West and Indians

Mexican war + views on it

(1846-1848) The war between the United States and Mexico in which the United States acquired one half of the Mexican territory.

Henry David Thoreau refuses to pay taxes to oppose the war

William Lloyd Garrison critical

Spot resolution

Measures introduced by Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln, questioning President James K. Polk's justification for war with Mexico. Lincoln requested that Polk clarify precisely where Mexican forces had attacked American troops.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Treaty that ended the Mexican War, granting the U.S. control of Texas, New Mexico, and California in exchange for $15 million

Gadsden Purchase

purchase of land from mexico in 1853 that established the present U.S.-mexico boundary

Allowed for transcontinental railroad

Hudson River school

school (group) of artists who painted landscapes of America

Glorified nature

Sewards folly

William Seward's purchase of Alaska from Russia

Manifest destiny

Literally means "obvious future"

God-given right for US to expand westward

Canal system

Built largely in the early 1800s, canals linked the Northeast farming areas with cities and had a powerful effect on westward migration; helped establish New York as an important trading location

Erie Canal

1825 - allows western states to access world trading

2nd great awaking

Religious movement that led to social reforms

Mormonism emerges

Joseph smith

religious leader who founded the Mormon Church in 1830 (1805-1844) after finding the Book of Mormon

Officially called "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"

Persecuted because he challenged religions

He and his brother killed by lynch mob

Brigham Young

United States religious leader of the Mormon Church after the assassination of Joseph Smith

Moves Mormons west to Utah

Mormonism

"Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"

Founded by Joseph Smith, later led by Brigham Young

Endorsed polygamy

Polygamy

marriage to several people at the same time

Condemned alongside slavery

Banned

Reynolds v United States

1878

Rules that banning polygamy is constitutional

Allows freedom of believe, but a restriction on criminal actions (like polygamy)

Denies Utah from entering as a state until it banned polygamy in 1896

genealogy

family history

Mormons kept extensive records

Conestoga wagon

Hooded wagon with supplies

"Prairie schooner"

Aided westward travel

Donner family

Large family organizes group trip westward

Gets stuck in winter, resorts to cannibalism

Shows dangers and lack of success in gold rush

Sutter's mill

Where gold was first discovered in 1848

Gold Rush of 1849

Mass migration to California following the discovery of gold in 1848

Three routes:

1. sail around South America - $

2. sail to panama, cross land, then sail rest of way - $

3. cross across US - cheapest, most popular

Most prospectors are unsuccessful

Pony express

Mail delivery system in west

Short lived (only around 18 months) - replaced by telegraphs

Homestead act

1862

160 acres of land granted to anyone willing to move west

Encourages westward movement

Passed only by Union States - intended to increase # of free states

Only 40% successful - not enough land for individual success

Sod house

house built of soil held together by grass roots

Merrill Land Grant Act

Established during civil war (1862)

Required designation of land by federal government for agricultural colleges

Transcontinental railroad act

created the Transcontinental Railroad, which increased western expansion, led to the closing of the frontier, increased the economic development of the west, and drove industrialization - canals made obsolete

Land granted for RR construction (later resold by agents)

Built primarily by Chinese and Irish immigrants

Leland Stanford

Former California Governor

(One of) primary organizer of transcontinental Railroad

Yellowstone

1872 first national park

Part of conservation movement

Levi Strauss

Begins making denim jeans

"White labor only" - anti-chinese

Oklahoma land rush 1889

Oklahoma land originally promised to native Americans forever

Promise broken after gold found, whites rush to get land

Samuel Colt

Invented colt revolver

"God didn't make people evil, Mr. Colt did"

Buffalo bills Wild West show

Made by William (Buffalo) Frederick Cody - Buffalo Bill Cody

Shows and glorifies western culture to eastern US and the rest of the world

Native American performers paid same pay as white performers

Starred Annie Oakley and Sitting Bull

Annie Oakley

part of the Buffalo Bill Cody show; an extremely good shooter

Female - significant that she was major star in Wild West show

Currier and Ives

Two paint makers - made paintings glorifying west

1890 US Census

American frontier officially closes

Big change - always been frontier in American history

Frederick Jackson Turner

Held Traditional, glorified view of western democratization, opportunities, development, and INDIVIDUALISM

Developed "frontier thesis" (in other flashcard)

Frontier thesis

Proposed by Frederick Jackson Turner

Argued that America's unique experience of a frontier makes it different from any other developed nation; more Democratic and individual

Frontier was a "safety valve" to release pressure

Mount McKinley

Alaskan mountain, gold discovered

Renamed to "Denali" in 2015 - history from the bottom up

How many native tribes are recognized by the federal government?

573

All with different languages, religions, cultures

King Philips war

1675 - Indian uprisings to stop whites - failed

Jeffrey Amherst

General

Hated Native Americans, gave infected blankets to "extirpate" them

Scalping

Introduced by Europeans

Removal of scalp from person killed

Trail of Tears

the forced removal of Cherokees and their transportation to Oklahoma

Oklahoma land promised "in perpetuity" - promise broken (OK Land Rush)

1000s die in process

George Catlin

Painted portraits of Native Americans - positive portrayal

Frederick Remington

an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in depictions of the American West

Believed Indian culture was disappearing - wanted to preserve

Contrary to western glorification