SSUSH12 Vocab

09/27/2026

Great Plains

Vast grassland between the Mississippi River and the rocky mountains

Rocky Mountains

A major mountain system of the United states and Canada, extending 3,000 miles from Alaska south to New Mexico

Sierra Nevada

In California and Nevada; contains Lake Tahoe, Mount Whitney and Yosemite Valley

Transcontinental Railroad

a railroad line linking the Atlantic and Pacific coast of the US, completed in 1869

Pacific Railway Act

1862 legislation to encourage the construction of a transcontinental railroad, connecting the West to industries in the Northeast (Union Pacific and Central Pacific RR)

Central Pacific

the railroad company based on the West Coast that helped build the transcontinental railroad; starting point was Sacramento, California

Union Pacific

the railroad company that began building of the transcontinental railroad from its eastern starting point in Omaha, Nebraska

Immigrant Labor

Came in large numbers, unskilled workers, extremely low wages, performed jobs no one else wanted, 14 hour work day

Plain indians

Posed a serious threat to western settlers because, unlike the Eastern Indians from early colonial days, the Plains Indians possessed rifles and horses.

“Indian Wars”

Ranged from colonial times to the Wounded Knee massacre and "closing" of the American frontier in 1890, generally resulted in the conquest of American Indians and their assimilation or forced relocation to Indian reservations

Sioux

Major northern Plains Indian nation that fought and eventually lost a bitter war against the U.S. Army, 1876-1877

Cheyenne

Capital of Wyoming

Black Hills

The area promised to the Sioux in the Dakota territory but this promise was broken when gold was discovered

George Armstrong Custer

United States general who was killed along with all his command by the Sioux at the battle of Little Bighorn (1839-1876)

Chief Joseph

Leader of Nez Perce. Fled with his tribe to Canada instead of reservations. However, US troops came and fought and brought them back down to reservations

Buffalo Soldiers

Nickname for African-American soldiers who fought in the wars against Native Americans living on the Great Plains during the 1870s

Reservation

Federal land set aside for Native Americans

Wounded Knee

The 7th Cavalry rounded up Sioux at this place in South Dakota and 300 Natives were murdered.

Dawes Act

1887 law which gave all Native American males 160 acres to farm and also set up schools to make Native American children more like other Americans

Ranching

A form of commercial agriculture in which livestock graze over an extensive area.

Cowboys

Cattle handlers who drove large herds across the southern Great Plains. The era of the cowboy lasted from 1870 to the late 1880s.

“Open Range”

A vast area of grassland owned by the government where ranchers could graze their herds for free

“Long Drive”

Refers to the overland transport of cattle by the cowboy over the three month period. Cattle were sold to settlers and Native Americans.

Barbed Wire

Strong wire with barbs at regular intervals used to prevent passage

Homestead Act

1862 - Provided free land in the West to anyone willing to settle there and develop it. Encouraged westward migration.

Sod Houses

Houses made of mud, rock, water, and other things

Groundwater

Water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers