Chapter 17- The West

Native Americans

Indigenous peoples who long dominated the American West, controlling most of the continent until the late 19th century.

Homestead Act

Passed in 1862, this act allowed male citizens to claim 160 acres of federally owned land in the West.

Ghost Dance

A religious movement among Native Americans in the late 19th century that called for the ancestors of Indigenous peoples to return and reclaim the land.

Dawes Severalty Act

Legislation passed in 1887 that divided Native American reservations into individual homesteads to promote individual farming.

Little Bighorn

The site of a major battle in 1876 where Lieutenant Colonel Custer and his forces were defeated by the Sioux.

Buffalo Soldiers

African-American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army after the Civil War, notably during the Indian Wars.

Sand Creek Massacre

An 1864 attack by Colorado militia on a peaceful Cheyenne camp, resulting in the death of over two hundred Native Americans.

Transcontinental Railroad

A railroad that connected the eastern U.S. to the western states, completed in 1869, facilitating westward expansion.

Wounded Knee Massacre

The killing of hundreds of Lakota by U.S. troops in 1890, marking the end of armed Native American resistance in the Plains.

Mormons

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who migrated west seeking religious freedom.

Cattle Drives

The process of herding cattle from ranches in Texas to railheads in the Midwest during the late 19th century.

Frontier Thesis

Frederick Jackson Turner’s theory that the American character was shaped by the existence of the frontier, presented in 1893.

Indian Peace Commission

A committee established by Congress in 1868 to advocate for reform in U.S. policies toward Native Americans.

Long Walk

The forced relocation of the Navajo people to the Bosque Redondo reservation in the 1860s.

Bison Slaughter

The mass killing of American bison in the late 19th century, leading to their near extinction.

California Gold Rush

A mass migration to California in the late 1840s after gold was discovered, drawing many settlers west.

Red Cloud's War

A conflict between the United States and the Lakota Sioux over rights to the Black Hills, resulting in a rare victory for Native Americans.

Rodeo

A competitive event showcasing ranching skills, which evolved from informal ranch contests into established public entertainment by the late 19th century.

Chief Joseph

Leader of the Nez Perce who led his people in an unsuccessful retreat to Canada from U.S. troops.

Gold Rush

A period of intense migration and settlement in areas where gold was discovered, particularly in California and Colorado.

Cattle Industry

A vital component of the western economy post-Civil War, relying heavily on railroads for transportation to markets.

Pikes Peak Gold Strike

A significant gold discovery in Colorado in 1858 that prompted a large influx of prospectors and settlers.

Battles of the Indian Wars

A series of conflicts between U.S. military forces and Native American groups throughout the late 19th century.