1. Ch. 26: The Great West and Agricultural Revolution: 1865-1896 AP US History

2. WHAT MADE WESTWARD EXPANSION POSSIBLE? 1.Transcontinental Railroad (main reason) 2.Land (Homestead Act 1862) 3.People (immigrants) 4.Opportunity for wealth Mining, Livestock and Agriculture

3. Transcontinental Railroad Construction – First transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869. – Five total during the 19 th Centrury – Irish and Chinese workers played key roles in their construction. – Land grants were given to the RR companies

4. Transcontinental Railroad Consequences for the Great Plains – Played a key role in the near-extinction of the buffalo herds. Devastated the culture of the Plains Indians – Brought a tidal wave of troops, farmers, miners, and cattlemen to the Great Plains – The buffalo was replaced by range-fed cattle as more farmers came. (Ranches, cowboys, fences)

5. Clash in Cultures What are the causes of the transformation of the Native American way of life? Especially on the Plains. 1.Near extermination of the buffalo doomed the nomadic lifestyle of the Plains Indians. 2.White man’s disease/alcohol 3.US Gov backed land claims with force (Army) Ghost Dance, Custer, Etc. 4.Transcontinental RR transformed the economy of the whole region (now valuable) Brought unlimited # of troops, pioneers, etc.

6. Reform Minded America Publication of Century of Dishonor (1881) – Written by Helen Hunt Jackson – PURPOSE: To arouse public awareness of the federal government’s long record of betraying and cheating the Native American’s. EXAMPLES: 1.“Treaties” 2.Land 3.Buffalo 4.Promises of food, clothing, supplies, etc

7. Reform Minded America Christian reformers – Would run schools on reservations – Often withheld food to force Indians to give up their religious rituals and assimilate into white society. – EXAMPLE: “Ghost Dance” – The dance was a sacred ritual expressing a vision that the buffalo would return and the white civilization would vanish. – Battle of Wounded Knee (1890) – As many as 200 Indian women and children killed at Battle of Wounded Knee.

8. Reform Minded America The Dawes Act of 1887 – GOALS: Misguided attempt to reform Native American Policy – Inspired by Century of Dishonor by Helen Hunt Jackson To assimilate Native Americans into the mainstream of American life by.. – Dissolving tribes as legal entities – Setting up families with 160/acres – Making them citizens if they behaved like “white citizens” for 25yrs.

9. Reform Minded Americans CONSEQUENCES: Ignored the inherent reliance of traditional Indian culture on tribally owned land. By 1900, Indians had lost 50% of 156 million acres they had held just two decades prior. Forced-assimilation doctrine of the Dawes Act remained the cornerstone of the government’s official Indian policy for half century. – Indian Reorganization Act 1934 partially reversed the individualistic approach of the Dawes Act by restoring tribal basis of Indian life.

10. Expanding West The West has been expanding at an unreal pace. – “great migration” 1870s-1890s – New states join the Union N/S Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho and Wyoming – This is a political move as well: Rep Congress was seeking Rep votes. – Utah joined in 1896 – Only Oklahoma, NM and Arizona were still territories. » Oklahoma made available in 1888: “sooners”

11. The Fading Frontier A Watershed Report IN 1890, the superintendent of the census reported for the first time in American History a frontier line no long existed! – Frontier is the definition of America’s uniqueness – Land = opportunity/money: now gone – Secretary of War had said it would take 500 years to populate in 1827 – It was a safety valve

12. An Influential Essay “closing” the frontier inspired Fredrick Jackson Turner to write “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” – Significance: Argued cheap, unsettled land helped make American society more democratic (opportunity) Frontier helped shape distinct American spirit of democracy and egalitarianism Frontier was a safety valve for factory workers and immigrants to escape and find new opportunities Frontier stimulated American nationalism and individualism Frontier killed any notion of a hereditary landed aristocracy

13. The Fading Frontier Frontier was a state of mind and symbol of opportunity: NOW GONE! – Government now began to set aside land for national parks. Yellowstone 1872 Remember George Catlin wanted to do this in the past. – Where do we go now? Imperialism (ch.27)

14. New Way of Farming Single Cash Crop (like tobacco in S) = farming becomes big business. – If prices are high this is great system! – More crop = more money = need for more land = need for machinery = need for money = loans = debts. FARMERS ARE NOW TIED TO BANKING, RR AND MANUFACTURING.

15. Problems with Single Crop 1.Success hinges on demand of global market 2.No protection in world market 3.Not enough cash to go around 4.Machines increase output but decrease prices 5.Mortgages 6.Nature (Grasshoppers, floods, droughts, etc) 7.Corporations “farmed” farms.

16. Agrarian Discontent CAUSES of Agrarian Discontent 1.Belief that railroads were using discriminatory rates to exploit farmers. Led to Interstate Commerce Act 2.Belief that Big Business used high Tariffs to exploit farmers 3.Belief that a deflationary monetary policy based on gold hurt farmers 4.Belief that corporations charged exorbitant prices for fertilizers and farm machinery (Trusts)

17. Farmers Political Organizations 1868 Greenback Party-fought against deflation 1867 Grangers- looked to improve farmers collective plight Farmers Alliance: break grip of RR and manufacturers through cooperative buying and selling of goods.

18. Farmers Political Organizations POPULIST PARTY: – Attempted to unite discontented farmers by improving their economic conditions. – Supported the following Increasing the money supply with the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the legal ratio of 16:1 (worth 32:1) Prevent discrimination against small customers with Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 Organize cooperative marketing societies Supported William Jennings Bryan in 1896 Election

19. Farmers Political Organizations REASONS THE POPULISTS FAILED: – Western/Southern farmers didn’t agree on political strategies (different candidates) – Racism prevented poor whites and blacks from working together. – Increase in pop. In cities = higher agricultural prices – New gold discoveries = easier credit – Democrats absorbed most of their programs – William Jennings Bryan lost the 1896 election.