America Past & Present Chapter 17

Identify the physical features of the Great Plains that impeded western settlement.

Few rivers, no trees for building. Tough soil, and about 15 million buffalo.

Describe the lifestyle of the Great Plains' Indians.

Nomadic and warlike, depended on buffalo and horses. Migratory, formed tribes of several thousand, but lived in bands of three to five hundred.

Name the major U.S. Government Indian Policies from 1830 to 1890.

"One Big Reservation" The government named the land west of the Mississippi, "Indian Territory," and moved eastern tribes there with firm treaty guarantees.

1834 "Indian Intercourse Act" prohibited any white person from entering Indian territory without a license.

1851 government abandoned "One Big Reservation," and assigned definite boundaries to each tribe.

1871 Congress adopted policy which ended practice of treaty making with Native American tribes.

1882 Congress created a "Court of Indian Offenses" to try Native Americans who broke government rules, eventually making them answerable in regular courts for certain crimes.

1887 Congress passed the "Dawes Severalty Act" dividing tribal land into small plots for distribution among members of the tribe.

Identify the most significant blow to Indian tribal life.

Virtual extermination of the buffalo

Describe the U.S. government's land distribution policy from 1862-1890.

Under the "Homestead Act" of 1862 the government gave away 48 million acres, sold about 100 million acres to private citizens and corporations, granted 128 million acres to railroad companies to tempt them into building across the unsettled west, and sold huge tracts to the states.

Identify the largest landowning group in the west.

Speculators and Corporations.

Describe the major components of territorial government in the west.

Began with the "Northwest Ordinance" of 1787, which established the rules by which territories became states. The President appointed the governor and judges in each territory. Congress detailed their duties, set their budges, and oversaw their activities. Until they obtained statehood, the territories depended on the federal government for their existence.

Discuss the Spanish influences in southwestern life and institutions.

The Spanish gradually established the present-day economic structure of the Southwest. They brought techniques of mining, stock raising, and irrigated farming. Men headed families and dominated economic life. Women had substantial economic rights.

List the major mining strikes in the American West from 1848 to 1876.

The 1849 gold rush began the mining boom and set the pattern for subsequent strikes in other regions.

In 1859 fresh strikes were made near Pikes Peak in Colorado an in the Carson River Valley of Nevada. Henry T.P. Comstock, a quick-witted drifter, talked his way into partnership on the claim.

In 1873, John W. Mackay and three partners formed a company to dig deep into the mountain, where they hit the "Big Bonanza," a seam of gold 54 feet wide.

1874-1876 The "Black Hills Rush" began in the Sioux hunting grounds, the army was sent to keep miners out of the area, but failed when scientific teams confirmed the presence of gold.

Describe the typical mining camp of the 19th century.

On the mining frontier, the camp appeared almost simultaneously with the first "strike." Periodicals, the latest fashions, theaters, schools, literary clubs, and lending libraries came quickly to the camps, providing civilized refinements not available on other frontiers. Urbanization also created the need for municipal government, sanitation, and law enforcement.

Mining camps were governed by simple democracy, soon after a strike the miners in the area met to organize a mining district and adopted rules of behavior.

Men outnumbered women by more than two to one, in most camps between a quarter and a half of the population was foreign born.

Describe the steps in the development of the cattle industry.

Joseph G. McCoy shipped by railroad, after having the cattle driven northwards over the plains.

Identify the major social and legal aspects of cowboy society.

Before each drive every rancher drew up their own laws, known as "the laws of the association," which oftentimes were considered the law of the land, as there was very little federal oversight.

Describe the physical and nature-related problems facing western farmers.

No materials for "proper shelters," people lived far apart, harsh winters, locusts, little water.

Explain the new farming methods developed in the American West.

Dry Farming, importation of hardy wheat varieties.

1869 Spring-Toothed Harrow

1874 Joseph F. Glidden: Barbed Wire

1874 Grain Drill

1876 Hay Loader

1877 James Oliver: Chilled-Iron Plow

1878 Harvester

1880 The Lister

Name the problems causing western farmer discontent.

Life was boring and hard, droughts were common and devastating.