Setting the West

prospector

A person who searches for valuable minerals or metals, often in remote areas.

homestead

A settlement typically consisting of a house and land, often granted through legislation.

nomad

A member of a group that has no permanent residence and moves from place to place.

boomtowns

Towns that grow rapidly as a result of sudden economic opportunities, often due to mining.

dry farming

Agricultural technique that involves planting crops in a way to conserve moisture in dry regions.

annuity

A fixed sum of money paid to someone annually, often used in the context of payments to Native American tribes.

vigilance committees

Groups formed by citizens to enforce law and order in the absence of formal law enforcement.

sodbuster

A nickname for farmers on the Great Plains, especially those who plowed the grasslands.

Indian Peace Commission, 1867

A federal commission aimed at resolving conflicts between Native Americans and settlers.

hydraulic mining

A mining method that uses high-pressure water to dislodge rock and soil.

bonanza farm

Large farms that produced a single cash crop, often run by companies.

assimilate

To absorb and integrate into a larger culture or society.

quartz mining

A method of mining for gold that involves extracting it from quartz veins.

Homestead Act, 1862

Legislation that encouraged westward migration by providing settlers with land.

allotment

A portion of land granted to an individual, often used in the context of the Dawes Act.

open range

Unfenced land where cattle can roam freely without barriers.

Oklahoma Land Rush

A series of events in the late 1800s where settlers raced to claim land in Oklahoma.

Red Cloud

A prominent Lakota chief known for his resistance to U.S. expansion.

haciendas

Large estates or ranches, commonly found in Spanish-speaking countries.

Sitting Bull

A Lakota leader known for his role in resisting U.S. government policies.

barrios

Neighborhoods or districts often inhabited by a specific ethnic group, particularly Hispanics.

Crazy Horse

A Lakota war leader noted for his resistance against U.S. forces.

Chief Joseph

Leader of the Nez Perce tribe known for his surrender speech advocating for peace.

Chief Black Kettle

A Cheyenne chief who sought peace between Native Americans and white settlers.

George Armstrong Custer

A U.S. Army officer known for his role in Native American Wars, most notably at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Battle of Little Bighorn

A 1876 battle in which Custer's forces were defeated by Native American warriors.

Dawes Act, 1887

Legislation aimed at assimilating Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land.

Citizenship Act of 1924

Legislation that granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States.

Indian Reorganization Act, 1934

Federal legislation intended to reverse the Dawes Act's policies and restore some degree of self-governance.

Sand Creek Massacre (Colorado)

A tragic event in 1864 where U.S. troops killed over 150 Cheyenne and Arapaho people.

Black Hills (South Dakota)

A sacred land for the Lakota, sought after by settlers for gold.

Wounded Knee Creek (South Dakota)

Site of a massacre in 1890 marking a tragic end to the Indian Wars.