The American West Outline Flashcards
Great Plains
Mostly flat, dry hard ground, brown grass, lack of moisture—-> no agriculture
How did the people get to ten Great Plains?
They would be on their way to California or Oregon and would get stuck
Original Name for the Great Plains
Great American Desert
Exodusters
Freedmen that wanted to move to the Great Plains
Why did the Exodusters want to move?
They wanted to escape the South after reconstruction ended. They went to farm because it was what they knew.
Sioux Indians
Last organized Indian nation sine the others had been forced to move. They were buffalo hunters.
Dry-farming
Used less water by digging to the third layer of soil (only a temporary fix—-> Dust Bowl)
Why was there a need for railroads?
They didn’t have any and needed a way to feel their crop.
Transcontinental Railroad
Sacramento, California to Omaha, Nebraska finished in may 1869
What was living on the Great Plains like?
Lonely most had neighbors at least 10 miles away—> couldn’t socialize
The Granger Movement
Aka the Grange was a social gathering let the people meet to socialize and talk started by Oliver Hudson kelley
How did the Granger Movement evolve?
The men began to talk about work aka farming and in doing so learned that the railroads were charging them different prices to ship their crops to the same place
What is significant about the Granger movement?
It was the first formal farmers union and led to the Granger Laws
Granger Laws
Passed to protect farmers from being taken advantage of
Where did cattle raising start?
Began in California but was pushed out during the Gold Rush
Open Range Cattle Raising problems
Couldnt decide what cattle belonged to who leading them more prone to being stolen
Branding
Solution to tell what cow was whose
Barbed wire
Stopped open range farming but lowered the risk of the cattle being stolen
How was cattle raising a problem for the Sioux?
Became issue for the buffalo (Sioux’s livelihood)–> gov’t hired buffalo hunters–> nearly wiping out the buffalo
Buffalo Bill Cody
Hunter that told animated story of his hunts and ended up making a show called Wold West Show about the buffalo killings and interactions with the Sioux
American policy with Natives
- Didn’t want to fight(civil war just ended)
- Just wanted to sign treaties (started with GW)
- Relocate natives to smaller reservations
Why did Sioux want to fight?
Wanted to keep land and prevent relocation
General George Custer
Led soldiers to area around Little Big Horn River
Battle of Little Big Horn
Sioux won-amer had too few soldiers and natives had passion to fight to death
Sitting Bull
Spiritual and political leader of Sioux-policy was no surrender
Crazy Horse
Led the Sioux into battle and surrounded Custer allowing them to win–> short victory as they started to lose
Helen Hunt Jackson
Wrote “A century of dishonor” talking about policies against natives and calling out leaders like Washington
What was the new policy towards natives?
Assimilation
Assimilation
Was to bring the natives into society and change their customs–> forced some children to lea ‘ve their families for social boarding schools
Dawes Act
Opened reservations lands for little $10 for 160 acres to live and work there for 5 years
Last fight in response to Dawes Act
Battle at Wounded Knee
Reason for Battle at Wounded Knee
Sioux were doing Ghost Dance which scared soldiers who stepped in causing a fight and 150 to be killed while the rest scattered–> last major war in Indian Wars
Sand Creek Massacre
Colonel John Chivington attacked a Cheyenne tribe without restraint or reason
Big Business and Agriculture
Farmers didn’t feel they were a part of big business
When and who started big business
Started in the late 1800s by people like Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Vanderbilt all who grew through business
How did people grow through big business?
- Monopoly-controlled entire market making prices high send quality maybe average
- Trust-companies would work together and agree to control the market together
Both made prices high
Bimetallism
Monetary system in which the govt. would give citizens gold or silver for paper currency or checks
Gold standard
Backing dollars solely with gold
William McKinley
Nominated for pres. by republican party
William Jennings Bryan
Won democratic nomination/Nebraska congressman editor of Omaha world-herald gave “cross of gold” speech
