American West Flashcards
What is the homestead act?
An act to encourage people to settle in the west by giving each family 160 acres of land for free if they farmed on it for 5 years.
When was the homestead act passed?
1862
When was the timber culture act passed?
1873
What was the timber culture act?
Act allowing families to gain a further 160 acres of land for free provided they planted 40 acres with trees.
When was the desert land act passed?
1877
What was the desert land act?
An act giving settlers the right to buy 640 acres of land cheaply in areas where lack of rainfall was a particular problem.
What was the effect of the homestead act, timber culture act and desert land act?
It made millions of acres of land available for homesteaders to settle
When was the end of the American civil war?
1865
Why did the civil war ending lead to people settling on the plains?
Demobilised soldiers were looking for a new life and jobs so settled in the plains becoming farmers for example
When was the end of slavery?
1865
How did the end of slavery lead to people moving onto the plains?
Freed black people could now live where they wanted to. Many decided to become farmers on the plains.
When was the railway which connected the east of America with the west finished?
1869
What part did the railway play in making people settle on the plains?
It made it easier for homesteaders to get to the plains and settle there.
Who invented the windmill?
Daniel Halliday
When was the windmill invented
1874
Who invented barbed wire?
Joseph Glidden
When was barbed wire invented?
1874
Who invented the sod buster?
John Deere
Who introduced the hard winter wheat: Turkey red hard?
Russian immigrants
What is dry farming?
Ploughing wet land which left a layer of dust that trapped in moisture
When was the ghost dance movement?
1890
Describe the ghost dance movement
1890
Wovoka began dance on the reservations believing it would protect them and lead to the defeat of the whites
Sitting bull was supporting the dance and got killed when the whites tried to arrest him
Whites worried about the dance so banned it on the reservations
When was the battle of Little Bighorn?
June 1876
Q 2b
Why was source f published in……?
This source shows
This source was published in….. Which is important because…
The purpose of this source is to…
This source is important because….. ( what was the effect of the source)
When was gold first found in the west?
1848
When and who said Americans are destined to spread over the continent taking their culture and Christianity?
John o’sullivan - manifest destiny
1845
When was the Johnson county war?
1889
How many people did billy the kid kill?
21
By 1890 how many buffalo were left
300
30 million to 300 by 1890
Who killed sitting bull and when?
A member of the best median police
1890
What was the most important reason why there was lawlessness in the Wild West?
Poor and lack of police force
Economic conflict
Cow/ mining towns and individuals
Racial tension
What was the main reason the early pioneers crossed the plains?
Gold miners
Early Oregon and Californian settlers
Mormons
Animal furs
What was the main factor in encouraging the later settlement of the plains?
Rail road / communications
Government acts
New technology/ techniques
Ranching
What was the most important feature of the life style of the plains Indians?
Buffalo
Tipi
Spirit world
Family life
What was the most important reason for the defeat of the Indians for the plains?
Reservations
Lack on unity
Us army’s tactics and weapons
Destruction of buffalo
What were mining and cow towns like?
Lived in shacks Poor living and working conditions Food limited Saloons Shop keepers charged high prices Hanging common Racism - Mexican Chinese and Indians
What were some types of crime?
Bank robbery Cattle rustling - Johnson county war Claim jumping Fence cutting Horse stealing - serious. Death as punishment Train robbery - 1866 first train robbery
Who were vigilantes?
People who took law into their own hands
Did he French make mistakes and could be motivated by racism and personal vengeance
Name some law enforcers
Wyatt Earp
Wild Bill Hickock
Describe the sod houses
Mud floors, walls and roof - hard to clean
Pests - snakes bedbugs and mice
Disease
Dark inside - lack of Windows
Problems of living on the plains
Water shortages - wells were expensive
Extreme weather - killed crops
Ploughing- roots of prairie grass were very tough
Weak crops - maize could not survive
Who invented the wind pump and when?
1874
Daniel Halliday
What was the role of woman homesteaders?
Almost same as men Mothers Housewives Harvesting Collect cattle chips Making clothes
How did ranching develop?
Civil war ends - 1865
Texans return to see their cattle have bred
Cattle worth more in east
GOODNIGHT and LOVING start driving their cattle to railroad
JOSEPH MCCOY - Abilene as cow town near railroad
RANCHING DEVELOPS IN THE 1860s
Why was the open range successful?
Most buffalo gone so no competition for grass
Indians defeated
Texas long horns - sturdy
Who set up one of the first cowtowns and what what it called?
Joseph Mccoy
Sets up Abilene
Q 1c
How useful are sources E and D for a historian studying….
COP x2
Context
Origin
Purpose
Conclusion
2a
2/3 facts
Explain
2c
One interpretation is……… How far do you agree with this interpretation?
One interpretation is (example in q)
Own knowledge
Why have this view
Valid?
Another interpretation is that….
Own knowledge
Would have this view because…
Valid?
Evidence 3 supports evidence ….. Because
Source would have this view because…
Valid?
Conclusion
Most valid interpretation
1b
source c shows…. Because x2
From my own knowledge….x2
1a
Source a shows that
This suggests that
Source b shows that
This suggest that
Describe the events of the Johnson county war
The Johnson county- very powerful - hired gunfighter so to hunt cattle rustlers
Jim Averill (1889) writes in a newspaper against cattle barons (eg Johnson county) Averill and his partner were lynched
Cattle Barrons brought to trial and never had the same power again
- end of large ranches
Describe the rendez vous
Based at army forts
Mountain men would meet up to trade their fur with necessities
Like beaver traps and rifles.
Party atmosphere meant they drunk and gambled away everything they earned that year
Why did the open range come to an end?
- too many cattle
- 1883 drought killed grass
- demand for beef falls in the east so price drops
- 1874 barbed wire - cheap and easy way to fence cattle
- 1874 wind pump- each ranch can have its own water source
- 1889 Johnson county war. Many cattle barons are unpopular
Why was there conflict between homesteaders and ranchers?
Both want same land Cattle drives damage homesteaders crops Cattle spread disease Homesteaders fence land- cuts off ranchers access to water ➡️ leads to fence cutting
Describe the features of the Great Plains
Rocky Mountains
Mississippi River
Very dry
Extreme climate
Hot in summer, cold in winter
Windy all year round
Describe the Indians social organisations
Chiefs- elected due to their wisdom, spiritual power, medicine or skills as a hunter or warrior.
Councils- all men, would make decisions after listening to the chief. A ceremonial pipe would be smoked symbolic to ask guidance from the great spirit.
Describe the family life of Indians
Believed in polygamy
Woman- mom emailers, cared for children
Men- hunting, protected band
Children- learned practical skills
Customs and beliefs were passed down orally
Describe the tipi and how it was adapted to life on the plains
Versatile and strong
Transportable- packed away fast and made into a travois
Conical shape to withstand winds
Warm in winter- banking earth around the sides
Cool in summer- rolling up sides
Describe the importance of the horse to Indians
Safer and more effective way of hunting
Allowed Indians to move further and quicker increasing hunting possibilities and raids on enemies to steal more horses.
Describe the importance of the spirit world to Indians
Spirit world- where all creatures and plant influenced each other
WAKAN TANKA and the great spirit were often called upon to guide the tribe.
Describe the importance on the sacred lands to the Indians.
The BLACK HILLS was sacred land
Believed no one could own land and farming damaged their Mother Earth
This caused conflict with settlers
Describe the importance on visions, dances and ceremonies to Indians.
Visions- messages from the spirit world to guide the tribe
Buffalo dance- for luck before the hunt
Sun dance - painful- performed to seek help from spirits
Pipe smoking rituals- smoke evoked guidance from spirits.
Describe the importance of the medicine man
Used power of the spirits to cure people.
Would interpret visions
Important
What were the pull factors for early pioneers crossing the plains?
Stories from mountain men made the west seem like a paradise
Manifest destiny
Gold
Describe the Californian gold rush
1848- Marshall struck gold
Later that year, Brennan returned to San Francisco with the news
News broke in the east. People in east heard stories of earning $1000 a day gold digging. In reality, they only earned $3
Clams jumping
Mining towns- crime
1852- Surface gold ran out
Who was the founder of Mormon religion?
Joseph smith
Who took over the Mormons when Joseph smith dies and when?
Brigham Young
1845
Describe the life of Cowboys
Helped on the ranch
Rounded up cattle
Hard hard life
Enjoyed women, tobacco and whisky
Describe the roll of sheriffs
Elected by people of the county
Had to control s big area
Describe the pattern the government dealt with Indians
Indians sign a treaty.
Settlers break treaty
Indians attack settlers
Army protect settlers
Army defeats Indians
Indians sign treaty
When was the start of the reservations? (the Fort Laramie Treaty)?
1851
When was gold discovered in the Rockies?
1859
Describe the Sand Creek Masscre
1851- Fort Laramie Treaty- start of reservations
1859- Gold discovered in rockies so miners break treaty
1861- Fort Lyon Treaty- poor quality reservation, indians do not accept so go on war path
1863- BLACK KETTLE and tribe are starving- attack miners.
Chivington and volunteers attack indians when sleeping. Said was going to kill as many as possible
160 KILLED - INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN
As a result, Indians increased Attacks, Indians give up claim to land
When was the Sand Creek Massacre?
1864
When was the Battle of Little Big Horn?
1876
Describe the Battle of Little Bighorn
1868- 2nd Fort Laramie Treaty give Black Hills to Indians.
1874- gold discovered in Black Hills
gov offer $6 million for land but indians refuse
Custer decides to trap indians. He finds them before rest of troop. Some of troop were stopped by indians.
Custer went on without their help
All men, including Custer were killed by Crazy Horse and 2000 indians
As a result, Crazy Horse was killed and indians forced to sell black hills and on reservations, all weapons and horses were removed.
Why did the Indians win the Battle of Little Bighorn?
greater numbers.
indians had better rifles
leadership of crazy horse
Custer arrogance- carried on with only 200 men- wanted glory
Custer decided not to take gating guns
When was the Battle of Wounded Knee?
1890
Describe the Battle of Wounded Knee
1887- Dawes Act- divided reservations up and good land sold to whites.
Land for farming was poor so indians began to starve
Wovoka began Ghost Dance- believed it would lead to white’s defeat
Sitting Bull was supporting dance and got killed when indian police tried to arrest him
Sitting Bull’s followers fled to Wounded Knee
Were being disarbed when a warrior resisted and Custer’s old troop (prehaps looking for revenge) opened fire with Hotchkiss cannons
in 10 mins, nearly 150 indians killed
MARKED THE END OF THE PLAINS WARS
What is order of the Plains wars and dates?
1864- Sand Creek Massacre
1876- The Battle of Little Bighorn
1890- Battle of wounded knee
Who started the ghost dance in 1890?
Wokoka
