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.