Westward Expansion, NA short stories, Whitman Poetry

Transcontinental Railroad

Completed in 1869, it connected the eastern U.S. rail network with the Pacific Coast, revolutionizing travel and trade.

Labor Force in Railroad Construction

Heavily relied on immigrant labor, with Chinese workers for the Central Pacific and Irish workers for the Union Pacific, facing dangerous conditions and discrimination.

Custer’s Last Stand

The Battle of Little Big Horn (June 25-26, 1876) between Indigenous people and U.S. military over land control.

Manifest Destiny

The belief in U.S. expansion across North America to spread democracy and capitalism.

Indian Boarding Schools

Schools created to remove Native Americans from their homes and promote Americanization.

Chief Sitting Bull

Lakota leader known for his resistance against the U.S. government.

Cultural Impact of the Railroad

Facilitated westward expansion, allowing for easier migration and movement of goods, contributing to the destruction of Native American lands.

Technological Innovations

The introduction of the telegraph for communication and steam-powered machinery that expedited the construction of the railroad.

Oklahoma Sooners

People marked with flags who raced for land during the land rushes.

Loss of Buffalo

Excessive hunting that led to the endangerment of buffalo populations.

Narrative Techniques in Native American Literature

Using characters and plots to depict Native American life and experiences.

Figurative Language

Includes metaphor, simile, personification, symbolism, epiphany, and apostrophes used in literature.

Poetic Formation

Includes free verse with no rhythm or rhyme scheme, and patterns of stressed/unstressed syllables.

Walt Whitman

Poet known for writing about American history, incorporating personal war experience and the beauty of America.

Cultural Themes in Native American Life

Include movement, dancing, buffalo ceremonies, and mourning practices.

Key Literary Devices

Alliteration, assonance, line stops and cataloging enhance a poem's sound and effect.

Meeting Point at Promontory Summit

Mark of symbolic unification of the country celebrated with the driving of the Golden Spike.

Extreme Winters for Native Americans

Required adaptation to harsh conditions for survival.

Diction in Native American Literature

Simple and accessible language used to communicate themes and ideas.