Westward Expansion

1. Westward Expansion

2. Factors of American growth and expansion in the late 19th century • Westward Movement of population • Immigrants flock to America • Growth of cities • Admission of new states

3. Westward Movement of population • Following the Civil War, the westward movement of settlers intensified into the vast region between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean

4. The Way West

5. Transcontinental Railroad

6. Gold Rushes • California Gold Rush, 1849 • 100,000 men lured to California • By 1858, all the good mines were taken and they had to look for gold elsewhere

7. Colorado Rush of 1859 • Many of the Californian miners went to Colorado to “strike it rich” • They failed and many returned east, but those who stayed help to build up the population

8. Nevada Rush, 1858 • Comstock Lode was found and $300 million in gold was produced in the next twenty years

9. Black Hills Gold Rush, 1874 • 15,000 miners invaded the Dakota territory

10. Western migration and Gold

11. Effects of the Gold Rush • Towns and communities grew in the mining areas • With people moving to isolated area, better transportation was needed. • Stagecoach lines; pony express (mail from Missouri to California in 10 days)

12. Pony Express • Between St. Joseph, MO and Sacramento Ca. • Apr 3, 1860 to October 1861 • 100 stations, 25 miles apart; 80 riders, 400-500 horses • Each rider covered 75 miles/day

14. Age of the Cowboy • Once the Indians were removed, the land opened up for cattle and cowboys • Beef cattle became very profitable • Needed to get them from Texas to the northern markets

15. Cattle Drives • Began in 1866 from Texas to Missouri • Later, railroad extended to Abilene, KS • Cattle herded along the Chisholm Trail –4 million head between 1867 and 1879

17. Immigrants flock to America • Prior to 1871, most immigrants to America came from northern and western Europe • Germany; Great Britain; Ireland • Norway and Sweden

18. Between 1871 and 1921 most came from southern and eastern Europe • Italy, Greece, Poland, Russia, and Hungary and Yugoslavia • Also, from Asia (China and Japan)

19. Contributions of Immigrants • Chinese and Irish workers helped build the Transcontinental Railroad. • Others worked in textile and steel mills in the Northeast • Clothing industry in New York City

20. Transcontinental Railroad

21. Slavs, Italians, and Poles worked in the coal mines of the East • Worked for low pay and dangerous working conditions to help build America’s industrial strength

23. Immigrants flock to America • Between 1860 and 1900 almost 14 million immigrants reached the US. • Ellis Island was the East Coast processing point for new immigrants

25. The “Melting Pot” • They began the process of assimilation into what was termed the American “Melting Pot”

26. Settled in ethnic neighborhoods in the growing cities • Worked hard to learn English • Adopted American customs • Became American citizens • Public schools were essential in establishing the melting pot

27. Opposition to Immigration • Fear and resentment that immigrants would take jobs for lower pay than Americans • Resentment was based on religious and cultural differences

28. Legislation to Limit Immigration • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 • Immigration Restriction Act of 1921 • Cut off most immigration to America for the next several decades

29. Growth of cities • As the nation’s industrial growth continued many cities grew rapidly: • Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and New York City

30. With the growth of cities came factories, and harsh living conditions in crowded tenements and slums. • Also caused housing shortages and the need for new public services: sewage and water systems and public transportation

31. ImmigrationPush/Pull Factor

32. Push (Reasons to leave) • Religious/Political Persecution • Agricultural poverty • Relaxation of emigration laws

33. Pull (Reasons to Come) • Promise of Freedom and hope • Family/Friends Network • Need for and Recruitment of labor

34. Immigrant Contributions • They broadened cultural life of America through • New music • New languages • Diverse religious beliefs • Variety of foods and customs

35. Famous Immigrants • Irving Berlin: Composer, wrote “God Bless America” • George and Ira Gershwin: composers • Enrico Fermi: Scientist • Albert Einstein: Scientist

36. Industrial Revolution

37. Between the Civil War and World War I, the US was transformed from a mostly agricultural nation to most urban and industrial nation.

38. Technological revolution changed the way people worked, played, traveled and communicated • A new power source and production methods stimulated the expansion of industry

39. Transforming America • Technological change spurred the growth of industry primarily in northern cities

40. Inventions/Inventors • Light Bulb – Thomas Edison • Telephone – Alexander Graham Bell • Airplane – Wright Brothers • Assembly Line – Henry Ford • Bessemer Process – Converted iron ore into steel with less labor

41. Industrial Leaders • Andrew Carnegie – Steel industry • J. P. Morgan – Railroad and US Steel • John D. Rockefeller – Standard Oil Company • Cornelius Vanderbilt - Railroad

42. Reasons for Economic Transformation • Government policies of laissez-faire capitalism and special considerations such as land grants to railroad builders) • Increasing labor supply (immigration and migration from farms • America’s possession of a wealth of natural resources and navigable rivers