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Miners, Ranchers, & Cowhands

Explore the impact of geography on the success and failure of settlers in the American West, focusing on the growth of the mining, cattle, and ranching industries. Discover the role of railroads, boomtowns, and the collapse of the cattle industry.

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Miners, Ranchers, & Cowhands

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  1. Miners, Ranchers, & Cowhands Growth in the West 1860-1900 Chapter 19, Section 1

  2. Essential Questions: • Is the success or failure of a country related to that country’s geography? Will certain countries always be successful? Will certain countries always be cursed? • How did the geography of the West promote economic opportunities for settlers?

  3. The Frontier (1860)

  4. The Great Plains: • Area of the United States from Missouri River/Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains • Settler Were NOT Attracted to the Great Plains • Rolling Plains, Dry Plateaus, Deserts

  5. Impact of the Railroads: • Railroads Brought Natural Resources (Minerals, Timber, Crops, Cattle) from the West to Eastern Factories & Markets • Trains Brought Miners, Ranchers & Farmers Out West

  6. Railroads’ Impact on Native Americans?

  7. Silver & Gold Rush:Colorado & Nevada • Over 100,000 Miners Rushed Out to Pikes Peak, CO in Search of Gold • Miners Rushed Out to Comstock Lode, NV in Search of Silver & Gold

  8. Boomtowns • A Town that has a Sudden Burst of Economic or Population Growth • San Francisco, Denver, (Gold Rush) • Was Valhalla a Boomtown?

  9. More Gold Strikes! • 1874 – Gold Strike in Black Hills, SD • 1891 – Gold Strike at Cripple Creek, CO • 1896 – Gold Strike in Yukon Territory (Canada) • Hopeful Miners Came From All Over the World: • Europe • South America • Mexico • China

  10. Early Miners: Panning & Sluicing • Most Miners Never Found Gold & Went Broke! • Early Miners Panned & Sluiced: • Very Ineffective! • Most Miners Sold their Land to Large, Rich, Mining Companies!

  11. Large Mining Companies • Large Mining Companies Bought Miners Lands (REAL CHEAP because they went BROKE!) • Companies Had the $$$ to Buy Drilling Equipment! • Used Water Cannons, Dynamite, Drilled Underground Shafts (Tunnels to Drill in the Mountains)

  12. Mining: A Tough Life • Companies Owned the Mines – NOT the Workers! • Miners Had a Tough Life(Still Do Today) • Poor Pay • Deadly Cave Ins • Breath in Dust • Lung Problems

  13. New States From Mining: • 3 States Were Added to the Union: • Nevada • Colorado • South Dakota

  14. Rise of the Cattle Industry • Extension of Railroad Lines into the Frontier Helped Bring Cattle to the East • Beef was VERY Expensive in the East! Why?

  15. The “Man with the Plan!” • Joseph McCoy was an Illinois Livestock Dealer – Lived Outside Chicago • Realized Railroads Could Bring Beef to the East (MORE $$$) • Just Had to Get Cattle from Texas to a Town with a Railroad • Hired Cowhands & Vaqueros for the Long Drives

  16. Joseph McCoy & The Long Drives • Joseph McCoy Started the Long Drives: • Bought Cattle in Texas, Let them Feed on the Frontier (No Cost) • Hired Cowhands & Vaqueros to Take them North to Abilene, KA • Cattle was Sold for 10x More, Processed, Put on Trains, & Brought to the East • Beef/Leather/Belts/ Shoes/Jackets/Etc…

  17. YouTube Long Drives

  18. Vaqueros (Cowboys) • Vaqueros Were the 1st Ever Cowboys/ Cowhands • They Taught American Cowboys How to Rope & Ride Cattle • Brought Cattle North on the Long Drives • 1 Out of 3 Vaqueros Were Either Mexican or African Americans (Former Slaves)

  19. The 3 Amigos!

  20. The Wild, Wild West • In Your Own Words? • On the Frontier & In DevelopingTowns, NO Government! No Police Officers • A lot of Drinking/ Gambling/ Stealing • Billy the Kid

  21. Vigilantes • For Protection, Citizens Formed Vigilantes • Took the Law into Their Own Hands! • Usually Hangings or Shootings on the Spot! • What’s Wrong with this?

  22. Reasons Why the Cattle Industry Collapsed • Too Much BEEF! • Prices Dropped from $30 to $7 • Barbed Wire! • Settlers Fenced in Their Lands (Nothing to Eat & Can’t Get to the Railroad Towns) • Bad Winter on the Plains (1886-1887) • Thousands of Cattle Died – Ranchers Went Out of Business

  23. Essential Questions: • Is the success or failure of a country related to that country’s geography? Will certain countries always be successful? Will certain countries always be cursed? • How did the geography of the West promote economic opportunities for settlers?

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