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Published byGwen Flowers Modified over 10 years ago
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Lesson 2
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Explorers from Spain and settlers seeking gold helped shape the West.
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Prospector Boom town Ghost town
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Spanish Exploration ◦ Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo ◦ Coast of California Junipero Serra ◦ Franciscan priest ◦ Set up missions ◦ Built first CA mission in 1769 Became San Diego
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Russian Settlement ◦ Fur trading post in CA, Fort Ross ◦ Claimed much of Alaska British Settlement ◦ Fur trading posts along Pacific coast (OR & WA) Wagon Trains ◦ 1841-marked beginning of settlement ◦ 1846-1848: War over Southwest between U.S. & Mexico ◦ U.S. won and claimed CA and the territories
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Sutter’s Mill ◦ John Sutter moved to CA in 1839 ◦ Settled near the Sierra Nevada ◦ Had a mill built by James Marshall near the American River ◦ Marshall spotted gold ◦ Thousands of people heard and came to CA ◦ Began the Gold Rush
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Prospectors ◦ Person who searches for valuable minerals Gold Rush Prospector Travel ◦ Overland from eastern U.S. ◦ By sea from East Coast to West Coast ◦ Sea route was a 15,000 mile trip around South America ◦ Most arrived by 1849 (forty-niners)
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San Francisco ◦ Port town where travelers arrived by sea ◦ Forty-niners passed through ◦ By 1849, city grew to 100,000 people
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Effects of Gold Rush ◦ Boom Towns Grew where minerals were discovered Miners and merchants came Denver, Colorado, & Carson City ◦ Railroads Built linking East Coast to West Coast Cities along railroad grew as people moved west ◦ Ghost Towns Deserted towns where minerals were once mined Attract tourists
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Cattle drives ◦ Cowhands drove herds across the west ◦ From ranches in MT, WY, NV, UT ◦ To towns along the railroad “cow towns” were rowdy and sometimes dangerous
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Legend of the “Wild West” from colorful and sometimes violent characters William “Buffalo Bill” Cody ◦ Travelling show formed in 1883 Featured trick riding, rifle shooting, western wildlife West grew more tame by 1890s ◦ Songs, stories, and movie keep legend alive
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Russian territory ◦ Used mainly for fur trading ◦ Sold to U.S. in 1867 $7 million, or 2 cents/acre Wanted for fur trapping Discovery of gold ◦ 1880s and 1890s in parts of AK and Canada ◦ Prospectors travelled to AK ◦ cities- Fairbanks and Juneau grew quickly
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Military Influence ◦ World War II military bases ◦ Airfields & highways boosted transportation and business development after the war Discovery of Oil ◦ Oil deposits discovered in 1968 ◦ On coast of Artic Ocean ◦ 800 mile-long pipeline brings oil to Valdez Loaded onto ships & sent to ports around the world
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Chain of Islands ◦ Made a territory in 1900 ◦ Exports: sugar cane & pineapples ◦ Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau, Kahoolawe World War II ◦ Ports and military bases built at Pearl Harbor ◦ Bombed by Japanese forces ◦ Gained statehood in 1959 ◦ 50 th state
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