HIST 1302 Westward Expansion

Which Indigenous groups dominated the Northern Plains despite westward expansion?

The alliance of the Sioux, Arapaho, and Cheyenne.

What was the primary resource Plains Indians relied on?

The buffalo (bison).

What hardships did western tribes face under westward expansion?

Disease (e.g., smallpox) and impacts of industrialization.

What policy treated tribes as both independent nations and wards of the President?

U.S. Tribal Policies via treaties (often disregarded).

What was the Concentration Policy (1851)?

Tribes assigned to separate reservations by (often illegitimate) treaties, freeing land for settlers and making tribes easier to control.

What happened during the Comanche Wars (1867–1875)?

Comanche land was lost; the tribe was forced onto reservations.

What was the outcome of the Nez Perce War (1877)?

The Nez Perce tribe was defeated.

What organization was founded in 1882 to promote assimilation of Native Americans?

The Indian Rights Association.

What did the Ghost Dance Movement preach?

Unity, ancestors’ return, end of expansion, and buffalo revival.

Which act inspired Lakota resistance and was linked to the Ghost Dance?

The Dawes Act.

Who were the Native leaders at the Battle of Little Bighorn (1876)?

Crazy Horse, Chief Gall, and Sitting Bull.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Little Bighorn?

A Native victory—Custer and many men of the 7th Cavalry were killed.

What sparked the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890)?

A scuffle over a rifle.

What were the casualties at Wounded Knee?

150–300 Lakota men, women, and children killed by the 7th Cavalry.

What controversial recognition did soldiers receive after Wounded Knee?

20+ Medals of Honor.

What did the Dawes Act (1887) establish?

Division of tribal land into allotments; “excess” land sold.

What were the Dawes Rolls (1893)?

Registration of the Five Civilized Tribes for allotments.

What did the Curtis Act (1908) do?

Ended recognition of tribal governments and communal land rights.

What role did the Bureau of Indian Affairs play in assimilation?

Promoted Christianity and private farming.

How did gender roles shift under assimilation policies?

Women discouraged from field work; men labeled “lazy.”

What happened in Indian Boarding Schools?

Children’s language, hair, clothing, and names stripped; harsh punishments; taught labor (mechanics, agriculture, printing).

What motivated migration westward after the Civil War?

Gold/silver mining, cattle ranching, farming, and the transcontinental railroad.

What did the Homestead Act (1863) grant?

160 acres for a small fee, requiring 5 years’ settlement and improvement.

Which states were admitted during westward expansion (1864–1896)?

Nevada (1864), Nebraska (1867), Colorado (1876), North & South Dakota, Montana, Washington (1889), Wyoming & Idaho (1890), Utah (1896).

What did Utah have to do before achieving statehood in 1896?

Ban Mormon polygamy.

What triggered mining booms in the West?

Gold Rush (California), Colorado (1859), Black Hills (1874); later copper, lead, tin, zinc.

What were conditions in mining towns like?

Few women; dangerous work; high injury/death rates.

What roots did cattle ranching draw on?

Mexican and Texan traditions, with cattle drives aided by railroads.

What were “Range Wars”?

Disputes between ranchers and farmers, often over overgrazing.

What was the Chisholm Trail?

Route where 10 million cattle were herded to Kansas railheads, then shipped to Chicago.

How were cowboys popularized in U.S. culture?

Through Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West shows.

What innovations helped western farming?

Barbed wire fencing, “dryland farming,” and drought-resistant crops.

What caused the decline of small farming?

Rise of commercial agriculture and dependence on banks, railroads, and markets.