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The American West Flashcards

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1
Q

5 key points of the Native American perspective of land.

A
  1. Circle of nature and life and death
  2. Land can’t be owned, bought or sold, shared
  3. Land can’t be destroyed or disturbed by ploughing or farming
  4. Land was whole nation - only way lifestyle of Plains is successful
  5. Some places were sacred [Black Hills] - close to spirit world
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2
Q

3 key points of European perspective of land.

A
  1. Land was why they moved West
  2. Land should be shared/owned - used to farm and build
  3. Saw Indians as obstacle and prepared to use force to remove them
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3
Q

5 key points of the Plains Indians lifestyle.

A
  1. Led a nomadic lifestyle and lived in tipis
  2. they were hunter gatherers who followed herds of buffalo
  3. Land couldn’t be owned, shared, bought, sold ect
  4. Attitude was different to that of White Settlers
  5. Practised polygamy
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4
Q

2 key points about Plains Indian women.

A
  1. Tipi belonged to them

2. In charge of domestic things

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5
Q

4 key points about Plains Indian men.

A
  1. Hunt buffalo
  2. Look after horses
  3. Decision makers
  4. Fought in wars
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6
Q

2 key points of Plains Indian children.

A
  1. Future of tribe

2. Lookouts for danger

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7
Q

2 key points of Plains Indian old people.

A
  1. Passed down history

2. When a burden - sacrificed themselves so tribe continues

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8
Q

6 key points of Plains Indians beliefs.

A
  1. Believed in Great Spirit - Wakan Tankan
  2. “Happy hunting ground” - no heaven or hell
  3. Circle of life is important
  4. Visions - spirit world was real world. Real world they lived in was shadow of spirit world
  5. Vision interpreted by Shaman (medicine man) - important in battle (could see future)
  6. Ceremonies - important as they protected tribe and need to keep tribe in harmony with spirit world eg Buffalo dance, Sun dance
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9
Q

1 key point about buffalo and 3 key points about horses to the Plains Indians.

A
  1. Buffalo was central way of life and existence
  2. Adopted European horses
  3. Helped them travel further, move easily, gather buffalo easily, carry belongings
  4. Defined someone’s wealth and status [more horses, more important you are]
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10
Q

4 key points about buffalo to the Plains Indians.

A
  1. Suited with nomadic lifestyle
  2. Dependent on it eg Skin (hide) - tipi, clothes; skull - religious ceremonies; ect
  3. Seen as a gift of Great Father
  4. Destruction of buffalo took Plains Indian’s means of life
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11
Q

6 key points abut tipis.

A
  1. Suited with nomadic lifestyle - lack of wood forced them to be made out of buffalo skins
  2. Easy to dismantle
  3. Can withstand strong winds
  4. Adapted to extreme conditions, eg In summer, sides of tipi can be rolled up to let air in. In winter, sides could be barked up with earth to keep tipi in position
  5. Flaps for ventilation of smoke
  6. Paintings and scalps of enemies hanging as trophies - remind them of war
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12
Q

7 points about who mountain men were and why they were important.

A
  1. First European men who carried out fur-trapping, trading and hunting
  2. Mountain men - because they spent most of their time in the mountains
  3. Activities didn’t disrupt Native American way of life
  4. They set up trails for people to follow
  5. Maps were created
  6. Told stories about West - encourage people to move westwards
  7. Because of fur-trapping and trade, money was being made
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13
Q

4 problems mountain men faced.

A
  1. Extreme weather - freeze to death
  2. Attack of wild animals
  3. Hostile Indians - Blackfoot (dangerous enemies)
  4. Shortage of food and water
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14
Q

6 push factors for early pioneers moving West.

A
  1. Overcrowding in East
  2. Escape poverty and persecution
  3. Make new start
  4. Financial crisis and economic depression - ruined many business and led to collapse of banks and loss of people’s savings
  5. Farming crisis in Midwest, resulting to big drop in price of grain
  6. Land shortages and overcrowded population pressures
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15
Q

8 pull factors for early pioneers moving West.

A
  1. Letters from those who have already moved
  2. Advertising by rail road companies
  3. Offer of free land - Homesteaders Act 1862
  4. Land was cheaper and plentiful
  5. US gaining new territories
  6. US government acts - land for settlers [could buy land at low price without being outbid]
  7. Positive stories from early pioneers and mountain men
  8. Fulfil manifest destiny
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16
Q

7 difficulties early pioneers faced.

A
  1. Difficult terrain to cross - dangerous
  2. Extreme weather
  3. Spread of disease
  4. Attack of wild animals
  5. Hostile Native Americans
  6. Shortages of food and water
  7. Had no maps
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17
Q

What was the gold rush (4 points)?

A
  1. Gold was discovered in Black Hills
  2. Forty-niners (1848)
  3. Attracted miners
  4. Had to pay for own equipment
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18
Q

What was the importance of the gold rush (4 points)?

A
  1. Led to large settlements
  2. Led to government and business - improve transport in West
  3. Led to new towns being developed
  4. Led to transcontinental rail roads - unite country
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19
Q

What were the problems gold rush created (6 points)?

A
  1. Journey from East to West was dangerous
  2. Law and order issues - [racist attacks]
  3. Broke Indian treaties
  4. Disturbed Native American way of life
  5. Led to social problems - gambling, prostitution, alcohol
  6. Increased spread of disease because of overcrowding
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20
Q

3 points of life in mining towns.

A
  1. Often violent because there were no women or children
  2. Living conditions were horrible
  3. Important as it attracted settlers to new areas
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21
Q

8 points of law and order in mining towns.

A
  1. Due to population and vast area in West, transportation was slow and impossible
  2. There were conflicts between ethnic groups form Eastern states
  3. Conflicts between cowboys, homesteaders, ranchers, townspeople ect
  4. Soldiers returning from Civil War found it difficult to adjust to civilian life
  5. People took law into their own hands - vigilantes
  6. Shortage of law enforcement officers
  7. Government didn’t provide money to employ or train new people
  8. US government can’t send law officers because towns were often in Indian territory
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22
Q

US Marshals

A

Appointed to take charge of state, and were responsible for large areas working much closely with counties and towns.

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23
Q

Sheriffs

A

Appointed by people of country. Covered wide area and could put in local people as posse to chase criminals.

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24
Q

Town Marshals

A

Appointed by town and could appoint deputies.

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25
Q

Judges

A

Appointed by US president to try cases.

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26
Q

Vigilantes

A

Took law into their own hands and lynched suspects.

27
Q

6 points about the importance of transcontinental rail roads and 1 problem.

A
  1. Spread people around continent
  2. Allowed movement of goods across the country
  3. Help built new cities/towns and increase selling goods
  4. Allowed trade and industry for raw materials
  5. Travel became quicker and less dangerous
  6. Transport provided for timber and crops, led to the rapid settling on Great Plains
    Problem: Led to destruction of buffalo
28
Q

5 key points about the Mormons beliefs/lifestyle.

A
  1. Lived in communal life - believed in sharing
  2. No individual ownership of property
  3. Many people should be converted to Mormonism
  4. Polygamy was practised
  5. Slavery wasn’t allowed
29
Q

9 reasons why people hated the Mormons.

A
  1. Many Christians thought the new religion was ‘contemptible gibberish’
  2. People disliked the Mormon belief of allowing polygamy
  3. The Mormons cut themselves off from ordinary people (‘the Gentiles’)
  4. A group of Mormons called the Danites attacked Gentiles, and robbed them
  5. People were afraid of the large and growing numbers of Mormons
  6. People feard that the Mormons would take over the government and law courts
  7. they were successful and self-sufficient [popular]
  8. People said the Mormons were of low social class - didn’t partake n none-Mormon lifestyle
  9. People disliked the encouragement Mormons gave to slaves and freed slaves to join them
30
Q

6 key points about Joseph Smith

A
  1. Set up the mormon movement
  2. Believed an angel called Moroni told him about some golden plates buried in a hill
  3. He was able to translate it and turn it into a religion
  4. Informed people about religion and it grew quickly
  5. He encoureged Mormons in Nauvoo to create ideal society, in which no one was poor or homeless and where drinking, smoking ect didn’t exist
  6. Made mistake of introducing polygamy - made him unpopular and led to his death
31
Q

What 3 things did Mormons set up?

A

Banks, printing presses and towns

32
Q

2 reasons why Mormons moved West.

A
  1. Escape religious persecution

2. Because economic deppression caused bank Smith had founded to collapse - Mormons were driven out altogether

33
Q

5 key points about Brigham Young.

A
  1. He was practical, determined and organised
  2. Led saints to Utah to escape persecution
  3. Had total control over community - ideas unchallenged
  4. Leadership qualities help make successful journey to Salt Lake
  5. Set up Perpetual Emigrating Fund
34
Q

4 problems Mormons faced when moving West. 2 ways they overcame these problems.

A
  1. Extreme weather
  2. Difficult terrain
  3. Spread of disease
  4. Shortages of food and water
  5. Young split everyone into small groups minimise risk of disease spreading
  6. Grew camps, built rest camps and didn’t travel in winter monthes
35
Q

5 ways Mormons made a success of Salt lake

A
  1. No private ownership of land or water
  2. Water was essential - built irrigation ditches through farming land
  3. farms assigned based on need, skill, size of family
  4. Wheat production increased
  5. Mormons became self-sufficient
36
Q

2 key points of the Perpetual emigrating Fund (1849).

A
  1. To develop Mormon settlements

2. Granted money and livestock to new emigrants, which had to be repaid once settled

37
Q

4 reasons why people wanted to settle on the Great Plains.

A
  1. Fulfil manifest destiny and populate west
  2. Building of transcontinental railroads: link East and West
  3. End of American Civil war
  4. Free land
38
Q

What 3 acts were introduced t entice settlers to move West?

A
  1. Homesteaders Act 1862 - Free land given to stay and work on Plains
  2. Timer Culture Act 1875 - Settlers given free land to plant trees
  3. Desert land 1877 - Settlers given right to buy acres cheaply, the areas in lack of rainfall
39
Q

2 reasons why people moved West due to transcontinental railroads.

A
  1. Easy trip for more homesteaders to get to Plains

2. Cheap to buy land, as railroad companies sold off land at low prices

40
Q

3 reasons how the end of the American Civil War made people move West.

A
  1. ex-soldiers saw lack of oppertunity in east
  2. Easterners wanted farming land that was no longer avialable in east
  3. Black ex-slaves were persecuted in south and lost land and income
41
Q

3 reasons how the end of the American Civil War made people move West.

A
  1. ex-soldiers saw lack of oppertunity in east
  2. Easterners wanted farming land that was no longer avialable in east
  3. Black ex-slaves were persecuted in south and lost land and income
42
Q

9 reasons why people moved West apart from Civil war, railroads and Acts.

A
  1. Offer of free land
  2. Chance of a new start/adventure
  3. Advertising by railroad companies and by territories and states
  4. Letters from those in West, who were successfully farming, encouraged people to move
  5. Scandinavians wanted good farming that wasn’t available at home
  6. People were looking to escape poverty and unemployment at home
  7. People were looking to escape religious persecution
  8. There were serious economic problems, when crops failed and people went hungry
  9. Emigration
43
Q

Plains: Water shortages: problems

A

Water was scarce
Difficultt to to keep clean
Failre of crops - bankruptcy/starvation

44
Q

Plains: Water shortages: solutions

A

Windmil - pump water from underground - used to irrigate crops

45
Q

Plains: Extreme weather: problems

A

Droughts in summer - damage crops

Cold in winter - damage crops

46
Q

Plains: Extreme weather: solutions

A

Dry farming - they ploughed land when it snowed/rained. Windmill kept in line with wind to prevent strong winds

47
Q

Plains: Fuel: problems

A

No wood to burn for heating/cooking

48
Q

Plains: Fuel: solutions

A

Used dried animal shit eg buffalo

49
Q

Plains: Dirt and disease: problems

A

Sod houses were difficult to keep clean - shortage of water - made it easy for disease to develop
Illness became a problem amongst children

50
Q

Plains: Dirt and disease: solutions

A

Personal hygiene and cleanliness was important

51
Q

Plains: Building materials: problems

A

Shortage of wood

Blocks of earth cut to build sod houses - warm in winter, cool in summer - but difficult to stop rain

52
Q

Plains: Building materials: solutions

A

Reapers, binders, thrashers developed. Allowed land to be populated with trees for wood

53
Q

Plains: Natural hazards: problems

A

Dry grassled to fires

Insects that devoured crops

54
Q

Plains: Natural hazards: solutions

A

It was natural so could do naff all bout it

55
Q

Plains: Ploughing: problems

A

Grasses had dense, tangled roots

Cast iron ploughs which needed constant repairs

56
Q

Plains: Ploughing: solutions

A

John Deere invented strong plough which dealt with tough grass

57
Q

Plains: Protecting crops: problems

A

No wood for fencing, so couldn’t keep animals from crops or mark land boundaries

58
Q

Plains: Protecting crops: solutions

A

Used barbed wire

59
Q

Plains: Growing crops: problems

A

Crops didn’t suit weather conditions

60
Q

Plains: Growing crops: solutions

A

Hard winter wheat was introduced

Crops flourished and became successful

61
Q

Role of each in the development of the cattle industry:

  1. Railroads
  2. Indians
  3. US Army
  4. Eastern States
  5. Charles Goodnight
  6. Joseph McCoy
  7. The Cowboys
A
  1. Transported cattle from Plains to East
  2. Hunted cattle as alternative to hunting buffalo
  3. In demand of cattle to feed Army and Indians on reservation camps
  4. Popular in overcrowded areas
  5. Developed trails/routes for cattle drives
  6. Introduced cow towns
  7. Herded and rounded up cattle, but died out when closed farming was introduced
62
Q

5 key points why unfenced ranching was successful on the Great Plains.

A
  1. Gave access to grazing and water supply
  2. Plains indians were defeated and confined to reservations
  3. Buffalo that had previously grazed on Plains were gone, slaughtered by hunters
  4. It was discovered that if Texas Longhorns were held on Northern Plains during winter, then cold would kill disease-carrying ticks
  5. railroads crossing Plains were able to take cattle to market
63
Q

3 key points of open range.

A
  1. Unfenced land claimed by rancher
  2. Every open range needed a water supply
  3. Because land wasn’t fenced, people couldn’t tell who owned cattle that wandered - so cattle were branded
64
Q

7 key points about the end of open range.

A
  1. Demand of beef in East fell and prices decreased - ranchers kept cattle on range instead of sending them for slaughter
  2. Weather - drought caused grass to wither
  3. Cold weather killed thousands of cattle
  4. Johnson County War made problems of open range worse
  5. Led to open range being replaced by smaller ranches, fenced using barbed wire
  6. Barbed wire kept competition out, cut labour costs by prventing animals from straying
  7. Wind pumps put up to supply water

History (1 decks)

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