America Flashcards

1
Q

What were the Great Plains previously called

A

The Great American Desert

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2
Q

Give 5 reasons that the plains were considered inhabitable

A
Lack of trees,
Dry
Scorching hot summer winds,
Flat, featureless landscape,
Cold winters,
Wolves,
Locusts that would ruin crops
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3
Q

What were the Blue Northers

A

Harsh winds across the plains that caused drops in temperature and heavy rain

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4
Q

What was manifest destiny

A

The idea that it was the god given right of white Americans to expand westwards across America

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5
Q

What was the importance of Manifest Destiny

A

Major pull factor for migration west,
Americans gained access to new resources,
Plains Indians had to make way for whites causing conflict,

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6
Q

Who was the founder of Mormansism

A

Joseph Smith

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7
Q

Why were Mormons persecuted

A

Practice of polygamy,
People wanted to blame someone for the financial crash,
Worried that Smith would over-through the US government,
They encouraged freedom of slaves,
They had a militia group,
They offended Christians

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8
Q

What was the name of the Mormon militia

A

The Danites

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9
Q

What happened as a result of Mormons attacking a unit of state militia in 1838

A

They were expelled from Missouri. A mob massacred a group of Mormons at Haun’s hill. Smith was arrested and was sentenced to death for treason but was not actually killed

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10
Q

When did the Mormons reach Salt Lake Valley

A

1847

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11
Q

Who lead the Mormons across the Plains

A

Brigham Young

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12
Q

How did Young organise the Mormons for travelling to salt lake valley

A

They were divided into small groups, each with a leader.

Young have everyone a specific job and insisted on strict discipline

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13
Q

How many Mormons and wagons migrated to Salt Lake City

A

About 3000 families and 2500 wagons

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14
Q

How did the Mormons solve the problem of very little water when settling

A

Irrigation systems were set up to divert water from melting snow in the mountains

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15
Q

How did the Mormons solve the problem of very little wood when settling

A

Houses were made from mud not wood

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16
Q

How did the Mormons avoid conflict with the US government when the area was gained by them

A

Young came to a compromise with the government and the land became part of a new territory of Utah in 1850

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17
Q

What were pull factors for moving west

A
Freedom and independence,
Free farming land,
Government promotion,
Manifest Destiny,
The Oregon Trail,
Gold,
Positive stories from traders
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18
Q

What were push factors for moving west

A

Financial crisis of 1837,
Overpopulation is east,
Escaping persecution,
Unemployment

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19
Q

When did the first migrants travel the Oregon trail by wagon

A

1836

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20
Q

How did the pioneers solve the problem of needing to carry all their supplies

A

The wagons carried the heavy loads and oxen were often used as they were stronger than horses

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21
Q

How did the pioneers solve the problem of getting lost

A

They often took a mountain man as a guide

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22
Q

How did the pioneers get their wagons through the mountains

A

They used winch systems to get the wagons up the steep slopes

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23
Q

How did the pioneers get across the rivers

A

They would trade with Indians for their rafts or just travel to where it safe to cross

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24
Q

Who were the Donner party

A

87 migrants with 500 wagons that set off for California in 1846

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25
Q

How many of the 87 in the Donner party survived

A

46

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26
Q

What went wrong with the Donner party

A

They tried to take a shortcut and got stranded in the mountains in winter.
They started to run out of supplies and there were lots of arguments which led to a man being murdered.
When they ran out of supplies they resorted to cannibalism

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27
Q

What went wrong for the Sagar family that migrated in 1844

A

Extreme rain and mud slowed their progress,
The mother, Naomi Sagar, gave birth to her 7th child during the journey and didn’t recover,
A daughter, Catherine Sagar, broke her leg jumping off a wagon,
They suffered from ‘camp fever’ which killed both the parents

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28
Q

How many people were in the Gould Party

A

4- Jane Gould, her husband and two sons

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29
Q

What went wrong for the Gould party migrated in 1862

A

Extreme cold, wind and rain
Running out of supplies
Cattle stampedes
Attacks by Indians

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30
Q

When was gold discovered in California

A

1848

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31
Q

When was the gold rush

A

1849

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32
Q

How many people had left the east for gold by April 1849

A

Over 200,000 people

33
Q

What were the prospectors that set off along the Oregon trail in 1849 called

A

The ‘49ers’

34
Q

What were the positive effects of the gold rush

A

Helped American economy recover from financial crisis,
Farming in California grew,
Strengthened the image of the west and that manifest destiny was true

35
Q

What were the negative effects of the gold rush

A

Use of Oregon trail caused problems with the Indians,
Mining towns were lawless and there was often murder and theft,
Racism and tension grew due to mass immigration from all over the world

36
Q

What were the effects of the gold rush in the Indians

A

The trails that migrants used crossed the Black Hills of Dakota which were sacred to the Indians,
White settlers brought new diseases to the Indians,
Mining caused floods and killed wildlife which made life hard for the Indians

37
Q

Name 2 Indian tribes

A

Cheyenne,
Lakota Sioux,
Crow,
Apache

38
Q

When were horses brought to America and who brought them

A

The 1600c

The Spanish

39
Q

What did the Indians use horses for

A

Useful transport when following the buffalo’s migrations,
Hunting,
Warfare,
Used as a measure of wealth

40
Q

What was the only part of the buffalo that the Indians didn’t use

A

The heart, they left it on the plains as they believed it would give the herd new life

41
Q

Give 5 uses of the buffalo

A
Hide- shields, robes, tipis etc.
Fat-soap.
Coat- blankets, stuffing in saddles, string etc.
Horn- spoons, cups, head piece.
Skull- religious ceremonies.
Tongue- brushes.
Bones- knives.
Dung- fuel.
Hooves- glue.
Sinew- thread, bowstrings.
Intestines- buckets, pots
Tail- whip, fly swatter
42
Q

What is a travois

A

A net in a ‘V’ shaped frame that was used to move the Indians’ belongings.
Pulled by horses or dogs

43
Q

How was the tipi suited to the Indians’ way of life and the Plains

A

Cone shape allowed it to withstand strong winds,
Easy to take down quickly,
Could open flaps or bank in the sides to make it hotter or cooler,
Circular shape links to the Indians’ beliefs in circles

44
Q

What were the Indians’ beliefs toward the land

A

It was a living thing and saw it as their mother,

No person could own the land and farming was disrespectful to the earth

45
Q

What were the Indians beliefs about the spirit world

A

The world was created by the Great Spirit Wakan Tanka.

During puberty, boys would attend a ceremony find their spirit animal to guide their visions

46
Q

What were the Indians beliefs towards circles

A

Very important to the plains Indians like the Sioux Nation.
Life was a circle from life to death.
Respected circles in nature like the sun and moon and the pattern of the seasons.
Tipis were circular and Tribal councils would sit in circles.
Dances were often circular as well

47
Q

Give three examples of dances that the Indians did

A

Sun dance
Buffalo dance
Scalp dance- celebrate victory in war
War Dance- ask spirits for help before battle
Ghost dance- reunite with the spirits of the dead

48
Q

Why was the Ghost Dance invented

A

It was invented in 1889 after the Battle of the Little Big Horn. They could reunite with spirits of the dead and together they could beat the white settlers who were oppressing them.

49
Q

Why did the Indians beliefs cause conflict with the whites

A

Their beliefs about spirits offended the whites who were very religious,
Beliefs about owning the land were opposite,
War dances were frightening for the whites and increased their fear of being attacked

50
Q

What was the smallest unit in the tribe

A

Bands- often made up of extended families

51
Q

Why would the chief be chosen

A

His skill as a warrior

52
Q

What was the role of women in the tribes

A

Looking after their families, maintaining the tipis and processing parts of the buffalo.
They were very respected and had special roles in ceremonies

53
Q

What was the role of the elderly in the tribes

A

Not looking after ur parents was considered a terrible crime, however when the elderly felt they were no longer useful they would commit exposure by voluntarily going off on their own to die in the wilderness

54
Q

What was the role of the children in the tribes

A

They were prepared for adult life and were expected to behave and take part in looking after the family, especially the elderly

55
Q

What is counting coup

A

Were a warrior would attempt to hit their enemy with their hand, now or coup stick and escape unharmed. This was the highest honour and Indian could achieve

56
Q

What was scalping

A

Removing the skin and hair from an enemy’s head to keep as a trophy

57
Q

Why was scalping done

A

It would stop the enemy from going to the afterlife, known as The Happy Hunting Ground

58
Q

What were some of the main aims of warfare for the Indians

A

Steal horses and supplies from other tribes or whites.

Show their bravery

59
Q

When was the Indian removed act

A

1830

60
Q

What was the Indian removal act

A

Forced Indians living east of the Mississippi River to move west, where they could live separately and without government interference.
Whites still thought that the plains were useless so they just left it the Indians

61
Q

Why did the movement of the Indians west become known as the Trail of Tears

A

Because lots of the Cherokees (an Indian tribe) died during the march

62
Q

When was the Indian Trade and Intercourse Act

A

1834

63
Q

What was the Indian Trade and Intercourse act

A

This put in place a Permanent Indian Frontier between Indian territory and eastern states. The white thought of it as one big reservation for the Indians

64
Q

When did whites start to settle on the plains

A

1840s

65
Q

What were whites‘ views on the Indians’ warfare

A

Thought scalping was barbaric,
Thought ambushing was cowardly,
Thought that stealing horses was very bad as they were so crucial for survival kn the Plains

66
Q

What were whites‘ views on the Indians’ lifestyle on the Plains

A

Thought that tipis were cramped and dirty,

Thought that the Indians should stay in one place and farm

67
Q

What were whites‘ views on the land on the plains

A

It was their god given right to own the land (Manifest Destiny),
Wanted to put up fences and boundaries between land owned by different people

68
Q

What were whites‘ views on the Indians’ family life

A

Didn’t like Indian tradition of polygamy,

Were offended by the practice of exposure (when old people would wander of into nature to die)

69
Q

What were whites‘ views on the Indians’ government

A

Didn’t understand governing by discussion- thought the government should set laws, which were then obeyed

70
Q

What were whites‘ views on the Indians’ religion

A

Thought beliefs on spirits was wrong,

Were frightened by the Indian dances

71
Q

How did the life of the Indians get worse with the arrival of white settlers

A

Pressure on food supplies as buffalo herds were disturbed,
Increasing conflict between tribes as food supplies declined,
Tension between whites and Indians due to differences in culture and government

72
Q

When was the first Fort Laramie Treaty

A

1851

73
Q

What were the terms of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851

A

Each tribe would be given its own territory.
White settlers, travellers and railroad surveyors would be able to cross tribal lands safely.
The American government was allowed to establish forts and roads in Indian territory.
Selected chiefs from each tribe would negotiate with the American government.
Indians should pay if their people break the treaty.
American government promised to protect the Indians from white settlers.
American government would give the Indians food and money

74
Q

How much money did the American government say it would give the Plains Indians in the Fort Laramie Treaty

A

$50,000 a year

75
Q

What were the consequences and difficulties of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851

A

Concentrated each tribe within their own land.
First step toward reservations.
Made the Indians dependent on the Government.
Treaty was in English and many tribes did not know what they were agreeing to.
Cultural differences led to misunderstandings and as tribes had no single leader, many individual bands continued on with life normally

76
Q

Why did the policy of concentrating tribes within their land fail

A

Many members of the tribes did not even know the treaty existed and those who did often ignored it.
The payments from the government weren’t always made.
The American government did nothing to protect the Indians from white settlers.
Migrants often did not stick to official tracks and some even settled on the Plains.

77
Q

What was the Homestead Act

A

It promised white settlers 160 acres of free Plains land if they built a home there and farmed the land

78
Q

When was the Homestead Act

A

1862