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Westward Expansion

Westward Expansion. Transcontinental Railroad. Why move west? . LAND!!!! Freedom Destiny Adventure Money To Escape. Push/Pull. Push – factors that occur to drive a person AWAY from somewhere Pull – factors that occur to attract a person TOWARD a location

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Westward Expansion

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  1. Westward Expansion Transcontinental Railroad

  2. Why move west? • LAND!!!! • Freedom • Destiny • Adventure • Money • To Escape

  3. Push/Pull Push – factors that occur to drive a person AWAY from somewhere Pull – factors that occur to attract a person TOWARD a location U.S. population grew rapidly in mid-1800’s Farmers, miners and ranchers settled throughout the West

  4. Miners, Ranchers and Railroads • Most Americans thought the West was a desolate desert “Great American Desert” • Stephen Long • Ogallala Aquifer was discovered allowing irrigation • Discovery of gold and silver in California opened the American frontier to the Pacific Ocean • Comstock Lode discovered in Nevada • Deep mines needed to retrieve precious metals were dangerous • Cave-ins, fires, dark dusty tunnels, unsafe equipment

  5. Cattle Kingdom • Increased demand for meat in East • Steers that would sell for $5 in Texas could be sold for $40 in Kansas and $80 in New York City • The Open Range was being used for cattle • Once belonged to Plains Indians and buffalo herds • Abilene, Kansas: cattle drive destination • Ranchers in Texas would drive cattle to Kansas to be transported by rail to market

  6. Cowboys • Dangerous job on long cattle drives • Many cowboys were Confederate soldiers looking for a job after war • 1/3 were Mexican or African Americans • Many techniques were borrowed from vaqueros (Mexican ranch hands) • Western Saddle, Lariat (lasso) • Broad brimmed hat was modified into what we think of as a cowboy hat today

  7. Cattle Drives • Journey from Texas to Midwest grazing grounds or railroad stops • 12-man crew could manage a herd of 2,000 to 3,000 head. The trail boss was the ultimate authority on the trail was paid $100 to $125 a month. The cook was the most important, earning about $60 per month. • Lead and more experienced in front, newer cowboys “drag men” were in the back • herd of 1,000 head might stretch out 1-2 miles on the trail • Depending on weather drives could last between 30-100 days • Dangers: Indian Tribes, weather (floods, tornado’s) and drought stricken animals

  8. Transcontinental RailroadA railroad that would cross the continent and connect the East to the West • Congress granted RR companies loans and large tracks of land to finance and build railroads • Union Pacific (Omaha, Ne) and Central Pacific (Sacramento, Ca) raced to build the RR • Many geographic challenges • Unpredictable Midwest weather • Sierra Nevada Mountain Range • Severe snow storms • Central Pacific pressured workers to follow a rapid pace • Union Pacific hired thousands of immigrants • Chinese were used for toughest jobs, longer hours and less pay

  9. Transcontinental Railroad Route

  10. Results of Railroad • Increased economic and population growth • Railroad Companies sold their land to individuals and promoted settling • Timber, mining, ranching and farmers all used the railroads to ship and receive goods • Increased debt and failure of RR banks led to Panic of 1873 • 1890 164,000 more miles of tracks than in 1865 • Same distance as traveling from New York City to Los Angeles 66 times

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