Society and Culture on the Western Frontier

Society and Culture on the Western Frontier

Cattle and Cowboys

• Many Americans migrated westward post-Civil War (1877-1898) aiming for self-sufficiency and independence.
• The American frontier was largely settled by the end of the 19th century.
• Railroads into Kansas played a crucial role, facilitating the cattle trade.
• This era gave rise to the romanticized image of the cowboy.
• From the 1860s to 1880s, cowboys were involved in driving large herds of cattle to markets.

Sodbusters and Homesteaders

• Homesteaders, also known as sodbusters, played a role in ending the cowboy era.
• Sodbusters received free land from the government and used barbed wire fencing.
• Sodbusters:
  • They were the first to plow through the soil.
• Only about one-fifth of sodbusters acquired land through the government's offer of free land.
• Others purchased land from railroad companies.
• Increasing mechanization of agriculture led to the consolidation of small farms into larger agri-businesses.

The Closing of the Frontier

• In 1890, the U.S. Census Bureau declared the frontier officially settled.
• The Oklahoma Territory was opened for settlement.
  • Oklahoma Territory: Previously designated as Indian Territory following the Indian Removal Act in the 1830s.

Turner's Thesis

• Frederick Jackson Turner argued that the closing of the frontier was concerning.
• Westward expansion historically served as a release for American discontent.
• The frontier offered the promise of a fresh start.
• It acted as a democratizing force, leveling class and social hierarchies.
• Turner feared that without the frontier, America would face the same class conflicts seen in Europe.

Native Americans and the West

• Westward expansion caused significant hardships for Native American populations.

Reservation System

• The federal government established the reservation system to address the "Indian problem."
  • Reservation System: Native American populations were assigned to live on specifically designated tracts of land with strict boundaries called reservations.
• This system was incompatible with the lifestyles of many Indian populations who relied on following buffalo herds.
• American migrants decimated the buffalo population.
• Indians became official wards of the federal government until they could assimilate into American society.

Resistance and Conflict

• Several Indian peoples resisted the federal government's policies.
• The Sioux Wars began in 1886, with the Sioux initially defeating a U.S. Army division.
• The Indian Appropriation Act of 1871 ended federal recognition of the sovereignty of Indian nations and nullified previous treaties.
• Wars with the Sioux and Comanches followed.
• Ultimately, the pressure from settlers and the U.S. Army, along with the near extinction of the buffalo herds, forced the Indians to capitulate.

Dawes Act of 1887

• The Dawes Act of 1887 was a key legislative act.
  • Dawes Act: The federal government abandoned the reservation system.
  • Reservation lands were divided into 160-acre plots for Indians to farm.
• Indians could become American citizens by settling on the land and assimilating.
• The assimilationist movement aimed to eliminate distinct Indian cultures through:
  • Education
  • Vocational training
  • Christianization

Ghost Dance Movement

• The Ghost Dance Movement was developed by an Indian prophet named Wavoka.
  • Ghost Dance Movement: Participating in this ritualistic dance would bring back the ghosts of their ancestors and drive the white man from their lands.
• The last violent battle of the Indian Wars occurred at Wounded Knee in South Dakota in 1890.
• The U.S. Army killed over 200 men, women, and children, effectively ending the period of Indian resistance.