Why the West was Wild

• Expansion of Industry• Iron Horse

• Expansion of Industry• Iron Horse

Expansion of Industry• northeastern labor demands fuel

European immigration• 1870-1900 population of US doubles• 1870-1900 farmland in US double-

edged• 1870-1900 mining workers grow from

70k to 700k• 1870-1919 capital stock grew from 27

billion 227 billion

• northeastern labor demands fuel European immigration

• 1870-1900 population of US doubles• 1870-1900 farmland in US double-

edged• 1870-1900 mining workers grow from

70k to 700k• 1870-1919 capital stock grew from 27

billion 227 billion

Expansion of industry

• Northwest territories linked to Eastern seaboard by rails.

• 1860-80 five mainlines from Chicago to East coast

• Northwest territories linked to Eastern seaboard by rails.

• 1860-80 five mainlines from Chicago to East coast

The Iron Horse and Industry• creates demand

– iron, timber, coal, engines

• Facilitates colonizations and capitalization

• creates demand– iron, timber, coal, engines

• Facilitates colonizations and capitalization

The Iron Horse• subsidized

construction• government pays costs• government provides

land to companies• 40 acres of land in

territory for every mile of track laid down.

• subsidized construction

• government pays costs• government provides

land to companies• 40 acres of land in

territory for every mile of track laid down.

Western Right of Ways

• RR 181 million acres of land.

• largest landholder in western territories

• 1862 80 k homesteaders

• rail right of ways as prime areas:

– 1 in 9 acres to small settlers

• RR 181 million acres of land.

• largest landholder in western territories

• 1862 80 k homesteaders

• rail right of ways as prime areas:

– 1 in 9 acres to small settlers

Development of far-western resource extraction• factories in the mountains, woods

and fields.• cattle• mining• timber

• factories in the mountains, woods and fields.

• cattle• mining• timber

Western cattle industrylasted at most 20 yearsut became an iconic image.

Resource Extraction• agriculture=firs

t “industry”• creation of

value• developed as

labor intensive

• agriculture=first “industry”

• creation of value

• developed as labor intensive

Resource Extraction• Mining=territory opener• independent prospectors

– boom towns

• takeover by mining corporations– company towns

• Mining=territory opener• independent prospectors

– boom towns

• takeover by mining corporations– company towns

Resource Extraction

• demand for labor = immigrants• Asian & Mexican• Europe • Emancipated Slaves

• demand for labor = immigrants• Asian & Mexican• Europe • Emancipated Slaves

Post-Civil War Population Growth

• immigration 1850-80• homestead act of 1862-• 160 acres of land for five year

inhabitation and improvement.

• immigration 1850-80• homestead act of 1862-• 160 acres of land for five year

inhabitation and improvement.

Post Civil War Advantages

• large military left over from civil war

• new technologies• rail transport• rifled barrels

• large military left over from civil war

• new technologies• rail transport• rifled barrels

Indian Wars 1840-65

• local policy• colonization• change environment• generate conflict

• local policy• colonization• change environment• generate conflict

Indian Wars 1840-65

• Oregon territory• Southwest• Basin and range• Indian Territory• Plains

• Oregon territory• Southwest• Basin and range• Indian Territory• Plains

Navajo campaign

– 1864-3 Kit Carson leads campaign against Apache and Navajo.

– 8,474 Navajo marched from Navajo to Bosque Redondo in

– 1868 treaty reserve in Navajoland

– 3 goats per man woman and child.

– 1864-3 Kit Carson leads campaign against Apache and Navajo.

– 8,474 Navajo marched from Navajo to Bosque Redondo in

– 1868 treaty reserve in Navajoland

– 3 goats per man woman and child.

INDIAN TERRITORY

• Creeks, Cherokees and Seminoles join civil war

• 7/17/1863 Battle of Honey Springs, • 1866 treaties: cede western half of

Indian territory. • Allow construction of two RRs. • Emancipate slaves (may adopt

them)

• Creeks, Cherokees and Seminoles join civil war

• 7/17/1863 Battle of Honey Springs, • 1866 treaties: cede western half of

Indian territory. • Allow construction of two RRs. • Emancipate slaves (may adopt

them)

Lakota campaigns

• war over encroachment

• 1862 building of Bozeman trail infuriates Sioux.

• 1863 Minnesota: Little Crow’s war

– 500 killed, thousands displaced 23 counties depopulated

• 1866 Red Cloud war – treaty dismantles

Bozeman forts

• war over encroachment

• 1862 building of Bozeman trail infuriates Sioux.

• 1863 Minnesota: Little Crow’s war

– 500 killed, thousands displaced 23 counties depopulated

• 1866 Red Cloud war – treaty dismantles

Bozeman forts

Northern Cheyenne War

• treaty of Horse Creek 1851

– N & W CO reserved for Indians

• 1861-4 Tension with Cheyenne, Arapaho and Sioux

• Indians attack trails.

• treaty of Horse Creek 1851

– N & W CO reserved for Indians

• 1861-4 Tension with Cheyenne, Arapaho and Sioux

• Indians attack trails.

Northern Cheyenne War

• Sand Creek Massacre – 11/28/1864 – John Chivington and CO volunteers– 179 Arapahoes and Cheyennes

killed

• Sand Creek Massacre – 11/28/1864 – John Chivington and CO volunteers– 179 Arapahoes and Cheyennes

killed

Southern Plains

– treaty signed at Medicine lodge KA 1867

– provided reservation

– free hunting through old range

– Cheynne chief Satanta

– treaty signed at Medicine lodge KA 1867

– provided reservation

– free hunting through old range

– Cheynne chief Satanta

Indian Wars

• Destruction Of Native Resource Basis

• “extincting” the Buffalo• destruction of CA hill country

• Destruction Of Native Resource Basis

• “extincting” the Buffalo• destruction of CA hill country

Shrinking Buffalo Herds

– railroad food supply

– sport hunting– buffalo hide

sales– wipe out Sioux – subsistence

– railroad food supply

– sport hunting– buffalo hide

sales– wipe out Sioux – subsistence

Treaty ritual and negotiation

• rituals: peace pipe and signing• council: time of making

statements and negotiating

• rituals: peace pipe and signing• council: time of making

statements and negotiating

Indian Cessions

• Dawes Allotment Act 1887• individual allotment• sale of “remainder”

• Dawes Allotment Act 1887• individual allotment• sale of “remainder”

Mexican cessions

• 1854-91 – grants approved by Congressional Act– 212 claims were heard and 22 approved

• 1891-1904: – Court of Private Land claims for NM

territory– 34,653,340 acres tried--1,934,986 validated – = a 6% retention rate.– commonly held land land as owned by the

State.

• 1854-91 – grants approved by Congressional Act– 212 claims were heard and 22 approved

• 1891-1904: – Court of Private Land claims for NM

territory– 34,653,340 acres tried--1,934,986 validated – = a 6% retention rate.– commonly held land land as owned by the

State.

Public Acquisition of Land

• 2 million private Mexican--->private Anglo

• 1.7 million collective Mex--->private Anglo

• 1.8 million collective Mex--->state owned

• 3 million collective Mex------>Fed. owned

• 2 million private Mexican--->private Anglo

• 1.7 million collective Mex--->private Anglo

• 1.8 million collective Mex--->state owned

• 3 million collective Mex------>Fed. owned