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Section 1-5

Growth of the Mining Industry. The growing industries in the East needed the West’s rich deposits of gold , silver , and copper . . These deposits brought settlers to the West’s mountain states. 

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Section 1-5

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  1. Growth of the Mining Industry • The growing industries in the East needed the West’s rich deposits of gold, silver, and copper.  • These deposits brought settlers to the West’s mountain states.  • Prospectors used simple equipment like picks, shovels, and pans to mine the shallow deposits of ore by hand.  • This process is known as placer mining. Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-5

  2. Growth of the Mining Industry (cont.) • Corporations dug deep beneath the surface to mine the deposits of ore in a process known as quartz mining. • In 1859 prospector Henry Comstock staked a claim for a silver mine in Six-Mile Canyon, Nevada.  • This caused Virginia City, Nevada, to go from an outpost to a boomtown almost overnight. Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-6

  3. Growth of the Mining Industry (cont.) • Mining helped the growth of Colorado, the Dakota Territory, and Montana.  • Mining in Colorado spurred the building of railroads through the Rocky Mountains.  • Denver became the supply point for the mining areas and the second largest city in the West after San Francisco. Click the mouse to display the information. Section 1-8

  4. Growth of the Mining Industry (cont.) • During boom times, crime was a serious problem.  • Vigilance committees formed to track down and punish wrongdoers. • As the mines collapsed so did the town’s economy and the boomtown became a ghost town.  • The cycle of boom and bust was repeated throughout the mountainous West.  Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-7

  5. Ranching and Cattle Drives • After the Civil War, many Americans began building large cattle ranches on the Great Plains.  • The Texas longhorn was a breed of cattle that could survive the harsh climate of the plains.  • The cattle ranching industry grew in part because of the open range–vast areas of grasslands owned by the federal government.  • Cattle raisers could graze their herds free of charge and without boundaries. Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-10

  6. Ranching and Cattle Drives(cont.) • Shortages • During the Civil War, large numbers of eastern cattle were slaughtered to feed the Union and Confederate armies.  • Railroads.  • By the 1860’s railroads had reached the Great Plains. • This made it worthwhile to round up the longhorns.  Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-11

  7. Ranching and Cattle Drives(cont.) • The major route for moving cattle was the Chisholm Trail that went from Texas to Abilene, Kansas.  • A long drive began with the spring roundup to collect cattle from the open range.  • The cattle were divided and branded.  • Then cowboys moved the herds of cattle along the trails to the rail lines. Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-12

  8. Ranching and Cattle Drives(cont.) • The long cattle drives ended, in part, when the open range was largely fenced off with barbed wire. • Range wars erupted as a result. • Allowed large amounts of land to be fenced off cheaply. • Enabled ranchers to contain cattle closer to sources of food and water while shutting out other ranchers. • As a result the era of the open range ended as quickly as it began. Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-13

  9. Ranching and Cattle Drives(cont.) • Most cowboys were former Confederate army soldiers, a few were Hispanic, and many were African American.  • Cowboys became ranch hands. • Cattle was now raised on ranches that were completely fenced in.

  10. Ranching and Cattle Drives(cont.) • Investors from the East and from Britain put money into the cattle business, causing an oversupply of animals on the market. • Prices for cattle greatly dropped.  • Many ranchers went bankrupt.  • Also, the harsh winters of 1886–1887 killed many cattle. • The day of the open range ended and the cattle industry changed forever. Click the mouse button to display the information. Section 1-14

  11. Growth of the Mining Industry (cont.) How did the mining industry affect towns and cities in the West? Mining caused a cycle of boom and bust–from boomtown to ghost town. During booms, crime was a serious problem. Vigilance committees formed to track down and punish wrongdoers. The mining industry in Colorado led to the building of railroads through the Rocky Mountains. Denver became the supply point for the mining areas and the second largest city in the West. Click the mouse button to display the answer. Section 1-9

  12. Ranching and Cattle Drives(cont.) How did the invention and use of barbed wire affect the cattle industry? The long cattle drives and open grazing ended when the open range was largely fenced off with barbed wire. Click the mouse button to display the answer. Section 1-15

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