Period 6: 1b Western Frontier

Manifest Destiny

The American concept driven by nationalism which pushed for the expansion of U.S land holdings westward. 

The Homestead Act of 1862

Offered free 160 acres of land for any persons living on and improving land for five years.

Pony Express

System of horse routes which worked to take mail over 1960 miles from Missouri to California. 

Railroad Act of 1862

Provided subsidies to railroad companies to encourage the westward expansion of the United States.

Subsidies 

Low interest loans and land grants provided by the U.S government to encourage westward expansion.

First transcontinental railroads

Development of first transcontinental railroads as a result of the subsidies provided by the Federal Government. 

Union Pacific/Central Pacific railroads

First railroad contracted was from Omaha Nebraska to Utah.

Promontory Point, Utah

Meeting point of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads. 

Standard Gauge

Standard width of all railroads commercialized railroads and allowed for interchangeable carts. 

Standard Time Zones

Created by the Railroad companies to allow for efficient transportation.

Credit Mobiler Scandal

Government bribes by the Union Pacific Railroad company which allowed for the 50 million dollar project. To be charged to the government at 94 million dollars. 

Ghost towns

As new railroads were built far out of the way of old towns folks migrated to other closer and larger towns.

Agricultural Innovations and Technologies

Invention of the windmill, steel plow, and barbed wire significantly increased agricultural production further industrializing farming.

Open Range

New agricultural and land practices pushed away the ideas of a open ranged farming practice.

Spur Lines

Small branches of railroad tracks which branch off main lines to provide services to specific areas.

Abusive Railroad Practices 

Abusive business methods which hurt farmers through things like freight rates which charged farmers more for shorter routes. 

Granger Laws 

Laws put in place by farmers elected into government to protect farmers and the agricultural industry as a whole. 

Wabash vs. Illinois

Granger Laws challenged congress concluded federal government alone could control interstate commerce. (1886)

Interstate Commerce Commission

Federal government branch established to regulate the practices of companies related in interstate commerce. (1887)

Indian Removal Act

Act which authorized the forced removal of Eastern indians and relocated to reservations in Oklahoma. (1830)

Reservation system

Land plots reserved for Native Americans to secure crucial land for Americans. Oppressive system which usually gave Native Americans land incapable of farming and hunting on.

Destruction of the Buffalo

American decimation of Buffalo’s as they were seen as pests to American farmers and westward expansionist.

Battle of Little Big Horn

Most famous Indian Conflict Sioux native americans led by chief Crazy Hores and Sitting Bull. 264 patriot killed by a group of 2500 braves. (1876)

General George Cluster

General of the patriot patrol of 264 all killed by the Sioux ambush.

Crazy Horse/Sitting bull

Chiefs of the Sioux who ambushed the Patriot patrol in the battle of Little Big Horn. 

Chief Joseph/Nez-Perce Tribe

Chief Joseph leader of the Nez-Perce Tribe placed on a poor quality reservation attempted to lead his tribe to refuge in Canada. Nez-Perce Tribe was caught just 40 miles away from the Canadian Border after a 1700 mile trip

“I will fight no more forever”

Famous quote by Chief Joseph after the capture of the Nez-Perce Tribe.

Wovoka/Ghost Dance

Religious group which alleged via the word of Prophet Wovoka that doing the ghost dance would bring them back to the previous way of life.

Pine Ridge Reservation S.D./Wounded Knee

The massacre of Native Americans on the Pine Ridge Reservation 300 Sioux. (1890)

Helen Hunt Jackson

Wrote the Century of Dishonor which was on the misconduct by the federal government on the issue of Native Americans. 

Century of Dishonor

Spoke about the governments misconduct relating to the handling of the Native American problem 

Dawes Severalty Act

Gave 160 acres of land to Native Americans and gave citizenship after 25 years on the land. (1887)

Indian Reorganization Act

Promoted the self governance of Native Americans as opposed to the Dawes Act.(1934)

Frederick Jackson Turner

Creator of the Turner thesis

Turner’s Frontier Thesis

The expansion westward and the conquering of new lands was the defining factor of modern American democracy.

Census Bureau “Frontier closed”

The western frontier was considered settled and the Pacific and Atlantic ocean were seen as connected. Showed a established national economy which was developed through railroads. (1890)