Conflict and Tension

Question 1

Why did tensions increase between white settlers and Plains Indians?

Answer 1

because the numbers of migrants using the Oregon trail to cross Indian lands grew

Question 2

What were the reasons for tension between settlers and Plains Indians?

Answer 2

-Huge increase in migrants along the Oregon Trail increased pressures on food supplies for Plains Indians, because the migrants disturbed the buffalo herds
-Less food = more conflicts between tribes
-this lead to white fears of Indian attack which lead to migrants demanding that the US government protect them
-whereas the Plains Indians wanted to protect their resource

Question 3

What were the terms of the Fort Laramie Treaty (1851)?

Answer 3

-Territories set out for Plains Indian tribes
-White settlers allowed into Indian territories
-Railroad surveyors and military posts in Indian territories
-Tribes to receive resources from the US Government

Question 4

What are the two big significances of the Fort Laramie Treaty?

Answer 4

-The Plains Indians involved in the treaty agreed to its terms in return for an annuity of $50,000 which became a lever for the US government to use against Indians . This resulted in many Plains Indians being dependent on the US government for food, resulting a loss of Indian independence.
-identifying territories was the first step towards reservations
-The government prioritised the needs of white settlers over the previous commitments it had made about Indian lands in the Indian trade and intercourse act of 1834. White settlement in the West increased because the Treaty allowed for safe passage of white settlers along the Oregon Trail.
-it also meant there was no longer a permanent Indian frontier which allowed for the future possibility of reservations.

Question 5

causes of lawlessness in the West (7)

Answer 5

-New crimes (e.g. claim jumping)
-isolated communities
-racism tensions (from immigration)
-mining camps (were target for criminals)
-Not enough law enforcement
-Mass settlement (meant rapid population increases)
-social factors (e.g. alcohol, , gambling and prostitution)

Question 6

what was the main cause of lawlessness?

Answer 6

the rapid rises in population that the existing law enforcement could not cope

Question 7

what were the common issues associated with lawlessness?

Answer 7

-Mining camps were usually isolated in the mountains, a long way from the reach of the law
-prejudice against Chinese immigrants and other racism increased crime
-mining camps were almost all-male, and violence was fuelled by alcohol, bad luck at card games and fights over women

Question 8

San Francisco’s population grew rapidly with the Gold rush by how much?

Answer 8

by 1849, it had grown from 1000 people to 25000

Question 9

why did San Francisco quickly filled with unemployed disappointed migrants?

Answer 9

very few prospectors found gold

Question 10

why did racial tensions increase?

Answer 10

because more Chinese immigrants came to the city

Question 11

By 1851, gangs had formed and were out of control in San Francisco. what happened as a result of the police being unable to cope ( and being bribed)?

Answer 11

murder, violence and theft were commonplace

Question 12

why were vigilance committee set up?

Answer 12

because there was no effective law enforcement available to control the gang violence of 1851

Question 13

where did the idea of vigilance committees spread to?

Answer 13

mining camps

Question 14

why were miner’s courts set up?

Answer 14

to set up their own courts to settle disputes over claims

Question 15

What were US marshals?

Answer 15

Appointed by the President to be responsible for a state or territory.

Question 16

what were deputy marshals?

Answer 16

Assigned to specific towns and counties in the federal territories

Question 17

why were deputies needed?

Answer 17

because states and territories were very large

Question 18

What were town marshals?

Answer 18

appointed by townspeople on a yearly basis and dealt with local outbreaks of lawlessness (salon brawls and drunken shootings)

Question 19

what were sheriffs?

Answer 19

appointed in the counties for a two- year period of office.

could force local people to form into a posse to chase local lawbreakers

could appoint deputies when necessary

Question 20

How many people does a territory need to have before it can become a state with its own legal system?

Answer 20

60,000

Question 21

when a territory hasn’t become a state yet, who is in charge?

Answer 21

the federal government

-they decided the laws for the territory
-they appointed a governor, 3 judges for court cases and a US marshal for law enforcement

Question 22

Once a territory had a population of ____1_____, communities could elect a _____2____

Answer 22

1) 5000
2) sheriffs

Question 23

What were the problems with the existing system of law and order in the West?

Answer 23

geography: territories were huge- it took days for US marshals to hear of trouble especially with scattered settlements making it harder to reach settlements where crime has occurred (horseback was the fastest way of travel).
- the federal government did not spend much money on law enforcement, and law officers were poorly paid. this made corruption (e.g. bribery) much more likely
- sheriffs were mainly chosen for their ability to keep the peace. they had no legal training and often their decisions were not very fair. this led to resentments

Question 24

What were the problems with the Fort Laramie treaty?

Answer 24

-There was no tradition in Plains Indians society for one man to represent the wishes of a whole tribe - each band made their own decision to whether they would follow it or not
-Not all the Plains Indian representatives understood what they had signed up to, due to translation difficulties and because of different cultural understandings about land as property. This affected what they were able to tell their tribes about the Treaty terms