Transforming the West

1. Transforming the West Information from chapter 6.3

2. Mining Read The Americans pages 394-395 and answer both parts of question #1 in your in class notebook.

3. Mining Discussion… • What was life like in a mining town? • Who were vigilantes? • What happened to individual miners once the surface wealth was gone? Who took over? • How did mining affect the environment?

4. Cattle Ranching What images come to mind when you think of a cowboy? (List 5)

5. Cattle Ranching Discussion… • What did cowboys do for a living? • From whom did they learn their skills?

6. Cattle Ranching Discussion… • What was the “long drive”? • What were the dangers of the long drive? • Look at map on page 390 in The Americans • Where were the major meat packing centers?

7. Cattle Ranching • What led to the end of open range ranching? • How did ranching affect the environment?

8. Farming/Homesteading What was the Homestead Act? Who benefited from it? (Try to think of at least 3 different groups)

9. Farming/Homesteading • “The Last, Huge Westward Migration” • What was life like for the settlers? • What types of homes did they live in?

10. Farming/Homesteading • Read about the daily life of women on page 399 of The Americans textbook Answer in your in class notebook… • What was the most difficult part about living on the prairie for a woman?

11. Farming/Homesteading • What inventions were developed to aid the Great Plains farmers? • Look at the chart on page 399 of The Americans textbook Answer in your in class notebook… • Which of the inventions do you feel is the most important? Why?

12. Conflicts/Problems of the Frontier Read about frontier farmers going into debt on page 400 in The Americans.

13. Conflicts/Problems water debt Problem resources diversity

14. Closing of the Frontier How was the government able to declare the frontier closed in 1890?