Boomers, Sooners, Miners, and Gold Diggers Flashcards
What is a frontier?
A frontier is defined as the extreme limit of settled land beyond which lies wilderness, especially referring to the western US before settlement.
How was the ‘Indian problem’ solved by the US?
The ‘Indian problem’ was believed to be solved by designating a territory west of the Mississippi River for Native Americans to relocate.
What was designated as ‘Indian Country’ in 1825?
All territory west of the Mississippi River was designated as ‘Indian Country.’
What happened to ‘Indian Territory’ by the 1830s?
‘Indian Territory’ had shrunk to a stretch of land from Texas to North Dakota.
What was the size of ‘Indian Territory’ by the 1870s?
‘Indian Territory’ had further shrunk to about the modern territory of the state of Oklahoma.
What significant event occurred in 1889 regarding land in Oklahoma?
Significant land within ‘Indian Territory’ was opened up for homesteading.
What was the Dawes Act of 1887?
The Dawes Act allowed the US government to seize Native land and redistribute it as homestead allotments.
What happened to the land after the Homestead Act of 1862?
The best western land went quickly when the Homestead Act first went into effect.
What were Boomer Camps?
Boomer Camps were camps where crowds of hopeful homesteaders gathered, waiting for the land run to officially begin.
Who were Sooners?
Sooners were claimants who snuck around the Army presence to illegally hide out in the land before it was released.
What is a bonanza?
A bonanza is defined as a situation or event that creates a sudden increase in wealth, good fortune, or profits.
What was the Comstock Lode?
The Comstock Lode was the first big discovery of silver in the United States, located in Virginia City, Nevada in 1859.
What was the impact of the Comstock Lode?
It generated immense fortunes, drove advances in silver mining technology, and contributed to the growth of Nevada and San Francisco.
What happened to Virginia City in the 1870s?
Virginia City became the west’s first ‘ghost town’ as silver began to dry up.
What was the Klondike Gold Rush?
The Klondike Gold Rush began on August 17, 1896, near the Klondike and Yukon rivers in Canada.
What was the impact of the Klondike Gold Rush on Seattle?
The Gold Rush beefed up Seattle’s economy and turned it into a real city.
Where was their infrastructure developments because of the Klondike Gold Rush?
The Gold Rush resulted in the creation and expansion of infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
Who was Jack London?
Jack London was a beloved American author whose writings helped culturally incorporate Alaska into the United States during the Klondike Gold Rush.
