Myth and Reality in the American West
Indian Wars, Bonanzas, and Myths
The American West, 1873-1891
Indian Reservations
By the 1870s, most Native tribes were forced onto reservations due to government policies.
The U.S. Army considered tribes not residing on reservations as hostile.
Life on reservations was challenging:
Forced agriculture imposed on tribes with a history of transhumant lifestyles.
Rampant disease, poor living conditions, insufficient and delayed government supplies.
The situation escalated into renewed conflicts, beginning in 1868.
The Indian Wars Intensify
Indian Wars became more common across the region.
Increased need for military presence, including African American soldiers known as "Buffalo Soldiers."
Indian Wars consumed significant military resources and manpower.
Continued turnover rates in the frontier army.
Persistent conflicts remained unresolved due to underlying causes not being addressed.
Battle of the Little Big Horn
Marked as the most significant defeat of the U.S. Army in the Indian Wars.
Occurred in June 1876, in efforts to suppress the Sioux in Montana.
Triggered by the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, leading to non-Native encroachment.
General Custer divided his forces, leading to his smaller group being surrounded and defeated:
3,000 Sioux warriors defeated approximately 200 U.S. troops.
Aftermath sparked anger among white Americans, leading to intensified efforts to confine all Indians to reservations.
Apache Wars
Series of conflicts from 1849 to 1886, focusing on the Apache tribes.
The Battle of Cibicue Creek on August 30, 1881 was a minor engagement leading to larger tensions.
Geronimo's departure from his reservation marked the beginning of almost five years of guerrilla warfare;
U.S. tactics and technologies struggled to subdue Apache resistance.
By September 1886, approximately 7,000 U.S. troops forced Geronimo and 24 other Apaches to surrender.
Bonanza West
The image of the American West was a land of adventure and riches.
Many "boom towns" were established rapidly, some evolving into major cities.
some turned to ghost towns, others to major cities
things started to happen very quickly
west became something seen as “unique “ and the identity of “American“
Example: San Francisco grew to over 300,000 residents within 20 years compared to Boston's 200 years.
The West was not just a geographical area but also an idea and lifestyle representing opportunity and adventure.
The Rise of Mining
The 1849 Gold Rush initiated a major mining boom.
mines all across the west began to spring up, attracting thousands of prospectors seeking fortune and reshaping the landscape of the region.
Most independent miners failed; corporations took control, leveraging heavy industry.
The wealth generated was monopolized by large companies, often distanced from the mines.
Significant silver and gold discoveries across the West; notably the Comstock Lode yielded $306 million from 1859 to 1879.
back then that much money was so much!
a yearly salary was around 500
The mining boom began to decline by the 1890s. “Bonanza”
The jobs that were offered in these mines were primarily for white people
many foreign people were charged $20 just to mine, this was almost a month’s worth of salary
Chinese Exclusion Act limited immigration from China, further marginalizing Chinese miners and denying them equal opportunities in the mining industry.
VERY anti-Asian
Cattle Drives
Vast grasslands proved ideal for both farming and ranching.
Ranching methods evolved to drive cattle to railheads in Kansas, facilitating the transport to Chicago.
Numerous trails from Texas to Kansas and Nebraska enabled profitable cattle business:
Cattle purchased for $4 could be sold for $30-$40.
The practice dwindled around the 1880s due to new farming techniques and land privatization, making drives infeasible.
barbed wire
cattle cant be driven through farms
Beef is introduced into people’s main diets
Settlement in Parts of Oklahoma
The Indian Territory was reserved for Native Americans but became essential for cattle movement.
Beginning in the 1860s, land strips were ceded to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad promoting white transport.
The influx of African Americans aimed for a new start in the Indian Territory, alongside white farmers illegally occupying lands.
The government failed to forcefully evict those settlers.
many black people moved to Oklahoma because they were trying to escape the Southern black codes.
Opening Oklahoma for Settlement
Rising demand for land in Oklahoma prompted official legislative action.
In 1889, Congress created the Oklahoma Territory and further removed tribes.
April 22, 1889, designated for a land run resulting in:
Rapid settlement of 1.92 million acres and establishment of Oklahoma City overnight with 10,000 residents.
repeated cycle of the reservations, they want it now that there is an economic opportunity in the area, leading to tensions between settlers and Native American tribes over land rights and resources.
Two groups emerged:
"Boomers" waited for the start signal.
"Sooners" illegally occupied land prior to the official start.
Rise of Assimilationism
Humanitarian efforts sought to resolve the "Indian question" through assimilation practices.
Notably, the Carlisle Indian School began in 1879 aiming to educate Native children to adopt white culture:
Philosophy captured in the phrase "Kill the Indian and save the man."
The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 sought to divide tribal lands:
Each family allocated 160 acres, with single adults receiving 80 and children 20.
Excess lands were sold to white settlers, with over 90 million acres being transferred from Native control to white ownership.
the best land went to the whites, almost screwing over the indians
“if the child dies before the age of 18 the whites get the land“ children then started dying mysteriously therefore giving whites more land.
Assimilation policies lasted until 1934, when tribal land ownership was reintroduced.
Grange movement advocated for the rights of farmers and sought to improve their economic conditions through collective buying and selling, ultimately influencing agricultural policies in the region.
The only thing you knew about the government was that it delivered your mail.
gold standard of money was a crucial element in the economic landscape of the American West, as it dictated the value of currency and influenced the prosperity of mining towns.
miners were mad and called this unfair pricing
this led to the Farmer’s Alliance
for the first time there was talk about how the government needs to be fair
Corruption
Native Americans were often coerced into selling their lands; best lands reserved for white settlers.
Children without parental guidance had their lands inadequately managed.
Many families protested by refusing to sign inheritance rolls.
The reform was heralded but poorly executed, leading to widespread issues.
Massacre at Wounded Knee
Growing discontent among tribes persisted due to poor conditions on reservations.
Starvation cycles encouraged many Native Americans to adopt the Ghost Dance, a spiritual movement.
based on Christian teachings
On December 29, 1890, the 7th U.S. Cavalry intervened in a Ghost Dance gathering:
Attempted disarmament escalated into violence with 200 Indians killed and 25 cavalry members primarily due to friendly fire.
these people were innocent
The incident led to the awarding of 20 Medals of Honor.
this was so terrible that people still want to strip their medals away
Closing the Frontier
By 1891, the notion of "the West" came to an end:
Indian territories reduced drastically and Oklahoma Territory settled almost instantaneously during the land rush.
The U.S. Census of 1890 indicated no continuous frontier line remained open for settlement.
Although some lands persisted, the era of the frontier was considered over, leading to U.S. establishment of modern borders.
The Frontier Thesis
Historian Frederick Jackson Turner articulated the "Frontier Thesis," highlighting:
Westward expansion differentiated the U.S. from Europe.
The West acted as a "safety valve" for social and economic pressures.
Technological advancements were fostered in the West alongside evolving political thought.
Women's rights saw early progression, with one state granting suffrage before the frontier's closure, and eight additional states by 1912.
Additionally, the West contributed to the formation of a relatively inexpensive U.S. empire.
just like Europe is buying gland, we take land in the west through treaties and military actions, reflecting a similar pattern of imperial expansion and resource acquisition.
if we want to be an empire we have to expand (idea)