The Great American The Great American FrontierFrontier

U.S. Expansion of the WestU.S. Expansion of the West

* The Louisiana Purchase

* Annexation of Texas

* Oregon Territory

* Gadsden Purchase

* Occupation of California

TerritoriesTerritories

The People of the WestThe People of the West

Removed Native AmericansIndigenous Indian TribesSpanish MissionariesMiners & Tradesmen

Hispanic PopulationThe first “American cowboy”

Chinese Population• Anti-Chinese Sentiment• Chinese Exclusion Act Mormons

Joseph Smith

Great American Desert vs. New FrontierGreat American Desert vs. New Frontier

• The East begins to move to the West• Expansion of the Railroads• Homestead Act

– Oklahoma Land Rush

• The Timber Culture Act• The Desert Land Act• The Political Atmosphere of the West

Territories to Statehood

East meets West: The completion East meets West: The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad of the Transcontinental Railroad

18691869

Great Oklahoma Land RushGreat Oklahoma Land Rush

Sod Homestead of the 1880’sSod Homestead of the 1880’s

The Economy of the WestThe Economy of the West

MiningBoomtown to Ghostown

Ranching—Cowboy CultureCowboysCattle KingRange Wars

Commercial FarmingObstacles

FencesJoseph Glidden

& I.L. EllwoodWater

Reverse migration

Farming as an International Farming as an International BusinessBusiness

Cash Crops

Transportation & Communication Advances

Rags or riches

Farmers’ GrievancesFarmers’ Grievances

• The Farmer and the Railroad

• The Farmer and the Bank

• Price controls

• The average life of the western farmer

Romance of the WestRomance of the West

• Literature & Art• Frederick Jackson Turner• Albert Bierstadt & Thomas Moran• The Virginian • Mark Twain

• Tourism• Resort Hotels• Entertainment

Wild West Co.

Frederick Jackson TurnerFrederick Jackson Turner

““Buffalo” Bill CodyBuffalo” Bill Cody

Invading Indian TerritoryInvading Indian Territory

• Treaties & Reservations• Indian Peace Commission• Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Extermination of the Buffalo HerdsBuffalo hunters

Widespread rebellionWidespread rebellion

• Battle of Little Bighorn–Col. Custer–Sitting Bull–Crazy Horse

• Nez Perce’–Chief Joseph

• Apaches–Geronimo

• Battle at Wounded KneeGhostdance

• Dawes Act

Depiction of Battle of Little Bighorn Depiction of Battle of Little Bighorn June 25, 1876June 25, 1876

Chief BigFootChief BigFoot

Wounded Knee MassacreWounded Knee MassacreDecember 29, 1890December 29, 1890

General CusterGeneral Custer

GeronimoGeronimo

Chief JosephChief Joseph

Sitting BullSitting Bull