American West

When was gold discovered in California?

1848

Consequences of gold discovery in America

Westward expansion increased

Mining towns began to develop

Trans-continental railway began construction

Economy was greatly boosted

Fort Laramie Treaty (1851)

Signed in 1851

Permitted US Government to construct railway tracks in Native lands

Buffalo herds moved away from the trains

Natives couldn’t object or follow the herds

They lost their main resource and had to rely on government aid

When did the Oregon Trail open?

1836

Homestead Act 1862

Offered cheap land in the West

Oregon Trail

First safe passage westwards

Popular route for many migrants, especially after the economic depression

400,000 migrants had used it by 1869

Manifest Destiny

God’s plan for Americans to settle in the west

Their right to populate and civilise the west

Used as propaganda by the US Govt.

Barbed Wire

Used to divide land

Prevented crops from being trampled

Windmill

New irrigation system that helped farmers on dry land (Plains)

Extra land was normally granted in these areas to encourage migration aswell

Donner Party

1846

Deterred people from using the Oregon Trail

Attempted a shortcut that split up the group

Half the party survived

Resorted to cannabalism in the harsh winter when stuck in the mountains

Key terminology

In addition

Consequently

Similarily

This led to

Despite this

As a result of

Ultimately

Finally

Subsequently

Due to

Moreover

Undoubtedly

On the other hand

Equally

Therefore

In comparison

Likewise

Furthermore

Polygamy

when a husband has multiple wives

Tribe

Indians belonging to the same group of people with the same language and lifestyle

Pioneer

Someone who does something never done before

Totem pole

Tall wooden pole with carvings telling the family history and status

Travois

carrying frame made up of two poles with buffalo hide stretched between each pole

Plains

very large area of gently hilly grasslands where buffalo lived

Potlatch

feast or party held by NW indians to impress

Waken Tanka

great Indian spirit of the Plains Indians

Brave

title of a male Indian who had proven himself as a warrior

Shaman

witch doctor or medical man who Indians believed had great powers

Buffalo

Large cow like animal used by the Indian for its meat, hide and bones

Scalping

Cutting the skin off someone’s head to stop him going to heaven

Trail

a route across the country before roads

Moieties

social group of NW Indians

Treaty

agreement between the govt. and another group

Reservations

land set aside by the Whites for Native use

Clan

Indian family grouping

Sun dance

ritual carried out by ‘braves’ to show their courage

Hide

buffalo skin treated so it can be used as leather for clothing

Nomad

person who only lives in one place for a short time before moving on

Tipi

home of a Plains Indian made out of buffalo hide and sticks in a cone shape

Coup

test of an Indian’s bravery and cunning

Squaw

Indian wife

Homestead

a farm set up by White people with fencing

Goodnight-Loving Trail

Trail northwards created to grow the cattle industry and link rural ranches to railroads

Cattle industry development factors

Railroads

Charles Goodnight - made trail
Plains Indians - market for beef

Beef demand

Civil War - beef price reduced in South

Homesteaders - western market for beef

Joseph McCoy - Created cow towns like Abilene to improve cattle trade efficiency

John Iliff - Established ranching in the Plains

US Soldiers - found their cattle grew significantly post-war

Winter of 1886-87

Thousands of cattle died in icy blizzards

Some areas had ~15% of their herd dead

“Great Die-up”

Open Range was under pressure by the 1880s

Overstocking

When too much cattle grazes in one area, weakening cattle overall and destroying grassland

Little Crow’s War - summary

June 1862

No financial aid from govt.

Govt. credit runs out

No tribal support

Tribesmen executed

1,300 US troops killed

US Victory

Cheyenne Wars/Sand Creek Massacre - summary

29th November 1864

Prospectors violated FL treaty for gold

Little tribal support

Colorado governor determined to murder Indians

Indians scalped as trophies

130 Indians murdered

Black Kettle killed, reservation is promised

US Victory

Red Cloud’s War - summary

1866-1868

Prospectors crossed into Sioux hunting grounds

Cheyenne, Arapaho, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse allies

Scouts ambush US soldiers

US pressured to appease (Civil War)

Forts burnt down

Cpt. Fetterman + 80 ambushed

Great Sioux Reservation created

Native American victory