1. Their Beliefs:
• The Great Spirit – almost all Indian tribes
believed in a supreme being or God. They
believed that it had created everything
(people and nature). Animals, plants and
people each had their own spirit
• Natures Great Circle – Indians saw themselves
as apart of nature and believed that the
natural world produced them and one day
they‟d return to the earth and so they had
great respect and love for nature and animals
• Land – Indians believed that land couldn‟t be
sold, owned or fenced off. The earth belonged
to all people, animals and plants. They valued
land more than money and believed it
shouldn‟t be ploughed because
their ancestors were buried there The Plains
• Medicine Men – He would interpret the Indian‟s
dreams and were called upon to cure the sick.
They were also advisors to elders and chiefs
• Dances – Rituals were performed to contact
spirits. The sun dance was when young braves
were tortured to „release the spirit‟. Buffalo and
animal dances were also held to attract
buffalo to hunt
• Animal Power –Indians believed that animals
held power, e.g. certain animals were special.
Badger blood could tell you when you will
die, horned toads helped to find buffalo and
horns of bull elks were used to serenade
women
The Buffalo:
The buffalo were incredibly important to the Indians as
they provided food, shelter and tools as well as having
cultural significance.
• Buffalo were a food source;
o Flesh eaten raw, boiled, roasted or dried
o Tongue
• Buffalo was used for shelter;
o Buffalo hide was used for making tipis and clothes
o Fur used to make blankets and gloves
As well as this, the bones were used to make tools and
the fat used to make soap. The skull was used in religious
ceremonies and buffalo dung was used as a fuel. This
meant it was vital and as a result of this the Indians were
nomadic in order to be able to hunt buffalo.
The Indians also split their tribe into bands
Indians
to conserve the buffalo because it meant
that at any one time large numbers of Indians weren‟t
killing buffalo from the same herd.
The Indians found buffalo using two methods; sending out
young braves to search or doing a buffalo dance. The
dance would never fail, because they‟d dance until the
buffalo came even if it took weeks.
Horses:
The horse was a symbol of wealth to the Indians because
they made the buffalo hunt easier and so was a prized
possession. However some historians believe that in the
long run it was disastrous because it meant the Indians
gave up farming, and also stopped being so careful with
the numbers of buffalo they were killing

2. Indians and Warfare:
Family Life:
• Since they believed that no one
• If a man wanted to marry a woman he had to present her family
could own the land they did not fight
with horses and impress her with his hunting abilities. This showed
over it. Instead Indians fought over
them that he was able to look after her
horses or access to hunting
• Men could have more than one wife (polygamy) because there
grounds, to destroy their enemies
were less men than woman and this ensured that all the women
and for revenge
were looked after
• Being publicly shamed was one of
• Divorces were rare, but all you had to do was say “I divorce you”.
the worst things that could happen
There was no time for legal proceedings
and this was reflected in their war
• Women made the tipi and looked after the home as it meant she
fare
would always have a home even if her husband died in war.
• The bravest act in warfare involved • Old people were left behind to die if they were slowing down the
getting close to your enemy and
band. It was practical
touching him with your hand or stick – • Old people were the source of all history as the Indians could not
Counting Coup
write or read but their history was important to them
• Scalps were seen as trophies. They
• A girl‟s first period was a reason to celebrate as it meant she was
believed that taking a scalp was also
able to bear children and this was vital
taking an Indian‟s spirit so he could
• Boys learnt how to ride and use bows and arrows as this was to be
not go to the after life meaning a
their role in the future (hunting)
warrior wouldn‟t meet his enemies
• Babies were encouraged not to cry as it scared of the buffalo
there
The Indian Society:
• Death is not honorable as they had
• A Nation (e.g. Sioux) were split into tribes, which were split into
families to care for
bands. Each band had a chief and a council of all men
The role of Men and Women:
Men: Responsible for hunting, looking after • Chiefs: Not elected, Authority based on skills, wisdom and
respect, may not remain a chief for life
the horses and protecting the band
• Councils: Important decisions made by the council, advice of the
medicine men, chiefs and elder were listened to but not
Women: Responsible for the tipi, preparing
necessarily followed, ceremonial pipe,
food, fetching water and making clothes
• Punishment: Individuals would be shamed/humiliated in public but
in extreme cases (e.g. murder) they would be expelled
The roles were different but equally
important

3. Mountain Men:
- First to travel west (after the Indians) on the Plains
- Hunted for and traded fur at annual RENDEVOUS
where they would spread news about fertile lands
further west
- Jed Smith and Jim Bridger were important
mountain men who blazed trails for migrants
-
Wagon Trail Migrants:
- People in the east were enticed into moving west
because of:
o PUSH FACTORS:
- Economic Depression
- Unemployment
- Agricultural Depression
- Too Crowded
- Land is Expensive
- Nothing to lose
-
o
-
PULL FACTORS:
Fertile Lands
Cheap land -> Pre-emption bill
Spacious
Religion -> Convert people
Stories of prosperity
Manifest Destiny
Good Climate
-
The Journey west was incredibly dangerous:
o Lack of supplies (no shops)
o Weather: high wind, temperatures, water
shortages, snows
o Disease/accidents: no sanitation
o Attack from Indians/wild animals
o Getting lost
The Donner party got lost, lost supplies and were
unlucky in that the snow came early. Only half of
the travelers survived
The migrants were families so when they settled
they set up schools and communities
98% were literate because of the journey
Manifest Destiny was fulfilled
They sent letters home to encourage others west
Established the route west
The 49ers:
- After gold was discovered in California in 1848
prospectors/gold seeker flooded the Plains
- Around 90,000 arrived by 1849 leading to make
shift mining towns, full of single men desperate to
get rich…
Racial Violence
- Trails were led by mountain men who knew the
route. There were also guide books on moving west.
No law and order
Disease
Fights
Claim Jumping
Vigilante groups
Basic Housing
Drinking, Gambling and Prostitution

4. -
-
-
-
But after all the surface gold was
exhausted big companies moved
west and employed men who
brought their families with them
This led to safer and better living
conditions, with proper
communities
Benefits of the Gold Rush:
o Urban Growth
o Increase supply of money and
encouraged investment in
mining
o Stimulated growth of San
Francisco
o Railroad built through California
o Gave USA a leading role a
leading role in world trade
o Stimulated movement to the
west
Disadvantages of the Gold Rush:
o Foreigners targets of racial
hatred
o Taxes for foreign miners
o Native Americans wiped out of
California
o Problems of Law and order
o Gambling and Drunkenness
o Vigilante groups
The Mormons:
Joseph Smith founded the Mormon movement in Palmyra, New York
in the 1820s. The movement grew popular but they weren‟t liked by
non-Mormons because…
o They were successful so others were jealous
o Gentiles (non-Jews) were threatened by fast growing community
o Joseph Smith suggested practicing polygamy which caused
fighting within the Mormon community
o Close-knit community, kept themselves to themselves and made
their own laws
o Rumors of Mormons freeing Indians and slaves
After the movement grew, Joseph Smith took his followers to
Kirtland, Ohio where they set up a bank and temple. But they are
chased out when the bank goes bust and move to Missouri. There
they have their own army (Danites), but again rumors of Mormons
setting slaves free get them forced out. While some Mormon leader
are imprisoned, Brigham young arranges to go to Illinois where a holy
city called „Nauvoo‟ is set up with their own laws. But Joseph Smith
and his brothers are imprisoned after smashing up a printing press for
criticizing polygamy. Non-Mormons break into the prison and shoot
Joseph Smith in 1845. With no leader the Mormons begin to split up
and some, who think polygamy is wrong, start a new religion.
Brigham Young emerges as their leader and realizes that if they can‟t
live in the east with non-Mormons they need to move where no one
else wants to. He chose Utah because it was a part of Mexico, not
USA so they could practice polygamy and also because he had read
that the Great Salt Lake was isolated but fertile.

5. Brigham Young was very practical and
organized. He planned the move west very
carefully:
Before the Journey:
o Wagons, oxen and supplies were stockpiled
in Nauvoo
o Pioneer bands were sent ahead to set up
way stations along the route, so that the
Mormons would be able to restock along the
way
o The wagons were divided into separate
trains, each made up of 100 vehicles and led
by a captain. Each wagon train had 10
lieutenants who each supervised 10 wagons
On the Journey:
o The first wagon train built rest camps along
the route for those following, leaving behind
carpenters, blacksmiths and shelter
o Winter Quarters were built next to the Missouri
River to give the Mormons somewhere safe
to spend the coldest months of their journey
o Young himself led a carefully selected band
of pioneers ahead to the Great Salt Lake to
start building the settlement
o They were taught by Brigham to form a circle
in the evening for protection
But the freezing winter and the poor conditions
of the winter quarters led to an outbreak of
disease which killed 700 people. However the
Mormons were more successful in their journey
west than many other groups of settlers.
Stage One: Settling the Great Salt Lake City
Brigham young was a very level-headed man who
planned carefully for the success of the Mormons at Salt
Lake…
- The banned private ownership of land and
water, which meant that everybody worked together
for the good of the population
- Artisans and craftspeople had small plots of the land
towards the center of the new city, while the bigger
families had larger farms on the edges
- Irrigation ditches were dug, which people could access
only at the certain times of the day to make sure
everybody had enough
- They wanted to be self-sufficient so set up industries to
make iron and cloth but these failed due to insufficient
skilled workers
To overcome this Young set up the Perpetual Immigration
Fund to help Mormons from Britain, Europe and other parts
of the USA to join them in Salt Lake City – which was very
successful.
Also Young made money for the Mormons during the Gold
Rush by setting up stores and workshops for travellers
passing Salt Lake, and also charging migrants tolls to cross
Mormon territory.
He saw the opportunity to increase trade with the outside
world when the railroads were built in the 1860‟s he made a
deal with the Union Pacific Railroad company so that the
lines passed both south and north of Salt Lake City.

6. Stage Two: Creating a new state
In 1848 the USA won the Great Salt Lake
area from the Mexico in a war. Young
applied to form a new Mormon state called
„Deseret‟ although the US government
rejected his proposal, they did allow the
creation of the US territory of Utah, with
Young as the first governor. The Mormons
now had the protection of the US
government.
But the Mormons didn‟t like this and ignored
the judges and obeyed Brigham Young
instead. The Danites attacked those who
went against Brigham Young and that
included US government officials. The
government planned to send in troops. To
make things worse a wagon train was
massacred and the Mormons were blamed
in 1857 (Mountain Meadows Massacre). To
calm the situation down the US governments
and Young made a deal: Brigham Young
would no longer be governor but the USA
would let the Mormons lead their own way
of life.
When Brigham Young died in 1877, Utah was
a prosperous territory and the power of the
church was firmly established, but the
Americans still regarded the Mormons with
suspicion and hostility. In 1890 the Mormons
abandoned polygamy and Utah was
admitted as a state of the the USA in 1896.
“The Mormons Success was due to Brigham Young” – How far
do you agree with this statement?
Brigham Young Success:
- Moving to Salt Lake
- Settling in Salt Lake
- Perpetual Emigration Fund
- Railroad and Stock
Brigham Young Failure:
- Some died on the journey to Salt Lake
- Iron and Cloth Industries Failed
- Not made a state under him
Success due to other factors:
- Without the hard work of the Mormons nothing would have
been possible
Why did the government want a railroad?
• Many people had migrated to the West, and Law and
Order needed to be taken there to create National
Unity
• The government wanted to benefit from the Gold Rush
and to trade with other countries
• The rail road would help to fulfill „Manifest Destiny‟

7. Transport Before the Railroad:
Steamboat:
- 1840‟s onwards
- 1,190 Steamboats along major rivers (e.g.
Mississippi)
- Adv. -> Could carry a lot of heavy freight
- Disadv. -> Needed a lot of coal, Very slow, Only
reach areas near rivers
Stage-Coaches:
- By 1850
- From Independence (Missouri) to Salt Lake City
(Utah)
- Adv. -> Quite fast, covered a long distance
- Disadv. -> Indian attacks, very cold (no glass in
windows), very crowded
Freight (cargo) wagons:
- 1851 onwards
- 3,500 wagons and 40,000 oxen
- Adv. -> could carry military supplies to
West, covered long distances (up to 8000km)
- Disadv. -> Roads weren‟t good, took 3 weeks for
mail coaches to cross USA
Pony Express:
- 1860 – 1861
- 200 riders and 500 ponies; St. Joseph, Missouri to
Sacramento, California
- Adv. -> Carried mail across continent, very fast
(relay service), only 10 days to cross USA
- Disadv. -> Rough countryside, harsh
climate, hostile Indians, Hungry wolves, not
needed when telegraph was invented
How was it build?
o The Central Pacific Railroad from the West was
built by 4 shop keepers in Sacramento because it
would mean they‟d earn millions in government
contracts
o Construction at the start was a problem because
supplies had to come from the east by sea and as
the civil war was on, these ships were attacked
o The first big problem once construction started
were the Sierra Nevada but this was solved when
the best engineer was employed, and he dug
tunnels through them.
o Lots of men were needed but they gave up
because discipline was too tough and gold
tempted them
o To solve this problem the shopkeepers bought in
1000s of Chinese workers who worked harder and
faster for less pay
o It took the Central Pacific 2 years to build 40 miles
meanwhile another company, the Union
Pacific, started to build east to west.
o The 2nd company had problems with their workers
a s railroad camps were crime ridden and many
got killed
o Also Indians attacked so workers carried guns and
the army was brought in
o The railroad from west to east faced avalanches
and deep valleys which trestle bridges 100 feet
high overcame
It was built between 1863 - 1869

8. The Impact of the Railways:
Economic Impact:
• The rail-way building boom
coincided with the USA‟s
industrial revolution, helped
make the USA the world‟s
leading industrial power by
1890
• The foreign trade of the
USA was helped by the
railways and this helped to
increase the wealth of the
country
• Agriculture produce could
be carried more cheaply to
distant markets
• Essential supplies such as
seeds, machinery, timber, f
ood, raw materials and
manufactured goods could
be carried to the new
settlements from the East
• The days of the stagecoach, freight wagon and
overland mail were almost
ended by railways
Positive Impact
Negative Impact
Social Impact:
• The railways encouraged
the growth of cities in
West, such as
Denver, Dallas and Los
Angeles
• Some farmers were
unhappy because they
believed that the railway
builders were only
interested in making
profits, rather that providing
a good service
• People could now travel
more easily across the
continent: government
officials, law enforcement
officers and judges as well
as the relatives of those
who had already migrated
west
• The railways made a huge
difference to the lives of
Indians. Not only did they
bring large numbers of
settlers but also disturbed
the buffalo
• The railway provided the
opportunity for thousands
of new settlers to travel to
Impact on the Indians:
• The Indian‟s freedom to roam the
Plains hunting the herds of buffalo
was cut down by the railroads on
the Plains
•
The homesteaders and ranchers
fenced off land for farms and
ranches. This meant that it was
harder to roam the open prairies
following buffalo
•
The Indians believed that they had
invaded their homeland and stolen
land that they believed no one
could own
The railroads that brought goods
and merchandise enabled
enterprises to grow and develop
The Indians relied on the buffalo
and it was harder to hunt
•
•
•
It became a new pastime to shoot
the buffalo through the window of
the moving train which decreased
buffalo population