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Miners, Ranchers, & Cowhands. Growth in the West 1860-1900 Chapter 19, Section 1. 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?
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Miners, Ranchers, & Cowhands Growth in the West 1860-1900 Chapter 19, Section 1
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?
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
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
Silver and Gold Rush:Colorado and 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 and Gold
Boomtowns • A Town that has a Sudden Burst of Economic or Population Growth • San Francisco, Denver, (Gold Rush) • Was Valhalla a Boomtown?
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
Early Miners: Panning and Sluicing • Most Miners Never Found Gold and Went Broke! • Early Miners Panned & Sluiced. Very Ineffective! • Most Miners Sold their Land to Large, Rich, Mining Companies!
Large Mining Companies • Large Mining Companies Bought Miners Lands (REAL CHEAP because they went BROKE!) • Companies Had the $$$ to Buy Drilling Equipment! • Used Water Cannons, Dynamite, Drilled Underground Shafts (Tunnels to Drill in the Mountains)
Mining: A Tough Life • Companies Owned the Mines – NOT the Workers! • Miners Had a Tough Life(Still Do Today) • Poor Pay • Deadly Cave Ins • Breath in Dust • Lung Problems
New States From Mining: • 3 States Were Added to the Union: • Nevada • Colorado • South Dakota
Rise of the Cattle Industry • Extension of Railroad Lines into the Frontier Helped Bring Cattle to the East • Beef was VERY Expensive in the East! Why?
The “Man with the Plan!” • Joseph McCoy was an Illinois Livestock Dealer – Lived Outside Chicago • Realized Railroads Could Bring Beef to the East (MORE $$$) • Just Had to Get Cattle from Texas to a Town with a Railroad • Hired Cowhands and Vaqueros for the Long Drives
Joseph McCoy and 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…
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)
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
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???
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
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?