Westward Expansion Notes

US History Westward Expansion after Civil War

Reservation System

A system that restricted tribal members to legally defined portions of land reserved for federally recognized tribes.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that westward expansion was destined by God.

First Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851)

Established the reservation system and promised no interference from westward settlers, though payments to tribes were not kept.

Homestead Act (1862)

Provided 160 acres of public land for a small fee to settlers who agreed to work the land for 5 years.

Santee Sioux Act (1863)

Resulted in the hanging of 38 Sioux men, marking the largest mass execution in US history.

Transcontinental Railroad Started (1866)

Construction began, leading to disregard for treaties and conflict with Native Americans.

Sand Creek Massacre (1864)

A raid on a Native camp in Colorado, resulting in the deaths of about 100 people, mostly women and children.

Second Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868)

Moved remaining Sioux tribe members to the Black Hills.

Transcontinental Railroad Complete (1869)

Led to the killing of buffalo, which were vital to the Sioux's way of life. However, it connected Atlantic coast with the Pacific coast.

Indian Appropriation Act (1871)

Forbade Western Indians from leaving their reservations and ended treaty-making.

George Custer announces gold in Black Hills (1874)

Triggered a massive invasion of settlers into Lakota territory.

Lakota War (1875)

War over the violation of the Fort Laramie Treaty.

Battle of Little Bighorn

A significant defeat of US troops by Sioux Chieftain Sitting Bull.

Date of Battle of Little Bighorn

1876

Crazy Horse surrendered at Fort Robinson (1877)

Marked the end of significant resistance by the Sioux.

“Sell or Starve” Campaign (1877)

A forceful agreement requiring tribes to sign or face starvation.

Dawes Act (1887)

Ended collective tribal land ownership, distributing land to individuals.

Wounded Knee

A massacre marking the end of the Indian Wars.

Date of Wounded Knee

1890

Sioux Nation vs US

A long-running court case regarding the violation of the 2nd Fort Laramie Treaty.

Ghost Dance

A Sioux practice predicting the arrival of an Indian Messiah to deliver the tribe from hardship.

Assimilation

The forced adoption of American culture by Native Americans, prohibiting their language and culture practices.

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

Played a significant role in the resocialization of Native Americans into Anglo-American culture.

Boarding schools

Institutions aimed at "civilizing" Native American children.

Chinese Immigration (1850s)

Driven by the Gold Rush, leading to discriminatory actions like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Labor Unions

Organizations formed to protect workers' rights, often opposing immigrant labor.

Anti-Coolie Act (1862)

Aimed to protect white labor from competition with cheap Chinese labor.

First Opium War (1839-42)

Conflict between China and Britain over the illegal opium trade.

Second Opium War (1856-1860)

Fought Britain and France against China for additional commercial privileges in China.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Promised US citizenship to Hispanics in the Southwest after the Spanish-American War.

Californios

Mexicans in the Southwest who often lost their land to white settlers.

Las Gorras Blancas

Mexican-Americans who attempted to reclaim their land through raids and political strategy.

Sunday Laws

Prohibited cultural activities common in Hispanic communities.

Barrios

Clusters of Hispanic working-class homes isolated from white communities.

Chisholm Trail

A cattle-driving route from San Antonio, Texas to Kansas.

Central Pacific and Union Pacific

Companies that built the railroad

Exodusters

Former slaves who migrated to Kansas post-Civil War seeking new opportunities.

Push/Pull Factors

Reasons for migration, including displacement and opportunities in the West.

Oklahoma Land Rush 1889

2 million acres of land for free to thousands of white settlers who raced for it

Cowboys/Ranchers

Profited from cattle sales, facing harsh working conditions and threats from Native Americans.

Miners

Drawn by the California Gold Rush, facing dangerous and backbreaking work.

Native Americans

Developed their own governments and schools on reservations, facing threats from railroads.

Indian Removal Act (1830)

Led to conflicts with settlers and the displacement of Native Americans.

Settlers

No lumber to build proper houses and difficult weather conditions, drought and blizzards

African Americans

Joined westward movement for farming opportunities, facing racism and travel challenges.

Railroad Workers

Immigrants who faced discrimination while working in dangerous conditions.

Women

Contributed to the Wild West with various job opportunities, facing dangers and struggles raising their families.

Frontier

The dividing line between settled and unsettled land, shaping America

Legacy

Provided the US with vast natural resources, expanded borders, and ports for spreading trade and the development of the economy

Inventions for Farmers

Barbed wire, reaper, steel plow, steel windmill made farming more efficient and fast. It ended the open range and the age of cowboys. It also turned the Great Plains into the BreadBasket of the world.

Frederick Jackson Turner

Believed that the American frontier has greatly transformed American culture and development. It allowed people to have new beginnings with opportunities and growth. The frontier has not stopped growing, still continues to this day.

What else was going on during Westward Expansion?

Mex-American war

How is the Wild West not wild?

Agriculture and cattle drives were driven by industrialization

How many buffalos roamed the Great Plains in the 1800s?

30 mil

Which animal changed the NA way of life?

Horses

Biggest obstacle in way of the TC railroad?

Sierra Nevada Mountains

State the TC railroad finished?

Utah

How did the railroads permanently change the US?

Creation of time zones

Plains farmers were also called

Sodbusters

Which natural disaster did not occur in the Great Plains?

Hurricanes

Leader of Apache tribe

Chief Geronimo

Leader of Nez Perce tribe

Chief Joseph

Leader of Sioux

Sitting Bull