US History from 1877 to Present - Lecture 1

US History 1877 to Present - Lecture 1 Notes

Course Introduction

• History 1523: United States History from 1877 to present.
• Prior knowledge of US History's first half is helpful but not mandatory.
• The instructor will provide background information for events before 1877 when necessary.
• Take detailed notes, including information not on slides, as almost everything said is testable.
• Recordings are for note-taking purposes only and won't be available during exams.
• Notes can be used during tests.

Primary Themes

1. The Making of Modern America

• This period (late 1800s-early 1900s) saw the creation of modern institutions and concepts.
• Examples include corporations, big cities, the two-party system, amusement parks, and mass entertainment.
• The course will explore the political, economic, and cultural evolution of modern America.

2. History: Progress and Regression

• History involves both forward movement (progress) and backward steps (regression).
• The instructor describes it as a "three steps forward, two steps back" dynamic.
• This pattern is evident in civil rights, immigration rights, and politics.
• The goal is to avoid significant regression (e.g., "two steps forward, four steps back").

3. Pushing Back Against Historical Myths

• The course will challenge commonly held beliefs about historical figures, events, and wars.
• Many of these myths are perpetuated by teachers and even historians.

Westward Expansion: Clash of Cultures

• Westward expansion involves the interaction between white Euro-Americans and Native Americans.
• The focus of westward expansion is west of the Mississippi River.
• Before the Civil War, slavery drove westward expansion.
• After the Civil War, the primary drivers were:
  • Profit.
  • American colonialism.
  • Manifest Destiny: The belief in the necessity to expand across the continent and spread American values.

The Great Plains

• The Great Plains encompasses a large area from Texas to Canada.
• In 1877, the area was largely unsettled by white Americans, its value uncertain.
• Today, it is the agricultural center of the US.

America in the Late 1870s and 1880s

Statehood

• In 1870, much of the country was already divided into states, while Oklahoma, the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Colorado were federal territories.

Population Growth

• America experienced a population explosion during this period.
  • 1870: 38 million
  • 1880: 50 million
  • 1890: 62 million
  • This represents a 63% increase in 20 years.
• Driven primarily by immigration
• There were no inmigration laws in 1870.

Urbanization

• By 1870, over 100 cities had a population of at least 10,000.
• New York City exceeded 1 million people by 1880.

Environmental Awareness

• The first national park, Yellowstone, was created in 1872 under President Ulysses Grant.
• Contrary to a popular myth, Teddy Roosevelt did not create the National Park System.

Technological Innovation

• A period of significant technological advancements:
  • Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, Bringing America closer together.
  • Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, improving safety within cities.
  • Hiram Maxim invented the machine gun.
  • Carl Benz (Germany) created the first gasoline-powered automobile.
  • Wind turbines, for generating electricity, were invented in the 1880s.

The Gilded Age

• This industrial and economic boom led to the Gilded Age, which is a topic for a future lecture.

Westward Expansion Requirements

• Westward expansion was primarily driven by profit, not just rugged individualism.

1. Capital

• Significant financial investment was required.

2. People

• Settlers were needed to populate the territories.

3. Transportation

• Railroads were crucial for transporting people, capital, goods and supplies.

Chicago: Hub of Westward Expansion

• Chicago became the central location for westward expansion.
• The name Chicago originates from the Indian word "Shakakwa," meaning "the place where the wild garlic grows."

Chicago's Importance

• Chicago served as a critical link between eastern money and western opportunities.
• It created an economic link between cities and rural areas.
• Transportation: Chicago's location on the Great Lakes and its extensive railroad network made it a transportation hub.

Cattle Industry

• Cattle ranching, not agriculture, was the first major industry in the Great Plains.
• By 1860, there were 500,000 longhorns in Texas.
• By the 1880s, there were 10 million cows on the Great Plains, flowing to Chicago.

Refrigerated Railcar

• The invention of the refrigerated railcar around 1880 revolutionized the meat industry and diets.
• Gustavus Swift revolutionized the meatpacking industry by controlling all aspects of the process.

Environmental Damage

• The cattle industry caused irreversible environmental damage to the Great Plains.
• Cows are an invasive species that destroyed native grasses and contributed to the Dust Bowl.

Pioneers and the Homestead Act

• Pioneers sought personal profit and access to affordable land.

Homestead Act of 1862

• The US government provided 160 acres of land in the Great Plains to settlers who farmed and improved it for five years.
• The Homestead Act also led to corruption by rich farmers.

Challenges of Pioneer Life

• Pioneer life on the Great Plains was harsh due to:
  • Houses made of dirt (sod).
  • Drought.
  • Grasshoppers.
  • Fires.
  • Unpredictable storms.
  • Tornados.

The Grange

• The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry was created in 1867.
• It was a social organization for farmers on the Great Plains, not a political one.
• The Grange served as a precursor to the populist movement.

Obstacles to Westward Expansion

• Bison and Native Americans posed obstacles to westward expansion.

The Bison

• The bison population in the early 1800s may have been as high as 50 million.
• Bison were crucial to the culture and survival of Native Americans.

Extermination of the Bison

• The federal government, in cooperation with other groups, began a mass extermination of the bison.
• Between 1850 and 1890, the bison population was decimated, representing the largest intentional destruction of a species in world history.

Groups Responsible

• Businessmen sought to profit from the furs and meat.
• Ranchers wanted to eliminate competition for grazing land.
• Railroads found bison disruptive to train operations.
• Federal government aimed to undermine Native American resistance.
• Some Native American tribes, like the Comanche, hunted bison for profit.
• The bison population plummeted to a few hundred by the 1890s.

Native Americans

• The US government had a history of moving Native Americans out of the way.

Fort Laramie Treaty (1868)

• The federal government signed the Fort Laramie Treaty with the Lakota (Sioux).
• The treaty granted the Lakota the Great Sioux Reservation (western South Dakota) forever.
• This treaty was almost immediately violated.

Discovery of Gold

• In 1874, gold was discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota, leading to an influx of white Americans.
• Native Americans left the reservation due to the broken treaty and intrusions.

The Great Sioux War (1876-1877)

• The war was fought between the Lakota and the US government, starting in 1876 and ending in 1877.

Lakota Leaders

• Crazy Horse: A military leader who sought to enforce the terms of the treaty.
• Sitting Bull: A military, spiritual, and political leader who opposed living under the treaty.
• The war was characterized by small skirmishes and raids.

Battle of Little Bighorn

• The Battle of the Little Bighorn was the most famous battle of the Lakota War.

George Armstrong Custer

• George Armstrong Custer led the American forces.
• He graduated last in his class with 726 demerits.
• Custer split his forces when facing a superior army, but he did not bring machine guns, and armed his men in the Seventh Cavalry with single-shot rifles instead of repeating rifles.
• Custer underestimated the number and strength of Native American forces, which were between 2,500 and 3,000.
• Custer and all of his men were killed.

Significance

• The battle stunned the nation.
• Native American camps broke up.
• The US government stopped rations to the reservation.
• The US Army increased the number of troops and raids.
• Leaders were lost: Sitting Bull fled to Canada, and Crazy Horse surrendered and was murdered.
• The land in the Black Hills was taken from the Lakota.

The Ghost Dance

• A new religion emerged that blended Native American beliefs and Christianity.
• It preached the return of a messianic figure and the removal of white people.
• White Americans were scared due to underlying war messages and lack of clothing.

Death of Sitting Bull

• In December 1890, Sitting Bull was killed during an arrest, leading to further unrest.

Wounded Knee Massacre

• On December 29, 1890, the 7th Cavalry stopped a group of fleeing people at Wounded Knee.
• As troops disarmed the fleeing people, a shot was fired.
• The US Army opened fire, killing mostly unarmed Lakota, in a massacre.
• As many as 300/350 people died.
• The commander of the 7th Cavalry was promoted and 20 soldiers received a medal of honor.
• The United States Government would refer to this as the Battle of Wounded Knee rather than the Wounded Knee Massacre.
• Native Americans were no longer a threat after this.

Conclusion of Westward Expansion

• By 1890, Native Americans had lost almost all of their land.
• Westward expansion allowed the US to grow but came at a great cost.

Statehood by 1890

• Many of the Great Plains territories had become US states.
• America expanded from sea to sea.
• Railroads connected coast to coast.

Next Lecture

• The next lecture will cover the Industrial Revolution and the Gilded Age.