchers/ homesteaders when cattle barons accuse them of rustling
Jim Averill and Ella Watson are murdered by a cattle baron
As a result, small ranchers announce they will hold a ‘spring round up’ earlier than the big ranchers (WSGA) – who are sure small ranchers will use this opportunity to steal
WSGA hire 22 gunmen to kill the 70 suspected rustlers – there are rewards for every rustler killed
Invasion fails after invaders are held up in a shoot-out with Nate Champion.
Word gets out and the invaders are shot an arrested
The WSGA hire Chicago’s best lawyers to defend them
The lawyers get the trial moved to Cheyenne (where the WSGA are favoured)
The WSGA lawyers delay trial until Johnson County could no longer afford to keep prisoners in jail
The state government, full of WSGA supporters, refuse to help with cost of trial
The invaders are set free
Although the invaders are set free, it is significant that vigilantism was so strongly resisted in Johnson County

13. The Battle of the Little Bighorn 1876
Events
Consequences
Success or Failure?
Custer leads cavalry men to protect rail-workers and finds gold in Black Hills of Dakota – many prospectors follow.
This breaks the Second Fort Laramie Treaty.
US Govt. offer to buy Black Hills from Sioux or pay to mine there -Sioux refuse and leave reservation
US Govt give Sioux 60 days to return to their reservation or be attacked.
Bad winter means they can’t – by spring 7000 Indians ready for war.
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse defeat Custer and kill all 200 of his men.
The massacre of Custer and his men shocks and appals most white Americans.
Before this, many whites wanted to sign peace treaties and negotiate with the Indians.
Afterwards, whites want to destroy the Indians and their way of life!
Short term – Bighorn was a humiliating failure for US Govt.
However for US, it was a long term success as it led to:
Forts being built, reinforcements sent west
The pursuit of Cheyenne and Sioux until they were back in reservations
Capture/ murder of Crazy Horse
Sitting Bull escapes to Canada
Sioux are forced to sell the Black Hills and give up their weapons

14. The Wounded Knee Massacre, 1890
The Ghost Dance
Wounded Knee Massacre
Impact
End of Sioux resistance to army control
Last clash between Sioux and army
Massacre confirms white views about need to exterminate hostile Indians.
End of Ghost Dance – Indian religion banned.
End of Indian frontier – all land now belonged to US Government
Wounded Knee became a key symbol of oppression in the later fight for Indian Civil Rights
1890 Sioux rations cut and drought meant crops failed – starvation.
An Indian had a vision that if they all kept dancing the Great Spirit would bring back the dead and drown the whites in a flood
More and more Indians began to dance – Indian agents and settlers worried – Army sent in
Sitting Bull was killed when Sioux police tried to arrest him in case he led a new rebellion
His followers, led by Big Foot, fled South
Snow and pneumonia slowed Big Foot’s men down and the army caught them.
They were taken to Wounded Knee Creek to be disarmed.
Indians began dancing and shooting broke out.
After 10 mins, 250 Indians incl. women and children were dead.
25 soldiers were killed.
It was the end of Indian resistance.

15. The American West 1835-1895 KT3 – Conflicts and Conquest, 1876-1895
Chapter 7:
Changes in Farming, the Cattle Industry and Settlement
Chapter 8:
Conflict and Tension
Chapter 9:
The Plains Indians: The Destruction of their way of Life
Rivalry between ranchers and homesteaders
Range wars and town conflicts, and solutions to the problems of law and order, including the Lincoln County War 1878, and the significance of Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral 1881, the Johnson County War 1892
Conflict with the Plains Indians: the Great Sioux War 1876, the Battle of Little Bighorn 1876 and its impact, the Wounded Knee Massacre 1890
The hunting and extermination of the buffalo
The Plains Indians life on the reservations
The significance of changing government attitudes to the Plains Indians, including the Dawes General Allotment Act 1887 and the closure of the Indian frontier
Changes in farming: the impact of new technology
Changes in the cattle industry including the impact of the winter of The significance of changes in the nature of ranching and the end of the open range
Continued growth in settlement: the Exoduster movement and Kansas (1879), the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893

16. 3. THE GOVERNMENT’S RESERVATION POLICY
The End of the Plains Indians’ Way of Life:
3. THE GOVERNMENT’S RESERVATION POLICY
RAILROADS IN THE WEST
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO PLAINS INDIANS’ WAY OF LIFE
4. THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN THE WEST
2. THE EXTERMINATION OF THE BUFFALO
5. HOMESTEADERS ON THE PLAINS

17. Buffalo Extermination:
Why?
How?
Who?
Railroad companies used hunters to kill the buffalo as their habitat crossed by railroads sometimes
Killed by tourist trains – excursion trains brought people onto Plains to hunt them for sport
Grassland was destroyed when homesteaders settled and built houses on it
Caught diseases spread by cattle
Economic reasons
Their leather could be used in machines in US Industrialisation
New weapons made them easier to kill
Destruction of Plains Indians way of life
Without the buffalo, Indians would not need to hunt land outside reservations
They would be economically dependent on US Govt.
They would be forced to farm
The government and the army did nothing to stop the destruction of the buffalo
In 1860s, Govt. banned Indians from leaving reservations to hunt so they’d be forced to farm like white people
If there was no buffalo, the Indians would not protest about the loss of their nomadic lifestyle

18. Life on Reservations:
Reservation land was unwanted, infertile land which made farming difficult for Plains Indians
The government appointed Indian Agents to take care of reservations but they were often corrupt. Money and rations often “disappeared”
Living conditions were bad – rations were poor, crops failed and diseases/ death was common
Education – Children were sent to boarding schools to be taught how to be ‘civilised’ – they were taught not to respect their old culture and punished for using their own language
After leaving the boarding schools, the children did not fit in with their old families but were also not accepted by white Americans
Tribal Chiefs lost their power as the government introduced laws which slowly removed a chief’s ability to influence and guide his tribe
Hunting ban – affected social structure and removed men’s traditional role. Also affected their clothing and lifestyle
De-skilled – although they were excellent horsemen, hunters and warriors, they had no horses on reservations so couldn’t hunt or fight. Many refused to learn ‘white’ skills like ploughing etc
Religion – Indian beliefs were banned, feasts, dances and the power of medicine men were all diminished – Christian missionaries were sent in to ‘civilise’ the Indians

19. Changing Government Attitudes:
Reservations had been designed to help Indians assimilate into white America, instead it made them depend on government handouts:
The Dawes Act
Aims
Significance
Indian families allotted 160 acres for a homestead plot
80 acres to singles, 40 to orphans
Indians who took allotment would become US citizens
Indians could not sell allotment land for 25 years
Reservation land left over could be sold to whites
Encourage individual Indians to assimilate and become US Citizens
Reduce influence of chiefs/ councils
Reduce running cost of reservation
Free up more land for white settlers
Encourage Indian tribes to farm for themselves
Failed to improve conditions
By 1890, Indians had lost half of their lands
Unable to farm successfully as land was poor/ dry conditions
Most Indians sold their land as soon as they could and ended up landless
White Americans cheated Indians into selling their land