Westward Expansion: Native Americans, Settlers, and Legislation

Pull Factors leading to the Settlement of the West

Factors that attracted settlers to the West, including discoveries of gold and silver, the transcontinental railroad, the relocation of Native Americans, and the availability of cheap or free land.

Reservation System

A policy that designated specific areas for Native American tribes, often resulting in the loss of their ancestral lands.

Homestead Act (1862)

A law that provided 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee, provided they improved the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops.

Dawes Act

An 1887 law aimed at assimilating Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land and granting them U.S. citizenship, while reducing the size of reservations.

Agricultural Surplus

The condition where agricultural production exceeds the needs of the population, often leading to lower prices and economic challenges for farmers.

Sherman Silver Purchase Act

An 1890 law that required the U.S. government to purchase and coin silver, increasing the money supply and supporting silver miners.

Grange

A farmers' organization founded in 1867 that aimed to promote the economic and political interests of farmers.

Granger Laws

State laws enacted in the late 19th century to regulate railroad rates and grain elevator charges, reflecting the influence of the Grange movement.

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

A federal law that aimed to regulate the railroad industry and prevent monopolistic practices by requiring that rates be reasonable and just.

Farmers' Alliance

A network of farmers' organizations in the late 19th century that sought to address the economic challenges faced by farmers through collective action.

Populism

A political movement that emerged in the late 19th century advocating for the rights and power of the common people, particularly farmers, against the elite.

Cross of Gold Speech

A famous speech delivered by William Jennings Bryan in 1896, advocating for the free coinage of silver and criticizing the gold standard.

Plains Indians

Native American tribes that primarily inhabited the Great Plains and relied on buffalo hunting for their livelihood.

Indian Wars

A series of conflicts between the U.S. government and Native American tribes during the westward expansion, often resulting in the displacement of Native peoples.

Forced onto Reservations

The policy of relocating Native American tribes to designated areas known as reservations, often against their will and resulting in loss of traditional lands.