Period 6 1865-1900 2/4/2025 Flashcards
What for post-Bellum and Antebellum mean?
P- after Civil war
A- Before civil war
What does ‘Post-Bellum’ refer to in the context of American settlement?
The period after the Civil War where Americans began settling in the West
Which geographical areas were included in the settlement of the West?
The Great Plains, The Rocky Mountains, Western Plateau
What was the average annual rainfall in the Western Plateau?
Less than 15 inches a year
Why was the Western Plateau not suitable for farming?
Due to very little rainfall
How many buffalo were estimated to be in the area by the time of American settlement?
15 million buffalo
What were buffalo used for by the American Indians?
Food, shelter, clothing, and tools
By what year had the buffalo been wiped out?
By 1900
What impact did American settlers have on Native American lands?
They lost land to miners, farmers, and ranchers
What was a contributing factor to the decline of buffalo populations?
Americans killed buffalo for sport
Which three states were still territories at the time of settlement?
Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma
What developments were occurring in the last frontier during this period?
New towns and steel rails were being put up
Why did Oklahoma become a state last?
Because Native Americans were living there
What event marked the beginning of the quest for gold and silver in the United States?
The California Gold Rush in 1848
This event initiated a significant influx of people seeking wealth through mining.
In what year did the discovery of gold near Pike’s Peak, Colorado occur?
1859
This discovery led to a massive migration of miners to the area.
How many miners were attracted to the Pike’s Peak area in 1859?
100,000 miners
This influx significantly impacted the local economy and demographics.
What was the Comstock Lode, and what was its significance?
Gold discovered in Comstock Lode, Nevada in 1859 produced more than $340 million in gold by 1890
This was one of the most significant mining discoveries in American history.
What are boomtowns?
Towns created overnight due to miners coming to areas looking for gold/silver
These towns often experienced rapid growth and decline.
What happened to many boomtowns after the gold/silver ran out?
They became ghost towns
This reflects the transient nature of mining communities.
Name three towns that survived after the mining boom.
- Virginia City, Nevada
- San Francisco, California
- Denver, Colorado
These towns managed to sustain their populations and economies despite the decline in mining activities.
What significant legislation was passed in 1882 that prohibited Chinese immigration?
Chinese Exclusion Act
This act was a response to the political pressure from Western states due to competition for jobs.
What percentage of the western miners were Chinese immigrants?
1/3
This statistic highlights the significant presence of Chinese immigrants in the mining workforce.
What was the initial duration for which the Chinese Exclusion Act was supposed to last?
10 years
The act was extended multiple times due to its perceived effectiveness.
Until what year did the restrictions of the Chinese Exclusion Act remain in place?
1965
The act was continually extended beyond its initial 10-year duration.
What demographic characteristic was notable in many mining towns during the period of the Chinese Exclusion Act?
Half of the population were immigrants
This indicates the high level of immigration during the mining boom.
True or False: Native-born Americans welcomed the competition for work from Chinese immigrants.
False
There was resentment among native-born Americans towards Chinese immigrants competing for jobs.
What was the economic potential of the grasslands from Texas to Canada?
Great economic potential
Who originally rounded up cattle in the early days?
Mexican cowboys or vaqueros
By the 1860s, how many wild Long-horn cattle roamed the grasslands?
5 million
What made the cattle business easy to enter in the 1860s?
Cattle roamed freely
What were cow towns established along?
Railroads
What was a common wage for workers in the cattle business?
$1 a day
What factors led to the end of cattle drives by the 1880s?
Overgrazing, blizzards, and drought
What percentage of cattle died during the blizzards and drought of 1885-1886?
90%
What method did homesteaders use to fence off the open range?
Barbed wire
What kind of cattle did homesteaders raise?
New cattle fed on hay and grain
What was the result of raising new cattle on hay and grain?
Produced more tender beef
What was the purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862?
To encourage farming on the Great Plains by offering 160 acres of public land free to families that settled on it for 5 years
The act aimed to promote westward expansion and settlement.
How many families took advantage of the Homestead Act?
500,000 families
This number reflects the significant interest in settling the Great Plains.
What issue did many families face regarding land ownership under the Homestead Act?
Many had to pay for their land as railroad companies bought the land themselves to sell off
This led to financial burdens for settlers.
What was a limitation of the land selection process under the Homestead Act?
Citizens didn’t get to choose what land they received
This meant the quality of farmland varied greatly.
What rights did railroad companies have concerning the land acquired under the Homestead Act?
They could build railroads on the land, and citizens had to pay them if they opposed it
This created conflicts between settlers and railroad companies.
What were some of the problems faced by settlers on the Great Plains?
Severe weather, lack of water, high rate of pestilence and disease, falling crop prices
These challenges made farming difficult.
Name a solution used by settlers to address farming challenges.
Barbed wire
This helped protect crops and livestock.
What technology was used to address water scarcity in farming?
Windmills
Windmills were essential for pumping water in arid regions.
What infrastructure was developed to manage water resources?
Dams and irrigation
These systems improved water availability for farming.
Fill in the blank: The Homestead Act offered _____ acres of public land.
160
This was a significant amount of land for new settlers.
True or False: Settlers had the option to choose their land under the Homestead Act.
False
The land received was randomly assigned, leading to varying quality.
Why did the government enact the homestead act?
Do give people incentive to move westward
What event marked the last land rush in the United States?
Opening of the Oklahoma Territory in 1889
This territory was originally set aside for American Indians.
Who wrote the influential essay entitled, ‘The Significance of the Frontier in American History’?
Historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893
This essay is known as Turner’s Frontier Thesis.
What was one of the main views expressed in Turner’s Frontier Thesis?
Settling on the frontier was a social leveler
It broke down class distinctions and fostered social and political democracy.
According to Turner, what effect did the Homestead Act have on social status?
People in the east who were poorer could be on the same playing field as those who were richer if they moved west
This represented a shift in social dynamics.
What concern did Turner raise regarding the future of the United States?
Would the United States be condemned to follow patterns of class division and social conflict like Europe?
This question reflects concerns about social cohesion.
What was one of the lasting impacts of the closing of the western frontier?
Large movement to cities and industrialized areas
This indicates a shift in population and economic focus.
What was declining along with the era of the western frontier?
The dominance of rural America
This reflects changes in American societal structure.
