American West Flashcards
What did the Red Clouds War lead to?
The 2nd Fort Laramie Treaty
What were the terms of the 2nd Fort Laramie Treaty?
Sioux would move to the Great Sioux Reservation which included the Black Hills
Government agreed to close the Bozeman Trail and army forts on Indian territory
What was the impact of the Indians on the 2nd FLT?
Allowed them to keep sacred land
The government had increased control over Indians
Why did the 2nd FLT lead to conflict?
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse refused to agree with the treaty
Whites were angered that they couldn’t go onto Indian land
What was the role of cowboys originally?
Used to spend around half a year on the cattle trails, looking after the cattle and bringing them to the plains
What was the role of cowboys after ORR was developed?
Cowboys were now required to work all year but only had to fixed barbed wire, inspect the grass and brand cows
This led to less cowboys being needed so many lost jobs
How did cowboys’ leisure time change?
Things that they used to do (e.g. drink, gamble, use prostitutes) were banned
What was the journey of the Mormons?
Decided to go to their ‘promised land’ (Salt Lake Valley)
To avoid travelling in winter, Brigham Young built the Winter Quarters in Omaha
In spring 1847, Yound led a party of 150. Along the way they planted crops, built river crossings and signposted the trail to highlight water and resting places for other groups
When did the first group of Mormons arrive in SLV?
July 1847
How many people followed the Mormon trail between 1847 and 1869?
70000
Why did the US Government try to exterminate the buffalo?
To keep Native Americans under control as they now either had to learn to farm (and ‘civilise’) or rely on the government to give them money
How many buffalo were left by 1885?
25 million -> 200
How did the extermination of the buffalo impact Indian traditions?
Ended their nomadic lifestyle and culture
Used to use almost all parts of buffalo (e.g. hide for tipis or bones for weapons), now there were no buffalo
The spiritual ‘buffalo hunt’ couldn’t happen and warriors couldn’t go on the hunt to improve their skills and become men
When was the Exoduster Movement?
1879
What was the Exoduster Movement?
Westward migration of thousands of African American ex-slaves
Who was the Exoduster Movement led by?
Benjamin Singleton who claimed the was free lands for blacks in Kansas
What effect did the Exoduster Movement have?
Increase of black settlement
In 1879, 43000 ex-slaves headed to Kansas as part of the ‘Exodus’ - where God was leading them to Kansas to help
What were the challenges faced by the Exodusters?
Faced hostility in Kansas from the whites
Some whites opposed the migration
Land was tough and they could not afford equipment
By 1880, the Exoduster Movement was over and many African Americans moved to Nebraska or Oklahoma
When was the Dawes Act?
1887
What was the Dawes Act?
Split up Indian lands into 160 acres per Indian family
What was the impact of the Dawes Act on Indian Life?
Indians struggled to farm as they had no experience
Many began to starve
Since they were split up they could not rely on the tribe
By 1890, Indians had lost 50% of their lands, much tricked away by whites or sold
What was the impact of the Dawes Act on white settlement?
Oklahoma Land Rush in 1889
Eventually, 7 land rushes by 1895 (over 10 million acres of Cherokee and Cheyenne land settled on by whites)
When was the Oregon Trail discovered?
1836
Who discovered the Oregon Trail?
Jed Smith
How long did it take to go West using the Oregon Trail?
6-9 months
What were the ‘push’ factors for people going West?
1837 Economic depression caused:
- Unemployment
- Low wages
- Bankruptcy
Religious persecution
People wanting a new start
What were the ‘pull’ factors for people going West?
Gold rush in California
Good farming conditions in Oregon and California
Freedom from government/persecution
Cheap, available land
Who were the Mormons led by?
First Joseph Smith
Then Brigham Young
Why was there hostility against the Mormons?
Mormons supported polygamy
Mormons were anti-slavery
Blamed for economic depression
How many people were in the Donner Party and how many took the untested shortcut?
300
90
How many mormons arrived in Salt Lake Valley first?
1500
How did Young help the Mormons survive in Salt Lake Valley?
Built irrigation systems
Used missionaries to go East and convince more people to move West
Built new settlement in Las Vegas
When was the California Gold Rush?
1849
How many people went to California because of the gold rush?
100000
What was the population of California by 1855?
300000
When was the American Civil War?
1861-1865
Who was the Civil War between?
Northern (union) and Southern (confederate) states
How did the Civil War end?
North won
60000 died
Millions of ex soldiers who wanted to migrate West to start a new life after the war
Led to abolition of slavery
When was the Homestead Act?
1862
What was the Homestead Act?
Cheap land
For $10 people could claim 160 acres of land which then cost $30 after 5 years to own
When was the Timber Culture Act?
1873
What was the Timber Culture Act?
160 acres of land free if you planted trees on 1/4 of the land
When was the Desert Land Act?
1877
What was the Desert Land Act?
640 acres of land for $1 in desert lands
What were some of the problems of the Plains?
Lack of water
Extreme weather
Lack of trees
Locust swarms
Poor infertile soil
What did the first homesteaders do?
Built sod houses
Used buffalo dung for fuel
Hand built wells for water