The Early Settlers Flashcards
Describe the the Rendezvous and how they had a long term impact on the west.
- trappers gathered once a year to trade catch
- as many as 600 trappers
- mountain men told merchants about rich fertile lands to west of Rockies, news got back to the east
- caused people to travel west and population increased
- Indians also present at rendezvous
What natural dangers did the mountain men face and how did they interact with Indians?
- harsh climate, freezing, icy streams
- Rockies full of grizzly bears
- mountain men introduced Indians to firearms and alcohol (partly beginning of destruction of Indians way of life)
- had to adapt to wilderness to survive
- many turned savage due to lack of food and resources
- no accommodation so half married Indian women for family ties
- lack of washing, bad hygiene, spread of disease and infection
What was a prairie schooner and what did it include?
- wagons families travelled in to west
- four or six oxen to pull
- canvas cover
- wooden wheels with iron tyres
- spare parts carried
- tar buckets to fill gaps between wood with
- grease bucket to waterproof
What were the push and pull factors that caused the emigrants to head west?
Push: pushing them away from what they currently don’t like in the east
- economic depression 1837, lost savings, wages cut, unemployment
- farmers ruined as price of wheat and corn dropped
- land too expensive in East
- neighbours ‘too close’ for farming (nearest was 19km away)
Pull: things luring them to the west
- more opportunities to make money
- why not go west? Couldn’t be any worse
- offered land in enormous quantities and 1842 gov preemption bill
- 1840’s reports about ‘wonderful west’, rumours and stories spread
What were some of the problems faced on the journey to the west?
- risk of disease
- hard to raise young children
- falling off the wagon and breaking limbs
- hard to build fires for warmth and food
- harsh weather
- poor diet
- hard to control oxen, needed rest
- water crossings
- Indian attacks
- cannibalism, had to label people so no one else ate them when left behind
What new factor led to further emigration in 1849 and which area was most affected as a result?
- accidental discovery of gold in river in sierras
- California most affected
- people on East Coast moved west to find gold after this in 1849
- known as the ‘forty-niners’
Described the problems faced by miners once they arrived in the West.
- all good mining sites had been taken
- didn’t earn more that $3 a day
- lived in shacks made from blankets and wooden frames
- laboured all day
- diarrhoea and malaria were common
Explain how gold mining contributed to the development of the west.
- big business moved in
- miners brought families and permanent towns developed
- doctors, lawyers, farmers and businessmen all came
How did mining affect the Indian nations such as the Sioux?
- Indians angry at white for destroying sacred land such as black hills
- gold discovered at black hills which lead to prospectors warming all over sioux’s most hallowed ground.
How was law and order dealt with in mining towns?
- no U.S. government / law offices to protect them
- people made own arrangements
- each town held mass meetings with chairman and officers chosen and drew up ‘mining code’
- mine claims recorded with district recorder
- sheriff appointed to arrest lawbreakers
- court of miners decided on punishments
- trials weren’t long
- common punishments: flogging, banishment + hanging
- Mexicans, Chinese + Indians banned from mining
What was mob justice?
Many people angry so came together and protested for justice.
- common.
What do Mormons believe and why did tipis make them unpopular with other Christians?
- people form Israel moved to US long before Jesus born (believe Jesus was American)
- man called Mormon was a survivor fighting between Israelites in USA.
- Mormon wrote plates detailing these events and the Israelites’ journey
- burried plates so finder could restore church of Christ and continue Mormon faith
- mormons are different type of Christianity, still believe in Jesus Christ.
- considered to be blasphemous (going against God) or heretis (not main faith in the country).
Why were Mormons disliked in Kirtland, Missouri and Nauvoo?
- started to outnumber non Mormons / Gentiles in Kirtland.
- blamed for economic crisis as it was their banks that collapsed, 1837, holding some Gentiles money, chased out of Kirtland
- fled to Missouri, houses burnt by organised gentile mobs
- did not join in with Gentiles actions and ways, different cultural beliefs, so attacked in 1838
- exterminating order issued, lifter in winter 1838
- went to Nauvoo, tried to create ideal city with 35,000 Mormons and more on their way
- did not integrate with Gentiles
- Joseph smith (Mormon leader) said God allowed some Mormons to practice polygamy
- Mormons now thought smith was false prophet, criticised him, smith destroyed criticising, turned into dictator, smith arrested, shot by angry mob.
How did the Mormons solve some of the problems they faced on their journey west?
- crossing mountain range with no clear tracks: wagon trains allowed travelling in large numbers for safety, laboured tracks with picks and shovels.
- couldn’t all travel together: expeditionary group went ahead and formed camp of Israel with cabins, farms, shops etc.
How did the Mormons make a success or settling Salt Lake and Utah?
- Brigham Young (new leader) had total control over community
- no private ownership of land or water, church would assign
- each family given plot of land depending on size
- main irrigation ditch built through farming land
- Mormons self sufficiency by farming success in 1850 - 1860
- missionaries sent to Europe to get converts
- perpetual emigrating fund set up to pay their passage to Salt Lake
- 4225 converts reached utah in 1855 alone.
