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Unit 1 Bridge to the 20 th Century 1877 – 1917

Unit 1 Bridge to the 20 th Century 1877 – 1917. Chapter 5 Changes on the Western Frontier 1877 - 1900. Great Plains. Grasslands extending through the west-central portion of U.S. Great Plains. And just when you can’t take one more scene of grass and dirt …. … thank goodness for the cows!.

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Unit 1 Bridge to the 20 th Century 1877 – 1917

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  1. Unit 1Bridge to the 20th Century1877 – 1917 Chapter 5 Changes on the Western Frontier 1877 - 1900

  2. Great Plains Grasslands extending through the west-central portion of U.S.

  3. Great Plains

  4. And just when you can’t take one more scene of grass and dirt …

  5. … thank goodness for the cows!

  6. “Go West Young Man” • Changes on Western Frontier • Late 1890s – American west is last frontier • Ranchers, cowboys, miners, homesteaders forever change lives of Plains Indians “I cried aloud … and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit. Since the day I was taken from my mother I had suffered extreme indignities … and now my long hair was shingled like a coward’s! In my anguish I moaned for my mother, but no one came … Now I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder.” Zitkala-Sa, pg. 202

  7. 1834 • All Great Plains = One enormous Indian Reservation • Many tribes • Nomadic lifestyle – move around • Hunt buffalo and gather food • 1850s • U.S. Gov’t puts boundaries on tribes • Tribes ignore Gov’t restrictions • clash with other tribes, settlers, miners

  8. Expansion & Restrictions Bring Conflicts • Silver & Gold • Sand Creek Massacre • Bozeman Trail • Red River War • Gold Rush in Black Hills • Custer’s Last Stand

  9. Treaty of Fort Laramie • As Gov’t allowed more people to move westward, railroads grew, towns sprung up • Forced more treaties -- gain land, stop fighting • Treaty of Fort Laramie - 1868 • Sioux to live on reservation - Missouri River • Sitting Bull (Hunkpapa Sioux) never signed it • Ogala and Brule Sioux did sign, but expected to continue using their traditional hunting grounds • Only temporarily halted warfare.

  10. Gold Rush & Custer • George A. Custer - U.S. Colonel • “Gold from the grass roots down” in Black Hills • Black Hills sacred to Sioux • Broke Ft. Laramie Treaty George Custer • Custer’s 7th Calvary crushed, killed by Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse & other Indian warriors • Known as “Custer’s Last Stand”

  11. Dawes Act - Passed in 1887 • Goals • Make more land available to whites • Assimilate Indians & break up reservations • Gave some land to individual Indians - private • 160 acres each family head/80 acres each single adult • Indians don’t believe in owning land • Money from sale of remaining land to be given to Indians - $$ millions • Result: 2/3rd of land for Indians taken by whites - no money for Indians

  12. Destruction of Buffalo • Railroads increase settlers, tourists, hunters • 1800 • 65 million buffalo • 1870-1890 • Fewer than 1,000 • Native Americans relied on buffalo • Food • Shelter • Fuel • Utensils, etc.

  13. Battle of Wounded Knee • Sitting Bull forced onto reservation • Appeared in “Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show” •  Killed after Ghost Dances viewed as “uprising” • 300 unarmed Sioux killed at Wounded Knee Creek by troops • Battle marks the end of wars between Gov’t and Indians Sioux Chief Sitting Bull

  14. Cattle Becomes Big Business • Horses & cattle thrive on Plains • Cattle ranchers open Plains to big business • Ranching spreads from Texas to Kansas 

  15. Demand for Beef in East • After Civil War – demand skyrockets • Cities growing rapidly • Chicago Union Stockyards open – 1865 • Railroads ship cattle east to Chicago – to East

  16. Cattle Trails – Chisholm Trail • Major cattle route from San Antonio, through Oklahoma, to Abilene, Kansas.

  17. Long drive • usually took about 3 months • were dangerous • Men who worked drives became known as “cowboys”

  18. End of the Open Range - Frontier • Cattle herds multiplied – overgrazed • Bad weather – dry summers, harsh winters • Barbed wire & railroads - main reasons range closed • Ranchers fenced off their lands preventing drives

  19. Railroad Land Grants • Gov’t gave huge land tracts to rails for laying tracks • Created Bonanza Farms • Massive single-crop farm • Rails & private investors owned • Didn’t survive

  20. Settling the Great Plains Homestead Act • Intention: Encourage families to settle West • Passed by Congress in 1862 • Offered 160 acres free to any citizen or intended citizen -- head of the household • 600,000 families became “homesteaders” • Several thousand were exodusters – African Americans who moved from South to West

  21. Settling the Great Plains Morrill Act • Passed in 1862 and 1890 • Gave federal land to the states to finance agricultural colleges • Helped eastern plains become “breadbasket” of America

  22. Michigan State University • MSU formally opened & dedicated on May 13, 1857, at what is now East Lansing, the site of the present MSU • First agricultural college in the nation • Prototype for 72 land-grant institutions later established under the Morrill Act of 1862.

  23. Settling the Great Plains How successfully did Gov’t settle Plains? • Homestead Act Result: • Only 10% of land actually settled by those for whom it was intended • Why? • People took land for own profit • Increased miles of railroad tracks • Railroads abused power – especially over farmers • Started cattle industry

  24. Settling the Great Plains How did Railroads take advantage of farmers? • Charged plains farmers higher fees than eastern farmers • Charged more for shorter hauls; forced farmers into deeper debt • Farmers already faced economic problems

  25. Settling the Great Plains Farmers faced: • Inflation, high prices for farm equipment • In debt to buy new machinery, inventions • Falling crop prices • Tight money supply • Drought • Larger farms suffered more – single crops • Railroad shipping fees • Good farm land becoming scarce

  26. Populism Movement Grange calls for: • Setting up farmers’ cooperatives • Teaching members to organize • Regulating railroads • Spent most time fighting railroads

  27. Populism Movement Populist Party • Populism = movement of the people • Party founded 1892 • Increase money supply – raise prices • Graduated income tax • A federal loan program • Changes in election laws • 8-hour workday • Immigration reform • So popular – became Democratic Party Platform

  28. Economics & Election - Panic of 1893 Deep depression – millions out of work • Republicans and Democrats divided • Central issue: • Silver or Gold? • “Silverites” favored bimetallism • Silver or gold backs paper money • Would put money $$ in economy • “Gold Bugs” favored Gold only • See chart on page 222

  29. Economics & Election Presidential Election of 1896 • Republicans: William McKinley • Democrats: William Jennings Bryan • Populists endorse Bryan, but nominate a VP • McKinley • Wins with 7 million votes • East and industrial Midwest • Bryan • 6.5 million votes • South and farmers in Midwest • Populism collapses • Legacy – downtrodden can organize and impact politics William McKinley William Jennings Bryan

  30. Ghost TownsToday

  31. Carhenge Alliance, Nebraska

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