1. Days 1 & 2: Movement West & Native American Conflict – Class Notes<br />The Movement WestHere’s What We’ll Learn:The West’s GeographyWhy Easterners moved WestConflict with Native Americans“Assimilation” of Native AmericansThe Cattle BoomLiving in the West<br />Why Move West?PULL Factors:Railroads—sold left-over land cheapHomestead Act (1862)—160 acres A. Had to be 21 years old or head of a family B. Had to be an American citizen or immigrant applying for citizenship C. Had to live on land at least 6 months of every year for 5 yearsRailroads (Transcontinental Railroad) sold leftover land for really cheap prices<br />Why Move West?PUSH Factors: A. Eastern farmland costly B. Restart (African-Americans) C. Escape religious repression (Mormons)Who Settled? A. Germans Immigrants: Texas to Missouri B. African-Americans: Kansas (Exodusters) C. Scandinavians: Iowa & Minnesota (climate) D. Mexicans: Texas & New Mexico<br />Fighting Native Americans A. Whites: “Indian Problem” B. Natives: Life or death—must do an all-out assault C. Great Plains was their area: nomadic—followed buffalo herds. Was Indian Land until the Gold Rush & Homestead Act D. First—made treaties (some kept; others not) to buy land, stop movement of Nomads, or put Natives in Reservations, but DIDN’T LAST LONG<br />Result: Battles1871: U.S. Government: decided it won’t sign treaties with Native Americans anymore; just fight them instead A. Battle lines shifted; forts couldn’t be built; desertion common B. “Buffalo Soldiers” (10th Cavalry) were African-American soldiers C. Battle of Little Bighorn (1876): Custer’s Last Stand—Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse (Sioux) won. Custer’s men were ambushed and the Native Americans quickly won, killing everyone but one Army horse. D. Battle of Wounded Knee (1890): Last battle between Natives & US Army; 300 unarmed Native Americans slaughtered by troops with Gatlin guns, left unburied in the snow. Marked the end of Native American resistance.<br />New Policies Towards NativesThey were defeated after the Battle of Wounded Knee, so…1. Assimilation: Goal was for Native Americans to give up their culture, learn English, children go to school2. Dawes Act: Created many new reservations, Natives given 160 acres & granted US citizenship (went against Native ideas of shared land & tribal leadership, undermined tribal social structure and tribal authority)3. More land for settlement (squatters)<br />Homesteaders A. Difficult life (~$1000 setup) B. Sod house (leaky roofs; dirt floors) C. Farming: no machines; tough land (backbreaking labor) D. Pests: grasshopper & mosquito infestations; rattlesnakes get into sod homes easily) E. Droughts common in great Plains F. Help was on the way: irrigation; farm machinery (both increased debt) G. “Bonanza Farms” were created too: enormous farms owned by wealthy land speculators and run by hundreds of hired hands.<br />Money Makers: Some made struck it rich during the Gold Rush, but the vast majority remained poor. A. Major gold mines: Sutter’s Mill (Ca. Gold Rush), Comstock Lode (Silver & Gold in Nevada), Black Hills (many ores in Dakotas) B. Result: boom towns C. Cattle drive (Great Plains): Texas ranchers’ cattle escaped when they went to fight for the Confederacy D. US: beef binge; ranchers made $ E. Cowboys: 18 hour days! F. Cattle boom ended due to barbed wire fencing off the open plain, bad weather and overgrazing of the plains.<br />
