The American West

The American West Notes

Comancheria

• Indigenous people had "empires", projecting military power.

• The Comanche controlled large territories for decades, demanding tribute.

• Access to horses was crucial for maintaining sovereignty.

The Indian Wars

• Federal troops were deployed to clear land and defend Homestead Act settlements.

• Sitting Bull and the Lakota Sioux won at Little Bighorn but were later driven to Canada.

• Environmental devastation significantly contributed to American victories.

U.S. Terms

• Establishment of reservation governments.

• Extermination practices.

• Assimilation tactics:

  • Land use (Dawes Act).

  • Changes in family roles.

  • Forcible Christianization of culture, religion, and language.

Resistance

• Many, including Nez Perce led by Chief Joseph, tried to escape reservations.

• The Ghost Dance spread across indigenous groups.

• Resistance was suppressed, and Sitting Bull was killed.

Wounded Knee

• In 1890, 250-300 Lakota were killed by the U.S. Army.

• By 1900, most Western states were admitted, settling U.S. territorial claims.

Cowboys and Homesteaders

• The myth of solitary settlement is inaccurate.

• Cowboys were hired workers in large groups.

• Homesteaders moved in family groups with government financing and community support.

• Access to commercial goods was common via railroad.

Romanticizing the West

• Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Shows and dime store novels romanticized the West.

• These depictions often excluded or misrepresented Black, Mexican, Chinese, and indigenous people.