AMSCO® Advanced Placement® United States History, 4th Edition (John J Newman, John M Schmalbach)

Westward Expansion and Economic Development (1877-1898)

Learning Objective

• Understand the causes and effects of the settlement of the West during this period.

The Settlement Patterns of the West

• Economic development in the western United States post-1865 significantly differed from earlier settlement patterns due to industrialization.

Industrialization and Railroads

• Transcontinental Railroads: Critical in promoting settlement and linking the West with the East, thereby fostering a national market.

  • Built mainly during the railroad boom in the late 19th century.

  • First Route: Authorized during the Civil War; consisted of the Union Pacific (westward from Omaha) and Central Pacific (eastward from Sacramento).

    • UP utilized war veterans and Irish immigrants.

    • CP utilized a large number of Chinese laborers, especially in difficult terrain like the Sierra Nevada.

  • The railroads were completed on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Point, Utah (the driving of the golden spike symbolizing the link between the East and the West).

Impact of Railroads

• Additional Routes Constructed: 1883 completion of Southern Pacific, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, Northern Pacific, and Great Northern.

  • Established greater commercial and residential connectivity for settlers, miners, ranchers, and farmers leading to town growth.

Negative Consequences of Economic Development

• Many railroads were financially unsuccessful, built in areas with limited customer bases.

• Environmental impact: Over-exploitation of natural resources led to ecological destruction and near extinction of the buffalo.

• Native American Displacement: High human cost; Indigenous populations lost lands and culture through settlement and economic development.

Transformation of the Great Plains

• Initially considered “The Great American Desert,” the character of the land changed post-1865 due to urban expansion and settlement.

• By 1900, buffalo herds nearly extinguished; significant infrastructural development including fencing and railroads.

• State Admissions: Multiple new states formed from the frontier, including Nebraska (1867), Wyoming (1890), Idaho (1890), and others.

Mining Frontier

• Gold Rush Influence: 1849 California Gold Rush initiated a series of gold and silver rushes across several states, fostering migration.

  • Placer Mining: Individual prospectors using simple tools.

  • Deep-Shaft Mining: Shift to company-led mining operations involving expensive machinery, utilizing miners from various national backgrounds.

  • Major strikes included the Comstock Lode in Nevada, leading to statehood in 1864.

Cattle Frontier

• Economic opportunities of vast grasslands led to the expansion of ranching post-Civil War.

  • Cattle Driving: Long drives allowed for transporting Texas cattle to markets via railroads (e.g., Abilene, Kansas).

  • Emergence of cow towns and increasingly diverse workforce involved in ranching.

• Decline of Cattle Drives: By the 1880s, cattle drives diminished due to overgrazing and environmental challenges coupled with the rise of homesteaders utilizing barbed wire.

Farming Frontier

• Homestead Act of 1862: Influenced settlement of the Great Plains by granting 160 acres of land to settlers under specific conditions.

• Early settlers faced numerous challenges including poor soil conditions, harsh weather, and limited resources leading to widespread farm failures.

Agricultural Adaptation

• Successful farmers adapted by employing techniques such as "dry farming" and introducing drought-resistant crops (e.g., Russian wheat).

Agrarian Discontent and Political Activism

• Farmers organized in response to hardships; span of farmer alliances advocating for reforms.

• The Populist Party emerged reflecting labor and agrarian concerns, pushing for systemic reforms including direct election of senators, expanded currency, and control over railroads.

Conclusion

• The era of Westward Expansion showcased a complex interplay of economic opportunity, social transformation, environmental degradation, and the plight of indigenous peoples, culminating in significant changes to the American social, political, and economic landscape.