American West Flashcards
Indian Removal Act
1830
Frontier established, Indians would stay west of the Mississippi River and Americans would not cross to the west
Economic Depression
1837
Much unemployment and poverty in the East, push factor
Great Migration
1843
1000 pioneers set of west despite the Indian frontier that they had agreed not to cross
Fort Bridger established on the Oregon trail
1843
Pioneers could set out on the trail with more chance of safety and protection
Joseph Smith shot dead in Illinois
1844
Mormons would now be pushed wast away from persecution
John O’Sullivan coins the phrase Manifest Destiny
1845
The idea that the US was destined by God to stretch across the whole of North America, push factor
First Mormons began the journey to Salt Lake
1846
Brigam Young assured that there were supplies and repairs available all along the trail so it was a success
Gold discovered in California
1848
Lead to a massive gold rush from people across the whole world, trails became very busy and annoyed Indians, massive pull factor
First Fort Laramie Treaty
1851
Large ares of land were given to the Indian tribes and no whites on trails would be attacked, soul given black hills
Pony Express Founded
1860
It was a company that took mail west in a record 10 days, it made to government able to control the west better
Transcontinental Telegraph finished
1861
Government could control the west quickly and people could communicate with loved ones and feel closer.
The Homestead Act
1862
Anyone who went west could claim 160 acres of land from the government for a tiny fee, big pull factor
Little Crows War
1862
Sioux were starving and had no supplies promised from government, they attached warehouse and settlers for food, 700 whites were killed
Sand Creek Massacre
1864
Indians camped peacefully, drunk American soldiers massacre almost all of the Indians, mostly women and children
Joseph McCoy founded town of Abilene
1867
First cow town, stared of the cattle runs, cows would come here then be shipped by rail to the East
Red Clouds War
1867
Wagons using Bozeman Trail across Sioux land, red cloud attached, US built forts, Red Cloud stopped negotiations
Second Fort Laramie Treaty
1868
Stopped Bozeman Trail, US abandoned forts along it, US government could punish both whites and Indians
Transcontinental Railroad Finished
1869
Settlers no longer had to travel on trails, buffalo could not migrate past the railroad so was separated into 2 herds
Timber Culture Act
1873
Trying to get trees on plains to slow wind, you could claim extra 160 acres as long as 40 was planted with trees
Gold Discovered in Black Hills
1874
The was the Indian holy area and whited were digging it up for gold, lead to much tension between US and Sioux
Barbed Wire Invented
1874
It meant animals were enclosed, less need for cowboys, harder for buffalo, invented by Isaac Ellwood
Battle of Little Big Horn
1876
Custer and his 263 soldiers were surrounded and killed by Indians to try and preserve their way of life and as revenge for sand creek
Destruction of the Buffalo Herds
c1870-c1895
The buffalo were killed by whites for their hides and also to spite Indians, by 1895 less than 1000 remained
Desert Land Act
1877
Homesteaders could purchase 640 acres of desert land and irrigate it for crops, ect.
General Allotments Act (Dawes Act)
1887
Indian lands would be split up into allotments, individual Indians could claim them but if they did not whites could
Wounded Knee Massacre
1890
US troops were taking weapons from Lakota, one weapon fired by mistake, US troops killed all unarmed Indians
