Chapter 5 THE WESTERN CROSSROADS

1. Chapter 5THE WESTERN CROSSROADS Section 1: War in the West Section 2: Western Farmers Section 3: The Cattle Boom Section 4: The Mining Boom

2. Section 1: War in the West Objectives: • Why did the U.S. government create the American Indian reservation system? • What were the sources of conflict between the Plains Indians and the U.S. government? • How did Chief Joseph, Geronimo, and Sarah Winnemucca respond to whites’ treatment of American Indians? • How did the U.S. government try to assimilate American Indians?

3. Section 1: War in the West The reservation system • created to serve desire for farmland and gold • gave government control of American Indians • provided opportunity for assimilation of American Indians

4. Section 1: War in the West The Plains Indians and the U.S. government • conflicts over land and reservations • conflicts over broken promises and treaties • conflicts over the Ghost Dance

5. Section 1: War in the West Chief Joseph’s response • agreed to move tribe to a reservation • fled from the U.S. Army and eventually surrendered

6. Section 1: War in the West Geronimo’s response • fled reservation with his tribe; raided settlements • eventually surrendered

7. Section 1: War in the West Sarah Winnemucca’s response • called attention to problems • made speeches; participated in political activities

8. Section 1: War in the West Assimilation attempts • establishment of reservations • creation of Indian schools • passage of the Dawes Act

9. Section 2: Western Farmers Objectives: • How did the U.S. government promote economic development in the West? • Why did people migrate west? • How did the environment influence farming practices and daily life in the West? • What difficulties did farm families face on the Great Plains?

10. Section 2: Western Farmers Promotion of economic development • Homestead Act permitted any citizen or intended citizen to have 160 acres of land. • Pacific Railway Act gave lands to railroad companies to develop the transcontinental railroad. • Morrill Act provided more than 17 million acres of land whose sale was to finance agricultural and engineering colleges.

11. Section 2: Western Farmers Migration west • White Americans sought cheaper lands or wanted to make a new start. • African Americans wanted to escape persecution in the South. • Scandinavians had “America Fever.” • Irish moved west after building railroads. • Russian Mennonites moved after Russian czar ended their exemption from military service. • Chinese came during Gold Rush and turned to farming.

12. Section 2: Western Farmers Environmentalinfluence • Lack of water and strong winds led to dry farming and irrigation. • Lack of trees led to use of buffalo manure as fuel and building material. • Harsh winters led to use of new varieties of wheat that withstood the weather.

13. Section 2: Western Farmers Difficulties for farm families • poor housing • blizzards and cold weather • droughts • insects • prairie fires • backbreaking work

14. Section 3: The Cattle Boom Objectives: • How did cattle and sheep ranching develop in the West? • What was life like for cowboys and residents of cattle towns? • What were ranches like? • Why did the cattle boom on the open range end?

15. Section 3: The Cattle Boom Development of cattle ranching • introduction of the Texas longhorn • expansion of eastern beef market

16. Section 3: The Cattle Boom Development of sheep ranching • introduced by Spanish • also done by American Indians • market expansion sparked by Gold Rush

17. Section 3: The Cattle Boom Cowboy life • demanding working conditions • isolation • trail drives

18. Section 3: The Cattle Boom Town life • busy from spring to fall from cattle drives • businesses attracted by the money that cowboys received at end of drive • families followed businesses

19. Section 3: The Cattle Boom Ranches • hard work for both genders • lonely • centered around roundup

20. Section 3: The Cattle Boom End of the cattle boom • cattle glut • invention of barbed wire • depletion of grass • bad weather

21. Section 4: The Mining Boom Objectives: • What role did mining play in bringing more people west? • How did the arrival of families change life in mining camps? • Why did large companies take over most mining operations, and how did this change the lives of miners?

22. Section 4: The Mining Boom Role of mining Mining attracted people to the West by presenting the possibility of great wealth.

23. Section 4: The Mining Boom Arrival of families • Families brought stability and transformed temporary towns into permanent ones. • Families brought law and order. • Families established churches, newspapers, schools, and cultural establishments.

24. Section 4: The Mining Boom Takeover by large companies • It was expensive to mine the deep, less accessible deposits. • Technology rather than luck required to locate deposits. • Miners became laborers for corporations rather than self-employed individuals. • Working conditions in mines were dangerous. • Some miners formed unions to get better wages and working conditions.