U2: Western Expansion (development of the industrial US)

why people moved to the west

word spread that gold was discovered in colorado so people moved there

boomtowns

small mining towns on native american soil

massacre at sand creek

land was put aside for the natives but many refused to stay and preferred their own territories. Cheyenne tribe assumed it was under the protection of the US gov and returned to sand creek. US general SR curtis ordered that the brigade attack them. over 150 natives killed.

Fetterman Massacre

sioux worrior razy horse ambushed and killed over 80 soldiers in an attack on bozeman trail

treaty of fort laramie

sioux agreed to live on rez along missori river. Sitting bull did not sign treaty.

gold rush

george custer discovers gold in the black hills sparking another gold rush and resulting in more violence

little bighorn river

Sioux and cheyenne held a sun dance and sitting bull envisioned a great battle; custer and his troops died.

buffalo

big part of native american lifestyle

assimilation

process which native americans would give up their beliefs and way of life to become part of white culture.

Battle of wounded knee

military officials feared that the ghost dance practiced by the sioux was a threat and ordered the arrest of sitting bull. In this fight sitting bull was shot and killed. 350 starving and sick sioux were escorted to the wounded knee creek and 300 were killed leaving their bodies to freeze- officially ended the native american wars.

Toll house

cooked, acts as an inn, pay the toll fee and people would fix problems

union pacific

moved westward from nebraska

central pacific

eastward from california to crceate the first ranscontinental railroad

homestead act

offered settlers 160 acres of free land to the head of a household or intended citizen (600,000)

exodusters

african americans who moved from the post-reconstruction south to kansas

Sooners

people who would cheat and claim their land early during the homestead races for land

Soddies

homes made out stacking sod or turf; warm in the winter, cool in the summer. attracts bugs and snakes and leaked when it rained

john deere

invents steel plow

Cyrus McCormick

invented mass reaping machine

Bonanza Farms

single cropped farms, often 10,000-15,000 acres large.

problems (populism)

greenbacks were discontinued after the civil war, increasing their value. Farmers who took loans on the old greenbacks had to pay back higher cost. value of crops dropped dramatically. prices with railroads were high because no competition.

Oliver Hudson Kelley

started the grange

the grange

formed to provide social outlet and education center for isolated farm families

farmers alliance

4 million strong. spread news and educated farmers about not getting taken advantage of

William Jennings Bryan’s speech

cross of gold

Populism

movement of people/ people’s party; gave voice to farmers of the country and get a vote in washington DC

populism party platform

increase the money supply= raised prices for goods and services, 8 hour work day, graduated income tax (more money made is more money taxed) one term for president and VP, secret ballot for elections

panic of 1893

reading and philly reailroads went bankrupt due to overexpansion. Gold supplies were thin. stock market crashed leaving over 15,000 businesses and 500 banks closed

bimetallism

system in which the government would give citizens either gold or silver in exchange for paper currency or checks

gold standard

backing of dollars with just gold- opposed bimetallism

gold bugs

bankers and businessmen wanted gold standard and less money in circulation. wanted lower prices, greater value for money, and fewer people to have money

silverites

farmers and laborers, wanted bimetallism and more money in circulation, wanted inflation, higher prices, less valuable money, and more people to have money

populism effects

8 hr work day, graduated income tax, secret ballots, limits to terms of presidency (william mckinley won and william jennings bryan lost.)