Chapter 13: Changes on the Western Frontier

Section 1: Cultures Clash on the Prairie *Great Plains- the grassland extending through the West central portion of the US. -Tribes would hunt and plant crops-they settled in small villages. -They would trade with other tribes in the plains. (Clothing and tools) The Horse and the Buffalo -As Native Americans acquired horses and guns, they were able to travel further and hunt more efficiently. -By the 1700s, almost all of the farmers left their farms to hunt buffalo. -Tribes fought each other when they trespassed on the other's lands. -Native Americans made tepees from buffalo hides and also used the skin and fur to make blankets, shoes, and clothes. Family Life -Young men trained to become hunters and warriors. -Plain Indians believed that powerful spirits controlled events in the natural world. -No individual was allowed to dominate a group. Settlers Pushed Westward -The culture of white settlers differed in many ways from that of the Native Americans on the plains. -As white settlers claimed land they claimed that the Native Americans had forfeited their rights to land because they hadn't settled down to improve it. The Government Restricts Native Americans -In 1834, the federal government passed an act that designated the entire Great Plains as one an enormous *Reservation- or land set-aside for Native American tribes. -Then in 1850 the government changed its policy and created treaties that defined specific boundaries for each tribe. -This led to clashes between Native Americans and settlers. Massacre at Sand Creek -1864- was one of the most tragic events at the Sand Creek Reserve in CO. -US army attacked and killed over 150 people- mostly women and children. Death on the Bozeman Trail *Red Cloud- a Sioux chief who had unsuccessfully appealed to the government to end white settlement. -In December 1866 a warrior named *Crazy horse ambushed *Captain William J. Fetterman at Lodge Trail Ridge. -Native Americans called this the Battle of the Hundred Slain. Whites called it the Fetterman Massacre. *Treaty of Fort Laramie- the Native Americans agreed to live on a reservation along the Mississippi River. *Sitting Bull- was the leader of the Hunkpapa Sioux and refused to sign the treaty.
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Bloody Battles Continue -Red River War- 1868 the US Army crushed resistance on the southern plains. -Gold Rush- in 1874 Col. *George A. Custer said that the Wyoming Black Hills had gold-and the gold rush was on. *Custard's Last Stand- 1876 as Custer and his men reached the Little Bighorn River, Native Americans were ready for them. -Led by Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sitting Bull- the Warriors crushed Custers troops within hours. The Government Supports Assimilation *Assimilation- a plan under which Native Americans would give up their beliefs and way of life to become part of the white culture. *The Dawes Act- 1877 aiming to Americanize the Native Americans. -It broke up the reservations and gave land to individual Native Americans. -The government would sell the remainder of the land to the settlers. The Destruction of the Buffalo -Fur traders shot them for sport. This helped destroy the plain Indians main source of food, clothing, shelter and fuel. -In 1800, 65 million buffalo roamed the plains and by 1890 less and 1,000 remained. By 1900 there was only one single herd left. *Battle of Wounded Knee- December 1890- the 7th Calvary, Custard's old regiment, rounded up 350 starving and freezing Sioux and took them to a camp at Wounded Knee in SD. -300 unarmed Native Americans were slaughtered. -This battle brought the Indian wars to an end. *Ghost Dance- a Sioux ritual to restore the Native American way of life. Cattle Become Big Business *Longhorns- a breed of sturdy longhorn cattle brought by the Spanish to Mexico and suited for the dry conditions of the Southwest. -Demand for beef increased after the Civil War. *Chisholm Trail- the major cattle route from San Antonio, Texas through Oklahoma to Kansas. *A Long Drive- the overland transport of the animals often lasting about three months. Section 2: Settling on the Great Plains Railroads Opened the West. -In 1860s to railroad companies began a race to lay track. -The Central Pacific Co. moved eastward from Sacramento, and the Union Pacific Co. moved westward from Omaha.
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-Both would meet in Utah in 1869. -Civil War veterans, Irish and Chinese immigrants, African-Americans, and MexicanAmericans did most of the grueling labor. Government Support for Settlement *Homestead Act- 1862 offering 160 acres of free land to any citizen or intended citizen who was the head of household. *Exodusters- African-Americans who moved from the post Reconstruction South to Kansas. -In less than one day, settlers claimed 2 million acres in one massive land rush. -Because some settlers claimed land sooner than they were supposed to, Oklahoma came to be known as the Sooner State. -1872- the government created Yellowstone, Wyoming. Settlers Meet the Challenges of the Plains -Frontier settlers faced extreme hardships- droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, locust plagues, and occasional raids by outlaws and Native Americans. *Soddy- a home built of blocks of prairie turf. *The Morrill Act- of 1862 and 1890 gave federal land to the states to help finance agricultural colleges. *The Hatch Act- 1887, established agricultural experiment stations to inform farmers of new developments. Farmers in Debt *Bonanza Farms- an enormous farm on which a single crop is grown. (Created by railroad companies and investors) -They would fold into bankruptcy- short-lived. -High cost of shipping grain also caused debt. Section 3: Farmers and the Populist Movement Farmers Unite to Address Common Problems -Economic distress. -Problems with railroads- increasing prices to transport grain. -In order to push for reforms-farmers needed to organize. *Oliver Hudson Kelley- was the political voice for farmers. In 1867 he started the *Patrons of Husbandry- an organization for farmers, which became popularly known as the *Grange. -Its original purpose was to provide a special outlet and an educational forum for isolated farm families. -By the 1870s, however, Grange members spent most of their time and energy fighting the railroads. -The Grange gave rise to other organizations such as the *The Farmers Alliance- farmers, or those in sympathy with farming issues, who sent lecturers from town to town to educate people about agricultural and rural issues.
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The Rise and Fall of Populism *Populism- a late 19th-century political movement demanding that people have a greater voice in government and see to advance the interest of farmers and laborers. *Populist Party- formed in 1892, they demanded reforms to lift the burden of debt from farmers and other workers and to give people a greater voice in government. Platform Economic Reforms -Wanted to increase the money supply, which would produce a rise in prices. -Wanted a graduated income tax. (Would later become the 16th amendment) -Wanted a federal loan program. Government Reforms -Wanted the election of US senators to be by popular vote. (Would later become the 17th amendment) -Wanted a single term for the president and the vice president. -Wanted a secret ballot to end voting fraud. -Also wanted an 8-hour workday and restrictions on immigration. -The Populists programs eventually became the platform of the Democratic Party. *The Panic of 1893 (Refer back to the panic of 1873) -Farmers were over extended with debt and loans. -Railroads began to go bankrupt. -The federal gold reserve wore thin resulting in people trading their paper money in for gold. -This would result in a stock market crash which then led to a depression. *Bimetallism- a monetary system in which the government would give citizens either gold or silver in exchange for paper currency or checks. These people were called Silverites. (Mainly the Populist Party.) *Gold Standard- the backing of dollars in gold. These people were known as Gold Bugs. (Was mainly made up of Republicans led by President Cleveland.) *William Jennings Bryan- ran for the presidential elections of 1896. As the Democratic nominee, the Populist Party would also back Bryan in the elections. -Cross of Gold speech. *William McKinley- of Ohio was the Republican nominee for president. -He will win the 1896 elections. -With McKinley's election, populism collapsed burying the hopes of the farmers. -The movement left to powerful legacies, however: a message that the downtrodden could organize and have political impact, and an agenda of reforms, many of which would be enacted in the 20th century.
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