AimAim: What groups : What groups of Americans of Americans

helped to settle the helped to settle the western United western United

States?States?

IntroductionIntroduction The United States entered a period of The United States entered a period of

great change after the Civil War.great change after the Civil War. A great change occurs with manifest A great change occurs with manifest

destiny. The policy of manifest destiny led destiny. The policy of manifest destiny led many Americans to move west of the many Americans to move west of the Mississippi River after the war.Mississippi River after the war.

Because of this, America’s relations with Because of this, America’s relations with Native Americans changed, as a result, Native Americans changed, as a result, many Native Americans went to war with many Native Americans went to war with the American settlers.the American settlers.

Blacks, too, also experienced great Blacks, too, also experienced great changes after the Civil War.changes after the Civil War.

Besides the changes to African Besides the changes to African Americans, the settlement of the Americans, the settlement of the Great Plains, the conflicts with Great Plains, the conflicts with Indians, many new immigrants were Indians, many new immigrants were arriving in large numbers in the arriving in large numbers in the years following the Civil War.years following the Civil War.

1. Settlers on the Last 1. Settlers on the Last FrontierFrontier

In the years following the Civil War, In the years following the Civil War, Americans moved onto the last frontier-the Americans moved onto the last frontier-the Great Plains.Great Plains.

The last frontier was the area between the The last frontier was the area between the frontier line-which ran from Minnesota frontier line-which ran from Minnesota through Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and through Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and eastern Texas.eastern Texas.

The last frontier also included the Great The last frontier also included the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin.Basin.

Map of the Great Plains1. Name five states that are found in the

GreatPlains.

2. Which mountain range makes up the western boundary of the Great Plains?

3. What purchase was the Great Plains part of in1803? Who explored the region?

4. The climate of the Great Plains is hot and humid. What kind of natural disasters dothe people of the Great Plains worry about?

Rocky MountainStates

Great Basin States

OregonIdahoCaliforniaNevadaUtah

These states are located between the Rocky Mountains& the Pacific Oceanb

1.1 Miners1.1 Miners New discoveries of gold and silver brought New discoveries of gold and silver brought

miners to the last frontier.miners to the last frontier. In 1859, a small mining boom occurred in In 1859, a small mining boom occurred in

Colorado. Other finds in that area over the next Colorado. Other finds in that area over the next 30 years supplied new sources of mineral 30 years supplied new sources of mineral wealth.wealth.

A huge deposit of silver called the Comstock A huge deposit of silver called the Comstock Lode drew miners to Nevada in 1859.Lode drew miners to Nevada in 1859.

Between 1860 and 1870, there was mining in Between 1860 and 1870, there was mining in Montana, New Mexico, Arizona and South Montana, New Mexico, Arizona and South Dakota.Dakota.

Map of theComstockLode

Nevada

The Comstock Lode

Early US Mining Sites 1848-1860

Settlement of the mining frontier most often Settlement of the mining frontier most often followed a pattern:followed a pattern:1) Thousands of miners moved into an area 1) Thousands of miners moved into an area and made claims.and made claims.2) Mining camps were established and small 2) Mining camps were established and small towns sprouted up.towns sprouted up.3) Cities grew—Boise, Idaho, Helena, 3) Cities grew—Boise, Idaho, Helena, Montana and Virginia City, Nevada—grew Montana and Virginia City, Nevada—grew near the mines.near the mines.4) Once a deposit was mined out, however, 4) Once a deposit was mined out, however, the town was abandoned as the miners looked the town was abandoned as the miners looked for new claims. These lifeless towns were for new claims. These lifeless towns were called ghost towns.called ghost towns.

Boise, Idaho 1917

Helena, Montana 1899

Virginia City, Nevada

Western Ghost Town of the 1800s

1.2 Ranchers1.2 Ranchers The large sweep of open land attracted The large sweep of open land attracted

ranchers to the last frontier.ranchers to the last frontier. The area had millions of acres of grass The area had millions of acres of grass

that were perfect for raising cattle. that were perfect for raising cattle. These ranches first started by military These ranches first started by military posts or mining towns and then later, posts or mining towns and then later, they spread over a wider area.they spread over a wider area.

The leading cattle center was Texas. The leading cattle center was Texas. By 1865, there were about four million By 1865, there were about four million longhorn cattle there.longhorn cattle there.

In the 1850s, Texas cattle owners In the 1850s, Texas cattle owners had driven small herds to Galveston had driven small herds to Galveston and New Orleans for shipment by and New Orleans for shipment by water to New Orleans and the east.water to New Orleans and the east.

This method was slow and costly. In This method was slow and costly. In the late 1860s, the first railroads the late 1860s, the first railroads appeared in Kansas. Cattle were appeared in Kansas. Cattle were now being shipped by rail, making now being shipped by rail, making the process cheaper and faster.the process cheaper and faster.

Early Cattle Ranching 1865

Kansas Cattle Towns 1865

Joseph McCoy, an Illinois cattle dealer, wanted Joseph McCoy, an Illinois cattle dealer, wanted to use the railroads to move Texas cattle to the to use the railroads to move Texas cattle to the eastern United States.eastern United States.

McCoy made an agreement with the officials McCoy made an agreement with the officials of the Kansas Pacific Railroad. By 1870, nearly of the Kansas Pacific Railroad. By 1870, nearly 300,000 head of cattle were shipped by the 300,000 head of cattle were shipped by the railroads.railroads.

Cattle trails led to the railroads and cow towns Cattle trails led to the railroads and cow towns such as Wichita, Dodge City and Ellsworth, such as Wichita, Dodge City and Ellsworth, Kansas, arose near the ends of the trail.Kansas, arose near the ends of the trail.

Cattle Drives

Bringing the cattle north from Texas Bringing the cattle north from Texas to Abeline was called the long drive.to Abeline was called the long drive.

One trail, the Chisholm Trail, led to One trail, the Chisholm Trail, led to the railroads that were built in the railroads that were built in Kansas. From there, most of the cattle Kansas. From there, most of the cattle were shipped east for beef. Some were shipped east for beef. Some cattle were used to build up herds in cattle were used to build up herds in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas.Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas.

Chisholm TrailChisholm Trail

Jesse Chisholm

There was conflict on the open range, or There was conflict on the open range, or unclaimed public grasslands.unclaimed public grasslands.

By 1879, cattle raising had become a big By 1879, cattle raising had become a big business. However, as more people invested business. However, as more people invested their money in cattle, more animals were their money in cattle, more animals were bred than the land could support leading to bred than the land could support leading to overgrazing.overgrazing.

Trouble arose between large and small Trouble arose between large and small cattle owners as well as between cattle and cattle owners as well as between cattle and sheep owners. Trouble also broke out sheep owners. Trouble also broke out between cattle owners and people who between cattle owners and people who wanted to settle the land. Wars broke out wanted to settle the land. Wars broke out soon after.soon after.

To keep out settlers, cattle owners built To keep out settlers, cattle owners built fences around large areas of land. Settlers fences around large areas of land. Settlers cut through these fences to get water and cut through these fences to get water and built their own to keep herds from trampling built their own to keep herds from trampling their crops.their crops.

Cattle owners cut fences because they Cattle owners cut fences because they interfered with their herds grazing.interfered with their herds grazing.

Open range cattle herding declined. Two Open range cattle herding declined. Two severe winters killed thousands of animals severe winters killed thousands of animals and brought the process to an end.and brought the process to an end.

The owners who survived changed their way The owners who survived changed their way of raising cattle. Cattle owners used barbed of raising cattle. Cattle owners used barbed wire to fence off their land.wire to fence off their land.

Barbed WireBarbed Wire

1.3 Homesteaders1.3 Homesteaders Homesteaders were people who Homesteaders were people who

settled on land with plans to farm it, settled on land with plans to farm it, also moved west in search of land.also moved west in search of land.

In 1862, the United States Congress In 1862, the United States Congress passed the Homestead Act to passed the Homestead Act to encourage settlement in the West.encourage settlement in the West.

The Homestead Act gave settlers 160 The Homestead Act gave settlers 160 acres of land after they had lived on it acres of land after they had lived on it for five years and improved it.for five years and improved it.

Before the Homestead Act, public Before the Homestead Act, public land was sold in order to raise land was sold in order to raise money for the government. money for the government.

Many people from east of the Many people from east of the Mississippi and from Europe rushed Mississippi and from Europe rushed to accept the government’s offer.to accept the government’s offer.

The Homestead Act was passed in 1862 by the United States Government.Congress gave away 160 acres of public land to anyone who lived on theland for five years. The states in red had anywhere from 8-to-50 percent oftheir land settled as a result of the Homestead Act.

Homestead Act-Primary Source Document

The line of settlement moved west The line of settlement moved west across the Great Plains. across the Great Plains.

In earlier years, the Great Plains were In earlier years, the Great Plains were not settled because people believed that not settled because people believed that the area was unsuitable for farming.the area was unsuitable for farming.

By 1865, farmers had moved into By 1865, farmers had moved into Kansas and Nebraska. Soon after, the Kansas and Nebraska. Soon after, the United States Government encouraged United States Government encouraged people to settle in the lands further people to settle in the lands further west.west.

In the early 1880s, the entire states of In the early 1880s, the entire states of Nebraska and Kansas were settled. Nebraska and Kansas were settled. People soon settled in the Dakota People soon settled in the Dakota territory between 1868-to-1885.territory between 1868-to-1885.

The populations of Minnesota, Kansas, The populations of Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Colorado and Nebraska, the Dakotas, Colorado and Montana all increased.Montana all increased.

More land was opened in the years More land was opened in the years following the Civil War then at any following the Civil War then at any time in our nation’s history.time in our nation’s history.

Great Plains States

Homesteaders faced many problems Homesteaders faced many problems including:including:a) Little rainfalla) Little rainfallb) Few streamsb) Few streamsc) No treesc) No treesd) Droughtd) Droughte) Blizzardse) Blizzardsf) Insectsf) Insects

Those who stayed to settle the land learned to adapt.Those who stayed to settle the land learned to adapt. Farmers on the Great Plains used new steel plows to Farmers on the Great Plains used new steel plows to

work the soil. work the soil. Farmers planted a new kind of Russian wheat that Farmers planted a new kind of Russian wheat that

used very little water.used very little water. Farmers built windmills to pump water to the surface Farmers built windmills to pump water to the surface

while dry-farming. Dry-farming meant plowing while dry-farming. Dry-farming meant plowing deeply into the soil to bring up underground deeply into the soil to bring up underground moisture.moisture.

By 1890, the Homesteaders settled much of the By 1890, the Homesteaders settled much of the remaining area of the West. In 1890, the head of the remaining area of the West. In 1890, the head of the United States Census Bureau declared the frontier United States Census Bureau declared the frontier had closed.had closed.

Population Density Map of the US-1890

1.4 The Myth of the Wild 1.4 The Myth of the Wild WestWest

The myth of the West as a glamorous place The myth of the West as a glamorous place of excitement has grown over time. This is of excitement has grown over time. This is because of novels, plays, movies and because of novels, plays, movies and television have often presented romantic, television have often presented romantic, rather than realistic, views of Western rather than realistic, views of Western frontier life. Thus, the difference between frontier life. Thus, the difference between fact and fiction has not always been clear.fact and fiction has not always been clear.

Dime novels (cheap, paperback thrillers) Dime novels (cheap, paperback thrillers) did much to start the myth. These novels did much to start the myth. These novels became popular after the Civil War.became popular after the Civil War.

The heroes of dime novels included The heroes of dime novels included William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, James William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, James Butler, “Wild Bill” Hickok and villians Butler, “Wild Bill” Hickok and villians such as Jesse James and William Bonney such as Jesse James and William Bonney (Billy the Kid).(Billy the Kid).

Buffalo Bill Cody started his own Wild Buffalo Bill Cody started his own Wild West show. The show had Indian dances, West show. The show had Indian dances, pony races and steer roping while pony races and steer roping while featuring the sharpshooting of Annie featuring the sharpshooting of Annie Oakley.Oakley.

William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody

Wild Bill Hickok

Jesse JamesJesse James

William Bonney-Billy the William Bonney-Billy the KidKid

Annie OakleyAnnie Oakley

Western novels, with authors like Zane Grey, Western novels, with authors like Zane Grey, furthered the myth of the Wild West after furthered the myth of the Wild West after the decline of dime novels in the 1890s.the decline of dime novels in the 1890s.

Western movies such as Western movies such as The Great Train The Great Train Robbery (1903)Robbery (1903) added luster to the myth. added luster to the myth.

During the 20During the 20thth Century, thousands of Century, thousands of Americans have watched actors such as Tom Americans have watched actors such as Tom Mix and John Wayne continue to defeat the Mix and John Wayne continue to defeat the bad guys.bad guys.

In the 1950s, such television series as In the 1950s, such television series as Bonanza and Gunsmoke replaced novels and Bonanza and Gunsmoke replaced novels and movies for most Americans.movies for most Americans.

Zane GreyZane Grey

The Great Train RobberyThe Great Train Robbery

Western HeroesWestern Heroes

Tom Mix John Wayne

Western Television Western Television ShowsShows