Evaluate the extent to which the american west was a land of opportunity for various groups from 1865 to 1890:

Outline:

• Introduction

  • Brief overview of the American West post-Civil War

  • Thesis statement on the land of opportunity for various groups

• Native Americans

  • Displacement and loss of land

  • Resistance movements (e.g., Battle of Little Bighorn)

  • Assimilation policies (e.g., Dawes Act)

• African Americans

  • Exodusters and migration to the West

  • Challenges faced (discrimination, segregation)

  • Opportunities in agriculture, ranching, and entrepreneurship

• Immigrants

  • Chinese immigrants and railroad construction

  • Mexican immigrants and labor in mining and agriculture

  • European immigrants and homesteading opportunities

• Women

  • Role in homesteading and farming

  • Limited rights and societal expectations

  • Opportunities in education and activism

• Conclusion

  • Recap of opportunities and challenges faced by various groups

  • Overall assessment of the American West as a land of opportunity

Example Response:

The American West was viewed as a land of opportunity and success for many people of different racial and financial backgrounds during the time between 1865 to 1890. However, the extent of success from the opportunity varied on multiple factors. For the homesteader, opportunity was based upon good weather conditions and hard work but mostly only large scale corporations succeeded. Mining provided little for the average miner; large mining industries profited instead. At some point West was the land of opportunity and at the same time it was not a land of opportunity for Native American Indians and Minorities. The Homestead Act of 1862 was one of the most significant and enduring events in the westward expansion of the United States. It gave 160 acres of western land to anyone who promised to work the land for five years. This encouraged many immigrants to come to the United States and help settle the West. But the land was too arid for a homesteader to manage 160 acres. Life was hard in the west because of the harsh environment. They had sand storm and droughts, made impossible for farmers to farm. Very few actually made it work and managed to keep their homesteads. Opportunity was unpredictable for the average person, corporations benefited largely from the West (i.e. railroads). When the Transcontinental Railroad was finished in 1869, railroad tycoons realized the opportunity for railroad exploitation and then a railroad boom followed the economic recovery in 1878.Expansion of the railroads brought trade, settlers, and towns. Mining also played a major role during that time period. Gold, Silver, Lead, Copper, Zinc were traded with other countries which helped our nation's economy.

Evaluate the ways that farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Glided Age (1865 to 1900):

Outline:

• Farmers' Response:

  • Economic Challenges

    • Decline in agricultural prices

    • High transportation costs

  • Formation of Alliances

    • National Grange

    • Farmers' Alliances

  • Political Activism

    • Populist Party formation

    • Demands for government intervention

  • Agrarian Revolts

    • Populist movement

    • Farmers' strikes and protests

• Industrial Workers' Response:

  • Poor Working Conditions

    • Long hours, low wages

    • Unsafe working environments

  • Labor Unions

    • Formation of labor unions (e.g., Knights of Labor, AFL)

    • Strikes and protests for better conditions

  • Haymarket Affair

    • Chicago labor protest in 1886

    • Impact on labor movement

  • Pullman Strike

    • Nationwide strike in 1894

    • Government intervention and backlash

• Overall Impact:

  • Rise of Populist Movement

  • Growth of labor unions

  • Government responses and reforms

  • Shift in political landscape

Example Response

both agriculture and labor saw significant movements as sentiment towards trusts began to build under the laissez faire approach in government, and the granger movement gain momentum. This can be seen in calls to artificially inflate the currency and make their, mostly the farmers, lives easier.

Compare and contrast the goals and strategies of organized labor unions from 1875 to 1900:

Outline:

• Introduction

  • Brief overview of the labor movement during 1875-1900

• Goals of Organized Labor Unions

  • Fight for better wages and working conditions

  • Secure shorter work hours

  • End child labor

  • Improve workplace safety

• Strategies of Organized Labor Unions

  • Strikes and boycotts

  • Formation of labor unions and federations

  • Lobbying for labor laws and regulations

  • Public demonstrations and rallies

• Comparison of Goals and Strategies

  • Similarities:

    • Focus on improving working conditions

    • Advocacy for workers' rights

  • Differences:

    • Strategies varied based on industries and regions

    • Some unions focused on specific issues like wages or hours

• Impact of Organized Labor Unions

  • Improved working conditions and wages for many workers

  • Establishment of labor laws and regulations

  • Rise of collective bargaining power for workers

• Conclusion

  • Recap of the goals and strategies of organized labor unions from 1875 to 1900

  • Importance of the labor movement during this period

Example Response

the labor movement in the United States grew out of the need to protect the common interest of workers. For those in the industrial sector, organized labor unions fought for better wages, reasonable hours and safer working conditions.

Explain the extent to which the lives of the american Indians were impacted by western settlement from 1865-1898:

Outline:

1. Introduction

   • Brief overview of Western settlement in the United States post-Civil War.

   • Thesis statement outlining the impact on American Indians during this period.

2. Forced Relocation and Loss of Land

   • Discuss the implementation of policies like the Dawes Act leading to loss of tribal lands.

   • Highlight the impact of the Indian Removal Act on tribes like the Cherokee and Seminole.

3. Conflict and Violence

   • Describe the series of conflicts such as the Dakota War of 1862 and the Nez Perce War of 1877.

   • Discuss the impact of the Sand Creek Massacre and the Wounded Knee Massacre.

4. Assimilation Efforts

   • Explain the establishment of boarding schools aimed at assimilating Native American children.

   • Discuss the impact of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and its role in cultural erasure.

5. Reservation System

   • Analyze the creation of reservations and their impact on traditional tribal ways of life.

   • Discuss the conditions on reservations and their effects on the health and well-being of Native Americans.

6. Resistance and Resilience

   • Highlight instances of Native American resistance movements like the Ghost Dance.

   • Discuss the significance of leaders like Sitting Bull and Geronimo in resisting Western encroachment.

7. Conclusion

   • Summarize the key points regarding the impact of Western settlement on American Indians.

   • Reflect on the lasting effects of this period on Native American communities.

Example Response

the loss of the bison and growth of white settlement drastically affected the lives of the Native Americans living in the West.

/