american west Flashcards
what was the wounded knee massacre?
the whites misinterpreted the Indians’ ghost dance and opened fire on the Indians. within ten minutes 146 Indians and 25 US soldiers were dead, including 7 indian babies. It was the last conflict between the US army and the Sioux
extermination of the buffalo
were wiped out from 25 million before to only hundreds left by the 1890s. This meant that the indians had no food and had to rely on the whites
what was the first event of Law and Order in the american west?
mining towns 1849
when were the mining towns
1849
key points about mining towns
- no police
- full of men
- prostitution
- gun conflict/violence
- racism - chinese miners
- disease
what was the second event of Law and Order in the American west?
Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and OK Corrall 1860/70
Billy the kid
- cattle rustler and horse thief - famous for escaping the local jails
- he was involved in Lincoln County War 1878 - conflict between cattle baron John Chisum and smaller settlers and ranchers who were desperate for more land.
Lincoln county war
- Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan had controlled
Lincoln County for years - business called “the
house” - John Tunstall tried to set up rival business
- Murphy ordered Tunstall’s death, Tunstall’s group of
cowboys set out for revenge - killings and counter-killings continued throughout
Lincoln County, with law officers involved on both
sides - ended with a 5-day battle in the town - Tunstall’s
store was burned - McSween and more than 30 others were killed, Billy
escaped and went on the run - Murphy + the house went back to dominating Lincoln
county - he was eventually arrested for Tunstall’s
death but was later cleared - No consequences for actions - lawlessness
continued into OK Corral
OK Corral key points
- Silver discovered in Arizona in 1877 - mining town of
Tombstone - suffered from Lawlessness, like other mining towns
- rivalry between leading citizens + mine owners,
and small ranchers + outlaws - attempt to tackle lawlessness - Virgil Earp hired as
lawman and then Town Marshal - his brothers Wyatt and Morgan became deputy
Marshalls of Tombstone - rivalry between the brothers and their friend Doc
Holliday and some of the cowboys - One of cowboys (Ike) fined by judge and released for
firearm offences - met with gang for revenge - Cowboys met in street with Earp and Holliday and a
gunfight ensued - lasted 30 seconds, 30 bullets were
fired - 3 of the cowboys died
- aftermath controversial - many people accused Earps
of murder, but they were never charged - Virgil was ambushed and Morgan was killed. Wyatt
went after and killed more cowboys before leaving
Tombstone
what is third law and order event? and when was it?
Johnson county war, 1892
when was the Johnson County War?
1892
Johnson County War key points
- conflict began in 1870s when huge cattle ranches were set up in Wyoming - began to take more and more land for their ranches
- hard winter 1886-87 so smaller ranches did better - larger ranches accused them of cattle rustling
- Homesteaders and smaller ranchers became annoyed at how the larger businesses grabbed everything for themselves
- cattle rustlers not often prosecuted - big ranchers wanted to take law into their own hands
- homesteader Jim Averil called big ranchers ‘nothing but rich land grabbers’, so Bothwell hung both Ella Watson and Jim Averil and took their land and cattle for himself
- larger cattlemen planned a full scale invasion of Johnson County to kill 70 men they suspected of rustling
- decided to attack a small ranch first and kill Nick Ray and his partner Nate Chapman - local sheriff and 319 men trapped cattlemen at a ranch. cattlemen eventually rescued by US Army cavalry
- cattlemen charged with murder. they bribed the jury and the case was dropped, but it still marked the end of the power of the cattle men - small businesses won
when was the civil war?
1865
who won the civil war?
the north
importance of civil war:
- slavery abolished - exodusters in Kansas - led to
migration. - slaves now freed - led to racism + KKK
- south had left cattle to breed freely during the war, meant south had an abundance of cattle, and north had the money - enabled cattle trade
