westward expansion Flashcards
OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH
when the government took the Oklahoma territory (belonging to Natives) and opened the settlement for settlers to claim.
HOMESTEAD ACT
gave government-owned land to small farmers.
SODBUSTERS
plains farmers that worked hard to break up the root-filled sod, or dirt, beneath the grass
MORRILL ACT
granted more than 17 million acres of federal land to the states.
EXODUSTERS
a large group of southern African Americans that made a mass exodus, or departure, from the South.
DRY FARMING
a new method of farming that shifted the focus away from water-dependent crops such as corn. Instead, farmers grew more hardy crops like red wheat.
DEFLATION
a decrease in the money supply and overall lower prices.
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
Many farmers began backing William Jennnings Bryan, who favored free silver coinage. The Populist Party was formed and was in support of him, but he lost the election.
POPULIST PARTY
called for the government to own railroads and telephone and telegraph systems. It also favored the “free and unlimited coinage of silver.” They backed Willaim jennings Bryan because he was in favor of their views.
FREE SILVER
to allow the unlimited coining of silver and to back paper currency with silver.
NATIONAL GRANGE
was a social and educational organization for farmers. The Grange campaigned for political candidates who supported farmers’ goals. The organization also called for laws that regulated rates charged by railroads.
FARMERS ALLIANCE
many farmers organized to elect candidates that would help them. In the 1890 elections the Alliances were a strong political force. State and local wins raised farmers’ political hopes.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
when supply exceeds demand, prices fall. Wheat was overproduced, leading to high supply. The demand did not reach the supply, so wheat prices fell.
PLAINS INDIANS
lived in the Great Plains, depended on buffalo, had many broken treaties with the U.S., and ended up on reservations.
TREATY OF FT. LARAMIE
the first major treaty between the U.S. government and Plains Indians. it recognized Indian claims to most of the Great Plains. They also allowed the United States to build forts and roads and to travel across Indian homelands.
2ND TREATY OF FT LARAMIE
the government agreed to close the Bozeman Trail, abandon the forts, and provide reservation land to the Sioux.
RESERVATIONS
areas of federal land set aside for Native Americans. The government expected Indians to stay on the reservations, which made hunting buffalo almost impossible.
CRAZY HORSE
a Lakota leader that fought with the U.S. over their lands. He and Sitting Bull defeated Custer and his troops in the Battle of Little Big Horn
TREATY OF MEDICINE LODGE
most southern Plains Indians agreed to live on reservations.
BUFFALO SOLDIERS
troops including African American cavalry, sent into the area to force Natives to leave after resisting the reservations
END OF THE BUFFALO
many Natives were on reservations, making hunting for buffalo almost impossible
GEORGE CUSTER
discovered gold in the Black Hills of the Dakotas. Sioux forces led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeated Custer and his troops. The battle was called “Custer’s Last Stand” because his entire command was killed.
SITTING BULL
a leader of the Lakota Sioux, who protested U.S. demands for the land. He and Crazy Horse defeated Custer and his troops in the Battle of Little Big Horn. He returned to his lands with no food and was later killed by reservation police, causing protest.
MASSACRE AT WOUNDED KNEE
U.S. Army shot and killed about 150 Sioux near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota because many Sioux left the reservations in protest of Sitting Bull’s death. This was the last major incident on the Great Plains.
