3. Westward Expansion Flashcards
how did westward expansion affect NA
NA gradually driven out of traditional lands, displaced by new settlers
Belief in Manifest Destiny
Americans god given right to settle the rest of the continent
what did government do
encouraged settlers to move west- open up rest of continent for a growing population.
1830 Removal Act
tribes from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia moved onto Great Plains in Oklahoma (designated as Indian territory)
Why did Americans move west in 1840s
westwards to more fertile lands (California and Oregon) discoveries of gold and minerals
Westward expansion took settlers beyond
Appalachian Mountains (onto Great Plains). Originally acted as a natural barrier between settlers and NA
treaties with government-
Fort Laramie Treaty
Year?
Tribes?
1851
Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux
treaties with government- Fort Wise Treaty
Year?
Tribes?
1861
Arapaho, Cheyenne
treaties with government- Medicine Lodge Treaty
Year?
Tribes?
1867
Comanche, Kiowa, Plains Apache
treaties with government- Fort Laramie Treaty
Year?
Tribes?
1868
Arapaho, Lakota, Sioux
westward expansion did not only result in losing land.
how did it have a massive impact on lifestyle?
Many NA fishers.
deprived of their fishing rights.
if they moved inland to the plains they could no longer continue their traditional practice and so died out.
Affected ability to follow buffalo herd
NA believed in the great spirit (a supreme being who had made them guardians of the land, to look after it and pass it onto the next generation).
argued land could not be owned but was to be shared.
What led to the Plains Wars and is an example of the government mistreating NA
Government promises to ensure NA fed not often kept.
even greater problem in Civil War. (government had more pressing concerns.)
Many NA driven by hunger rose up against government resulting in series of wars known as the Plain Wars
when were the Plain Wars
1862-1868 (on and off)
most notable clashes of plain wars
Crows war against the Sioux,
1862
most notable clashes of plain wars
1863 Cheyenne uprising,
1863
most notable clashes of plain wars
1867 Red Clouds War against the Sioux
1867
most notable clashes of plain wars
Winter campaign against the Cheyenne
1868
How did Civil War (1861-1865) worsen NA position
Government withdrew troops stationed on Plains, troops who replaced them often volunteers, poorly disciplined, little interest in NA.
Violence between two groups.
Most serious incident the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864
Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, what happened?
attack by US cavalry on undefended Cheyenne camp. deaths of many elderly men women and children
Major incident Wounded Knee Massacre
when?
what happened?
1890
cavalry killed over 100 NA men, women and children including Babies and the elderly.
what were the government determined to do?
to control land in west.
what action did government take to gain control of land in west?
created federal territories which were governed by officials.
aimed to populate region with small-scale farmers
passed Homesteads Act 1862
to gain control of the west government passed Homesteads Act
when?
what did it do?
1862
gave farmers a 160 acre plot free on the condition they farmed it for five years
encouraged more movement to west.
Estimated that 20,000 settled on plains by 1865.
