Download Indians, Railroads and the Wild West

I CAN COMPARE AND
CONTRAST THE DIFFERENT
GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO
MIGRATED TO THE WEST AND
DESCRIBE THE PROBLEMS
THEY EXPERIENCED.
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Macro Concepts
Migration-mass movement of people
to a new location.
Change-transformation of an
object, place or person.
Environment-Location affected by
people, animals or nature.
Status-the rank or level of a person
based on wealth.
Conflict-problem or issue that is
controversial and can cause
fighting without compromise.
Micro Concepts
Citizenship-the status of having rights,
freedoms and responsibilities within a
country
Ethnicity-a group a person belongs to
based on family, origin and heritage
[language and culture are linked].
Boomtowns-towns that emerged after the
discovery of valuable natural resources
such as oil, silver and gold.
Ghost towns-towns abandoned when
valuable resources became scarce.
Vigilance committees-groups of armed men
who attempted to keep law and order
in boomtowns.
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Gold was discovered by prospector (a person search for precious metal such as gold and
silver) James Marshall in early 1848. At first the precious metal was found in streams and
river beds using primitive search methods such as panning (using a pan to scoop and
search for). Later, more advanced mechanized methods were used to quarry (break up
and search) entire mountainsides for gold.
After news of Marshall’s discovery spread, thousands of men journeyed to California to
strike it rich! The men who arrived west in search of gold in 1849 were called ‘49ers.
Many foreign immigrants from China and South America arrived to prospect for gold but
were victimized by anti-immigrant laws and violence.
Eventually over 300,000 people arrived in the region forming so-called boomtowns that
developed and later expanded west such as San Francisco, California, Dodge City, Kansas
and Tombstone, Arizona.
Comstock Lode

After Gold Fever had swept the West. Henry Comstock mistakenly discovered
enormous deposits of pure silver in sticky, blue clay as he was prospecting for gold
in the Nevada territory during 1858 spurring a silver rush in the year 1859.
Prospectors who chased silver in 1859 were called the ’59ers.

News of silver deposits caused the population of Nevada to explode, ten of
thousands of prospectors flooded the Nevada territory. Because the territory’s
population exceeded 60,000, it was soon after admitted as a state in 1864.

The taxes on profits reaped from the silver mines were useful in funding the U.S.
military effort during U.S. Civil War.
Western Economic Cycles
Boom Towns
Ghost Towns

Because nothing great lasts forever and
metal mines and oil wells eventually stop
result of precious metal or oil
producing boomtowns often collapsed.
discoveries.
 As demand for labor, goods and services
 Hotels, general stores, saloons,
hardware stores and brothels open
decreased people left towns vacant and
for business to serve exploding
moved onto new towns
populations
 Owners of businesses, mines and oil wells
 It was often difficult to control crime
abandoned entire cities and counties
because there were often no laws
 The newly “peopleless” towns became
established or people willing to
known as ghost towns.
maintain order. Almost every man
 These towns developed rapidly as a
possessed a firearm.
To control rampant crime
groups of citizens organized
themselves to confront outlaws
and bring them to justice.
On June 9, 1851 the citizens San Francisco, fed up with the out of control robberies,
muggings, murders and arson related fires, as well as a city government that could not or
would not control the situation, finally took matters into their own hands with the
formation of the Committee of Vigilance. On June 13th the Alta newspaper printed the
following statement, “WHEREAS it has become apparent to the citizens of San Francisco
that there is no security for life and property, either under the regulations of society as it at
present exists, or under the law as now administered; therefore the citizens, whose names
are hereunto attached, do unite themselves into an association for the maintenance of the
peace and good order of society, and the preservation of the lives and property of the
citizens of San Francisco, and do bind ourselves, each unto the other, to do and perform
every lawful act for the maintenance of law and order, and to sustain the laws when
faithfully and properly administered; but we are determined that no thief, burglar,
incendiary or assassin, shall escape punishment, either by the quibbles of the law, the
insecurity of prisons, the carelessness or corruption of the police, or a laxity of those who
pretend to administer justice.” --My Gold Rush Tales by John Putnam
Homestead Act
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Law passed by President Lincoln in 1862 to encourage
Western expansion.
For $10 individuals could apply for a land grant [free
land]. Freed blacks and poor whites often took
advantage of this. Former Confederates were excluded.
Lots of 160 acres were available if homesteaders
improved the land by developing and farming it. After 5
years homesteaders owned the property outright.
Morrill Land Grant Act
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In 1862 and 1890 laws were passed to grant [give/gift] land to create public colleges.
Most states received money to start “state colleges” such as Penn State, Michigan State
and N.C. State [there were many, many more].
These colleges and universities expanded the existing knowledge of science and
agriculture throughout the United States.
In general, opportunities for higher education were expanded beyond the wealthy and
elite to previously uneducated citizens.
Oklahoma Land Rush
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In 1889 thousands of Americans “rushed” to claim land in the Oklahoma territory when the U.S.
Government opened settlement there.
Within months the population went from 100s to over 100,000.
Many people illegally entered the area “too soon” and hid out beyond the territory’s border
to scout the best land tracts [The people were known as Sooners].
After Oklahoma was opened officially the best land was quickly taken by the Sooners.
Life for U.S. Settlers on the Great Plains
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Life for settlers on the Great Plains was extremely harsh and challenging.
During summer months temperatures were regularly greater than 100 degrees.
During the winters extreme cold temperatures and severe snow storms were frequent.
Timber/Lumber was very rare on the prairies so settlers built sodhouses out of tightly
packed blocks of earth and sod [grass]. The threat of destruction from fire was ever
present during the dry summer months.
Occasional swarms of grasshoppers/locusts could also destroy crops within hours.
Unique Experiences of: Chinese immigrants

Starting in the 1840s Chinese workers [sometimes called coolies] traveled overseas
to the Americas, Europe and Africa to work [mostly men].

The work was mostly hard, strenuous labor and for very low pay.

In the United States the laborers built the Transcontinental Railroads.

Jealousy and suspicion from other Americans was common because Chinese often
supplanted other workers particularly the Irish.
Unique Experiences of: Women
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Women were at least half of the population in the U.S. during the 1880s and 1890s.
Unfortunately, because of the culture of the times, women were often considered to be second
class citizens with fewer legal rights than men.
The types of work women performed was often limited to domestic work [home cleaning,
sewing/textiles production and farm work].
Single [unmarried, divorced or widowed] women sometimes engaged in illegal or “immoral”
types of work such as saloon girls in brothels [houses of prostitution] and bar keeping.
Unique Experiences of: African-Americans
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After passage of the 13th Amendment African-Americans were free to work where they could
find employment.
Unfortunately racism and discriminatory laws [Jim Crow] prevented freed blacks from
achieving equal opportunities.
The Homestead Act allowed blacks to go West and own land.
Poor freed blacks who remained in the South often were Sharecroppers who were exploited
by landlords and remained poor.
Many Southern blacks went North during the Great Migration for job opportunities in factories.
Unique Experiences of: Irish immigrants
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During the 1840s millions of Irish fled their homeland due to the Potato Famine.
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Most of these emigrants came to the United States seeking jobs.
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The earliest immigrants took jobs building the railroads.
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Many riots between Irish and Chinese workers broke out over labor competition.
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During the U.S. Civil many Irishmen protesting against conscription and participated in antidraft riots using extreme violence.
I CAN IDENTIFY INNOVATIONS IN
AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY AND
BUSINESS PRACTICES AND ASSESS
THEIR IMPACT ON THE WEST.
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Macro Concepts
Change-the transformation of a person, place or thing.
Transportation-the willing or forced relocation of an object to a
different area.
Micro Concepts
Industrialization-the process of people producing things using mass
production and machinery.
National economy-a financial system controlled by a central
government.
Vertical Integration-the complete control of all aspects/parts of a
company’s business.
Horizontal Integration-the complete control of an entire type of
business [ex. An oil company takes over other oil companies].
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Barbed Wire
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On the Western Frontier cattle ranchers used barbed wire
to contain and fence in their livestock to prevent them from
being stolen from cattle rustlers [cow thieves].
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Border and property disputes occurred because there was
less open free range for cattle grazing.
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The invention of barbed wire was developed by Joseph
Glidden as a way to improve fence strength of the existing
types of fence wire.
Windmills
Windmills were used to
harness the power of the
wind for electricity and farm
machinery.
The energy generated by the
technology was free [after
the cost of purchase] and
renewable.
Also, no pollution was created
as a result of using
windmills. It allowed
farmers to be energy
independent.
Refrigerated Railroad Cars
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Railroad companies invented a refrigerated car in order to preserve crops from
spoiling.
Railroads were able to charge more for the freight and earn more money.
Farmers were able to earn more money because their crops did not perish and
as a result saved in order to be sold.
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Farmers’ Cooperatives
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In order to create more opportunities for poor farmers to succeed
despite large odds against them cooperatives were founded.
The purpose of a cooperative was to pool [gather/combine] resources
such as land, cash and equipment.
Farmers could borrow money from the cooperatives to buy seed,
fertilizer or workers.
Click on link below
Example of farming cooperative
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Gilded Age

Time period from 1870-1910 when a small number of Americans became
extremely wealthy due to their exploitation of Laissez Faire policies of the
U.S. Government.
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Railroads, The Steel industry and Oil companies controlled their business
sectors with complete control.
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Competition between businesses was limited and prices of goods were very
high.
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There was a huge disparity [difference] between the rich and poor.
The decadent
Biltmore Estate
in Asheville, NC
Captains of Industry
 So-called captains of industry were large and wealthy business owners
who were ruthless and did everything they could to be financially
successful by controlling their types of business. They were called
captains of industry as a result of their tactics.
 These men became very wealthy and powerful because they controlled
huge amounts of money.
Andrew Carnegie
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Andrew Carnegie was a steel magnate who owned the
largest steel company in the United States: U.S. Steel
Corporation.
Carnegie created a business strategy called vertical
integration.
Vertical integration was strategy that combined separate
elements of Carnegie’s business under one organization.
The efficiency could not be matched and competitors
were eliminated.
•Sale
•Production
•Labor
•Raw materials
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Money was saved by Carnegie because he did not
have to use outside companies at any time to make
and eventually sell his product.
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller was an oil baron who
monopolized the oil industry.
His pricing model and trust strategy eventually drove
his competitors out of business.
He combined his operations with willing competitors
and reduced his prices below cost [losing money
temporarily].
When all competition was eliminated he raised oil
prices to whatever he wanted. Customers had no
other options and had to pay whatever he
charged.
Horizontal integration was used by Rockefeller to
dominate an entire industry by allying with
selected competitors into trusts. His dominant
business spread out and took over competing
businesses.
Dominant
business
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Competing
business
Competing
business
Competing
business
RAFT paper
Select one of the following options to write a first person narrative about.
[1] Joseph Glidden, the inventor of barbed wire, describing how you believe your invention will
improve farmers’ businesses or you’re a cattle rancher who uses the Open Range to graze
your cattle and this invention is a huge obstacle.
[2] You’re a farmer deciding whether to invest in a very expensive windmill and you are weighing
the costs of the device to decide if its worth the money.
[3] You’re a railroad company executive who has invested millions of dollars on new refrigerated
cars or you are a corn or pig farmer who is deciding how and why this will help you make
more money.
[4] You’re Andrew Carnegie and planning to unveil your vertical integration business plan and
want to explain how it will benefit your company or you’re a steel competitor of Carnegie
and must find a way to stay in business now.
[5] You’re John D. Rockefeller and planning to unveil your horizontal integration business plan
and want to explain how it will benefit your company or you’re an oil competitor of
Rockefeller and must find a way to stay in business now.
I CAN DESCRIBE THE CAUSES AND
EFFECTS OF THE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES
THAT PLAGUED THE AMERICAN FARMER
AND TRACE THE RISE AND DECLINE OF
POPULISM.
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Macro Concepts
Innovation-the method of advancing and improving the way of doing
something.
Conflict-problem or issue that is controversial and can cause problems
without compromise.
Micro Concepts
Inflation-rising prices of resources due to scarcity.
Deflation-falling prices of resources due to oversupply.
Supply and demand-amount and desire for a resource.
Populism-political movement led and controlled by citizens [mostly
late 1800s farmers] to change the government.
The Grange
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A united group of American farmers who
came together to fight for their rights and
defend their economic interests. This group of
farmers called itself the Grange
Farmers believed they were being exploited
by railroads.
Railroads were charging huge fees to
transport farmers’ crops and livestock.
The Grange wanted the U.S. Government to
step in regulate the railroads.
As a result of political pressure it placed on
members of Congress and several lawsuits the
power of railroads to charge excessive fees
for freight transportation was decreased.
Several other farmers’ groups came together in different regions:
Southern Alliance-Farmers from the Southern part of the U.S. who
grew/raised tobacco, hogs and cotton.
Colored farmers-Mostly sharecroppers and tenant farmers who grew cotton,
tobacco and corn in the South.
These farmers’ groups combined forces to fight their economic enemies
(e.g. railroads) by forcing them to negotiate with large numbers of farmers
instead of single farmers.
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U.S. Money Policies
To strengthen the U.S. economy several monetary policies were attempted.
 Greenbacks-During the U.S. Civil War with the lack of gold the Union [and
Confederacy] issued paper currency that promised to pay the face value [$5, $10, $50,
etc] with “to the bearer on demand.” The government was asking people to trust it to
pay gold later on.
 Gold Standard-This policy forced the U.S. government to issue only the amount of
paper money the U.S. had in gold reserves in the U.S. Treasury.
 Bimetallism-This policy allowed the U.S. government to issue paper money based on
gold and silver reserves.
Federal Railroad Court Cases
 Two landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases were influenced by the pressure exerted on the U.S. Government by
the Grange.
 Wabash vs. Illinois in 1886 the Court ruled that individual states could not interfere with interstate
commerce related to railroads. The Interstate Commerce Act was passed soon after this decision in order
to control trade between states. This ruling gave railroads more power to charge unfair transport fees.
 Railroads were worried about the power of large companies (their biggest customers) demands for rebates on
freight charges.
 Munn vs. Illinois in 1887 the Court ruled that states could regulate businesses within their borders. This
ruling gave states more power protect farmers from unfair transport fees charged by railroads.
Omaha Platform
 The set of ideas [platform] adopted by the Populist party.
 The main objective of the Populist Party was for the U.S.
government to own all the railroads and telegraphs.
William Jennings Bryan
In 1896 at the Democratic National Convention William Jennings
Bryan was a candidate for the presidential nomination as a democrat.
He represented the state of Nebraska which had thousands of farmers.
In a famous speech criticizing the gold standard Bryan believed that
bimetallism [gold and silver supported currency] would make more money
available for cash poor farmers.
Recording of speech
Text of speech
Assignment: Letter
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Write a letter to the President of the United States or the Congress
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You can be a railroad company owner
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You can be a poor farmer
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You must explain why the federal government should create laws to
support your side.
You should be convincing and use examples from what you learned.
I CAN evaluate the impact that
settlement in the West had upon
different groups of people and upon
the environment.
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Macro Concepts
Migration-the mass movement of people from one place to another.
Environment-Location affected by people, animals and weather.
Status-Rank or level of a person based on wealth/education.
Resources-Items that can be used for benefit or making things.
Conflict-Problem or issue that is controversial and can cause problems with
compromise.
Micro Concepts
Assimilation-The act of foreigners mixing/blending in with the existing population.
Transcontinental Railroad and its Construction
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Train tracks were built across the entire United States connecting West to East
and North to South.
Construction took place from the 1860s to 1910s.
The work was very dangerous due to terrain ,[cliffs, valleys and mountains]
weather [extreme heat and cold] and types of equipment used [dynamite].
Irish and Chinese immigrants were early laborers who roughed the harsh
conditions for low wages.
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One of the most disgraceful events in U.S. military history.
Cheyenne and Arapaho Nation peoples were mostly friendly with U.S. citizens near their
territories.
In 1864 the U.S. Civil War was still being fought and Union armies were always on high
alert to possible threats.
The Cheyenne Chief, Black Kettle, approached the U.S. Army post, Fort Lyon, in Colorado
for a meeting and was told to wait.
U.S. Army Colonel Chivington may have misunderstood the situation or felt threatened by
the Chief.
The end result was the slaughter and mutilation by the U.S. Army of over 100 Native
Americans including women and children.
Sand Creek Massacre
Battle of Little Bighorn
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One of the most embarrassing defeats in U.S. Military history.
During a patrol Lt. Colonel George Custer encountered a massive
camp of Lakota and Cheyenne people.
Custer launched an attack in three separate directions
underestimating the Natives.
Custer and all of his troops but one were killed as a result of the
leadership of Lakota Chief Sitting Bull.
The Sacred Buffalo
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The American buffalo, sometimes referred to as
the bison, was the most important natural
resource to Native-American people in the
western territories.
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This animal was usually peaceful but very
unpredictable and subject to attack people at
any minute.
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Before American settlers moved west there
believed to be tens of millions of buffalo.
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By 1900 there were less than 1,000 wild buffalo
left due to mindless slaughter by tourists on
train tours.
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Native Americans used every part of the animal
(i.e. meat, hide, bones, horns, etc.)
Buffalo Soldiers
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One of the first all black army units in the United States.
The 10th Cavalry Regiment was formed in 1866 to fight in the U.S. Civil
War.
The soldiers received their nickname from the Native tribes they fought.
According to historians it was because of both their dark skin and dark
curly hair that similar to the buffalo. Also the ferocity with which they
fought.
Wounded Knee Massacre
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The U.S. Government had banned the Ghost Dance for all Native tribes.
The Ghost Dance was when Natives led by a Chief or spiritual leader would
call the spirits to help them.
The U.S. Government believed the dance threatened peace with the natives.
On December 29, 1890 at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota over 150
Sioux were killed by U.S. Army troops after they tried to disarm the Sioux
during a ceremony.
Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce
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Chief Joseph was the leader of the Nez Perce Nation located in
what is now Oregon.
U.S. Forces attempted to remove the Nez Perce Nation to a
reservation in Idaho.
His people refused and fought the U.S. Army.
Under Joseph’s leadership the Nez Perce were able to resist by
using effective military tactics such as baited ambushes.
Eventually the Nez Perce fled to Canada to avoid U.S. Forces but
later returned and accepted life on the reservation.
Reservation System and the Dawes Act
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In 1891 Senator Henry Dawes led the passage of the Dawes Act [a.k.a. the
Dawes Severalty Act].
To solve the Indian Problem land was reserved [set aside] to remove them
from their ancestral lands.
Vast areas called reservations were created at different locations in order
to make room for American settlers on ancestral “Indian” lands. “Indians”
were required to live on these new reservations.
Frederick Jackson Turner and Helen Hunt Jackson
 Two American authors who chronicled [wrote about] the effects of Western
expansion were Frederick Jackson Turner and Helen Hunt Jackson.
 Turner explained that settlement of the Western Frontier was important but
would eventually lead to overseas expansion.
 Jackson wrote a book called A Century of Dishonor that criticized the injustice
and mistreatment of Native-Americans by the United States.
Assignment: What if?
 After thinking about the events you learned about involving Western
Expansion you need to think about how things could have been different
[you may make things better or worse].
 Select one of the events/incidents that occurred (anywhere in the slide show)
and explain about how things could or should have been different. In other
words, What if things happened differently?
You must complete one of the following:
[a] 8-panel cartoon strip (with relevant dialogue)
[b] diary entry (one full side of a handwritten page or 200 words 12 pt Arial font)
[c] speech (must be recited to the class and be 3 minutes long)
[d] newspaper/magazine article (must have a news paper name and headline
and use the template on Angel or printed)
[e] poster/advertisement (one full side of a handwritten page or 200 words 12 pt
Arial font)
[f] foldable brochure (must have three sides, use a MS Publisher template or
create it by hand)
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