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WESTERN FRONTIER 1865-1900

WESTERN FRONTIER 1865-1900. SETTLEMENT. Before 1860, nicknamed the “Great American Desert” Winter blizzards Hot summers Discouraged settlement By 1900-covered with settlers Miners, cattlemen (cowboys), farmers. MINERS. 1848-Gold discovered in California

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WESTERN FRONTIER 1865-1900

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  1. WESTERN FRONTIER1865-1900

  2. SETTLEMENT • Before 1860, nicknamed the “Great American Desert” • Winter blizzards • Hot summers • Discouraged settlement • By 1900-covered with settlers • Miners, cattlemen (cowboys), farmers

  3. MINERS • 1848-Gold discovered in California • 1859-Gold discovered in Colorado & silver discovered in Nevada • 1/3rd of all miners were Chinese • Establishment of major western cities • Sacramento • San Francisco • Denver • Known as “safety values” • Civilized society in an uncivilized land

  4. CATTLEMEN (COWBOYS) • Open grassland of Great Plains-ideal for running cattle • Learned from Mexican vaqueros • Texas Longhorns • Cattle towns-ship cows on railroad to Chicago for butchering • Abilene, Kansas-most famous • Most cowboys-former slaves & Mexicans • Long drives end due to drought, blizzards, & homesteaders

  5. FARMERS(HOMESTEADERS) • Homestead Act (1862) • Gave 160 acres of land to any family who would farm it for 5 years • 500,000 families signed up • Barbed Wire (1874) • Invented by Joseph Glidden • Fenced in the land from invaders • Great Oklahoma land race (1889)

  6. “TURNER’S THESIS” • 1890-US census declared the “frontier” settled • Frederick Jackson Turner • Writes “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”(1893) • Known as “Turner’s Thesis” • Frontier necessary • Promoted independence • Broke down social barriers • Encouraged invention • Condemned to follow pattern of class division & social conflicts in European countries

  7. AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION • By late 1800s, farmers minority in America • amount of farm land increased (more acres) • Number of farmers decreased • Why? • New farm machinery • Specialization • Small farmers can’t compete • Sell or lose farms • Lower prices & rising costs hurt all farmers • Decide to fight back against banks & railroads through the government

  8. NATIONAL GRANGE MOVEMENT • 1868-Oliver Kelley organizes the Patrons of Husbandry • Purpose: social & educational activities for farmers • Talk turns to politics-Became “Grangers”

  9. NATIONAL GRANGE MOVEMENT • Grange laws-reduced rates of railroads • Interstate Commerce Act • First federal regulation of private industry • Public utilities-”rates must be reasonable & just” • Interstate Commerce Commission • By 1890-one million farmers had joined

  10. FARMERS’ ALLIANCE • 1890-Grange changes name to Alliance • Third political party status • Platform • Direct election of Senators • Lower tariff rates • Graduated income tax • Regulated banking system • Increase money in circulation • Federal storage for crops • Federal loans for farmers

  11. POPULIST PARTY • 1892-Farmers’ Alliance changed name to Populist • Met in Omaha, NE • Nominate candidates • Form platform • Platform • Direct election of senators • State laws agreed by voters • Increase money supply • Graduated income tax • Federal ownership of public utilities • Stabilize farm prices • 8 hour day for industrial workers-why?

  12. POPULIST PARTY • Successful? • Election of 1892-James Weaver • Received 1 million popular votes & 22 electoral votes • More than any other 3rd party candidate • Election of 1896-William Jennings Bryan • Nominated by both Democrats & Populists • Fails to win industrialized north • Declined after 1896, but… • Two planks of platform eventually passed by Progressive Party • Direct election of senators & graduated income tax

  13. REMOVAL OF NATIVE AMERICANS • Since the 1830s-Reservation Policy • With American settlement of the Great Plaines-need to move Natives again • Plans interrupted by Civil War & Natives took advantage by leaving reservations

  14. INDIAN WARS1870-1890 • Civil War veterans sent to “take care” of Indian problem • Better weapons & desensitized to war • By 1868-90% of Natives on Reservations, the rest considered “hostile” and were warned to go to reservations • Conducted “winter campaigns” • Tribes stationary • Horse in hibernation • Culture taught-catch Indians off guard

  15. INDIAN WARS1870-1890 • Most known battle-Little Big Horn • June 25, 1877 • 7th Calvary led by George Armstrong Custer • Sioux Indians led by Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse • Custer’s Big Mistake • Custer killed & Calvary massacred

  16. INDIAN WARS1870-1890 • Longest hold out • Chief Joseph & Nez Perce tribe • “I will fight no more forever.” • Slaughter of the buffalo & poisoning of the rivers led to ultimate demise of Plaines Indians • Dawes Act (1887) • New Indian policy-assimilation/destroy Indian Culture • Established Indian Bureau of Schools

  17. INDIAN WARS1870-1890 • Ghost Dance • Indians losing hope • Dream of Nevada Paiute-Wovoka • “Messiah” Indian-save from reservation & bring back buffalo • Created Ghost Dance-all Natives perform at same time • 1890-Federal government outlaws ghost dance

  18. INDIAN WARS1870-1890 • Massacre at Wounded Knee • Group of Sioux Indians on way to reservation • Camp outside of military fort • Performed the Ghost Dance • Troops come to arrest leaders & take weapons • Fighting breaks out-troops win • Blizzard hits-lasts for 3 days • When troops go back to camp-only 6 adults & 3 children left out of 300 • Considered the last battle of the Indian Wars

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