1. Chapter 19-The New West The Plains Indians Railroads and Mining
The Cattle Kingdom
Indian Peoples in Retreat
Farming

2. The Plains Indians
Plains Indians- Native American tribes living in the Great Plains
Life on the Plains
* Religious
* Cultural (own language and customs)
Depended heavily on Horses
* used for hunting and transportation

3. Depending on the Buffalo
Followed the herding buffalo
* used as a main food source
Tepees- tents made of Buffalo skin
Travois- sled pulled by a dog or a horse
Hunting the Buffalo- How?
* Corral- corner in mass numbers

4. Role of Men and Women Men Hunters and protectors of the tribe
Passed on valuable skills (teachers)
Military leadership
Supervised the spiritual life
Women
Looked after the home and children
Crafts- blankets and baskets
Made the tepees and took them down regularly

5. Mining and Railroading
Mining- began with the California Gold Rush in 1849
* Sierra Nevada Mountain Range
* Lode- rich vein of gold or silver
2.1870’s to 1890’s- gold or valuable minerals found
in Montana, South Dakota and Colorado
3. Boomtowns- towns that developed very quickly
because of the valuable resources there

6. Problems Mining Few miners “struck it rich” Invaded natural habitats
* cut forests
* polluted streams
Foreign miners were treated unfairly
Lack of Law Enforcement in Boomtowns
* “Wild West”
* Vigilantes- self appointed law enforcer

7. Railroads
Transcontinental Railroad- a railway that stretches from one coast to another
* East Coast to the West Coast
* Connect Atlantic to Pacific Oceans
Government Subsidies- money from government to complete the Railroad
* Financial aid or land grant

8. Working on the Railroad
Basic Conditions
1. Very difficult and hard labor
2. Dangerous
3. Low pay
4. Harsh weather
** Had to build through mountain ranges
1. Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains

9. Railways Promote Growth
Railroads- Good for transportation and business
* Small towns near the tracks
* Large Cities grew
1. Seattle
2. San Francisco
3. Los Angeles

10. Cattle Kingdom After the Civil War- DEMAND for beef increased
Cattle Drives- moving large groups of cattle
across states
Chisholm Trail- Jesse Chisholm’s famous trail
* Ranchers began using the trail in 1867
* Very popular route for cattle

11. Life of a Cowhand Conditions 1. Hot and tiring work
2. Long days (18 hours)
3. Boring Labor
4. Dangerous and all types of weather
Vaqueros- skilled riders who herded cattle on ranches in Mexico and the Southwest

12. Cow Towns and the Cattle Boom
Cow Town- Where a cattle drive ended
* Small towns springing up along the RR
* Various towns in the Midwest
1. Wichita
2. Caldwell
3. Dodge City
Cow Towns- attracted settlers that wanted to stay and open businesses

13. Cattle Boom Open Range- Ranchers letting their cattle run free
* Large areas of open land
* Millions of grazing cattle from Kansas to Montana
End of the Cattle Boom:
* Fencing their fields
* More farmers bought land- smaller ranches
* Too many cattle
* Too little feed
* Disease and cold winters in 1886 and 1887

14. Indian Peoples in Retreat
Gold Rush and waves of new settlers caused the Native Americans to give up their land
* Broken Treaties from White Settlers
* Forcing Native Americans to Reservations
* Moved many to Oklahoma and S.D.
* Poor soil and isolated
Plains Indians- suffered many hardships
* Lost Battles
* Broken treaties from white settlers
* Decline of the Buffalo

15. Custer’s Last Stand 1874- Gold was found in the Black Hills
* Thousands of white settlers rushed in
Plains Indians fought back
* Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led an attack
* Became known as the Sioux War of 1876
George Custer led 600 men into the Little Bighorn Valley
* attacked by 2,000 Indians
* Custer- he and his men died
Short victory for the Plains Indians
* defeated by the army and surrendered their lands

16. Massacre at Wounded Knee
Sitting Bull- Accidentally shot and killed
* upset the Plains Indians
Indians fleeing the reservations in response to Sitting Bulls death
* tracked down by the settlers
* accidental shots broke out
* 300 Plains Indians died

17. Farming
Homestead Act- government promising 160 acres of land for anyone who farmed the land for 5 years
Oklahoma Land Rush- government allowing free homesteads in Oklahoma
* Had to wait until noon on April
* “Sooners”- those who left too early

18. Hard Life on the Plains Sod Houses- soil held together by grass routes
* leaked and not sturdy
Difficult climate- drought and harsh winters
* insect problems/crop failure
Very low pay- difficult price movement of goods

19. Farmers Take Action The Grange- formed in 1867
** Goal- boost profits for farmers
How?
Cooperative Buying- group of farmers buying supplies wholesale (large quantities)
Farmers Alliance- set up buying warehouses

20. Election of 1896 Populist Party- gained power in previous elections
1. William Jennings Bryan (Pop)
2. William McKinley (Rep)
Farmers- voted for Bryan
Bankers and Businessmen- voted for McKinley
* McKinley won- many voted in East
* Populist Party broke up after the election