chapter 3: the war in the west

social studies

frontier

an undeveloped area

comstock lode

in 1859, a miner named henry comstock found a huge deposit of gold and silver in nevada. produced more than 500 million worth of gold and silver and lured thousands of california miners to nevada

boomtowns

communities that grew suddenly when a mine opened

cattle kingdom

the great plains from texas to canada where many ranchers raised cattle in the late 1800s

cattle drive

long journeys where cowboys herded cattle to the market or to the northern plains for grazing

chisholm trail

ran from san antonio, texas, to the cattle town of abilene, kansas. it was one of the earliest and most popular routes for cattle drive

pony express

made in 1860. system of messanges on horse back that carried messanges to the west

transcontinential railroad

a railroad that connected the east to the west and crossed the continent.

treaty of fort laramie

first treaty between u.s gov. and plains indian

reservations

areas of federal land set aside for native americans

crazy horse

native american cheif of oglala, sioux. took part in the battle of little bighorn. was killed after surrendering and imprisonment

treaty of medicine lodge

took place in 1867. most southerner plains indian agreed to live on reservations

buffalo soldiers

troops sent by u.s gov that included african american cavalry. the indians also called them this

george armstrong custer

american civil war officer. his soldiers discovered gold in the black hills of dakotas in 1874. killed in the battle of the little bighorn

sitting bull

leader of the lakota sioux. protested u.s demands for land

battle of little bighorn

sioux forces led by crazy horse and sitting bull surrendered and defeated custer bull and his troops

massacre at wounded knee

last major incident at the great plains. u.s shot and killed about 150 sioux

long walk

navajo indians were forced to walk a 300-mile march across the desert to a reservation in bosque redondo, new mexico

geronimo

chiricahua apache indian. he and his bands of raiders avoided capture for many years. in september 1886, he surrendered, thus ending the apache armed resistance

ghost dance

wovaka, a paiute indian, began this religious movement. it predicted the arrival of paradise for native americans

sarah winnemucca

a paiute indian who called for reformation in the late 1870s. she gave lectures on problems with the reservation system and spoke out for the fair treatment of her people

dawes general allotment

act of 1887. tried to lessen traditional influences on indian society by making land ownership private rather than shared