University:
Morehouse College
Course:
HHIS 216 | History of the United States Since 1876
Academic year:

2022
Views:

51

Pages:

45
Author:

MoonlitMarauder

Unit I: Changes on the Western Frontier or “The West” Objective for the West Chapter 5 • The goal here is to analyze the settlement of the Great Plains during the late 1800’s and to examine Native American policies, private property rights, and the populist movement Connector • What is your image of the “old west?” Have movies influenced your views? How? Myth Versus Reality • Myth Def. = Something that may be true, or may not be… • Myth of the West is that it is vast desert full of savage tribes of Indians! • Reality is that the Native Americans have a distinct and highly developed way of life or culture Photograph of lithograph by Gaylord Watson, 1881, depicting a romantic land known as the "Great West" The Argument • White settlers: Believed that owning land, making a mining claim, or starting a business would give them stake to land. • Also, that Native Americans forfeited their rights to land because they didn’t settle or improve it. • Native Americans: Believed that land could not be owned. Clint Eastwood as “Blondie” in The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly The Cowboy • Who/When?About 55,000 cowboys worked the plains between 1866 and 1885 • Work – 10-14 hrs a day, age 15-40 • What did they do? Organize herd, brand them, watch them graze, and go on the Long Drive. • Long Drive – Three month transport of hundreds of cattle. Don’t want a stampede, to cross a river, and lightning was a danger. The Cowboy Discussion Question • According to the speaker, what is myth vs. reality when it comes to cowboys in the old west? Central Historical Question: Who was responsible for the Battle of Little Bighorn? Introduction • Following the Civil War, the US engaged in a number of conflicts with Native American tribes living west of the Mississippi referred to as the “Indian Wars.” • The issue at hand was LAND. The US Gov. made several treaties with tribes to define Indian lands. However, as many Americans moved through, and settle land, or Native American territory, these treaties were ignored or broken by the US Gov. • NA fought the US for decades. They were often overwhelmed by superior numbers and weapons. One of the most famous NA victories occurred at the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana • June, 25, 1876, a Civil War veteran George Custer attacked over 2000 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors with a few hundred men; Custer and his men were overwhelmed and everyone of them were killed. What are we doing? • Today we are going to look at three different documents related to the Battle of the Little Bighorn: 1. A textbook version of the battle 2. A letter to the President from the Secretary of War a month after the battle; 3. The recollections of a Native American woman about the battle from 1922. • So, we will analyze these three sources and draw evidence from them in order to answer our question: Who was responsible for the battle? Who and When • Between 1865-1890, 430 million acres settled • Ten new states added, completing lower 48. • Three industries rise and fall 1. Mining 2. Farming 3. Cattle. NA Relationship with the Buffalo – 6 Points 1. Food (protein), 2. Skull (used for rituals), 3. Horns-carved into bowls Spoons, 4. Bones- tool handles, hoofs- glue 5. Hide – clothing, teepees, 6. Destruction of buffalo by fur traders and tourists destroys way of life. Native Americans and Whites Clash • Where? 1. Great Plains • Why? 3. Mixing together of different people and different cultures The Dawes Act • Defined: Law enacted in 1887 intended to “Americanize” the Native Americans by distributing reservation land to individual owners. – 160 acres to each head of the household – 80 acres to unmarried adults – Remainder of land sold to settlers • Video discussion question. – In your opinion, what was the real intent of the government when they created the Dawes Act Reality of Dawes • By 1932, whites had taken about 2/3rds of the territory that had been set aside for Native Americans. Assimilation • Defined: A plan in which Native Americans would give up their beliefs and way of life and become part of white culture. Boarding house for "assimilating" young Native American girls Native Americans • 1600’s- 10,000,000 million pop. • 1865- 300,000 remained • What happened? – Cleared out by white settlers in east, Midwest to Great Plains – White diseases, death through battles George Armstrong Custer poses with his Indian scouts during the Black Hills expedition of 1874. The man pointing to the map was named "Bloody Knife," a member of the Cree tribe Borrowed Vocabulary • Longhorn (food,transport) • Cowboy derived from the word Vaquero – Mexican cowboy who first wore spurs – He ate charqui, or beef jerkey – Rancho became ranch – Corral and rodeo borrowed from Spanish Growing Demand for Beef 1. Rapidly growing cities/created COWTOWNS 2. Railroads enabled Texas ranchers to ship cattle to Chicago and markets throughout the East which killed the long drive (3 mo) – 1 cowboy per 250 4 Reasons for the End of the Open Range 1. 2. 3. 4. Overgrazing Bad Weather Invention of Barbed Wire Railroads Section 1 Review 1. Identify 3 differences between the culture of Native Americans and the culture of white settlers on the Great Plains. 2. Why did the cattle industry become a big business in the late 1800’s? Answers 1. N.A. – hunters and gatherers, communal property, migratory. Settlers – farmers, personal property, stationary. 2. With the growth of cities, the market for beef increased. The development of railways provided a link between the cattle frontier and the cities. Section II: Settling on the Great Plains • How did railroads help open the west? • Railroads made transportation quick and reliable for settlers going west. • They also recruited settlers to work for them. • ABUSE OF WORKERS. Why? • Long hours, no overtime, very low pay • 90% Chinese What Opens the West? 1. Federal land policy 2. The Transcontinental Railroad • Fed policy – (1862) – The Homestead Act • 160 acres of land free to any citizen who was the head of household. • Who took advantage besides white Americans? Several thousands settlers were exodusters – AfricanAmericans who moved from postreconstruction south to Kansas – Some African Americans walked the whole way. Discussion Questions 1. Where was the Transcontinental Railroad completed? 2. What two rail lines merged? 3. How did the railroads open the west? Settlers Encounter Hardships 1. 2. 3. 4. Droughts Fires Blizzards Raids by Outlaws and Native Americans Living Conditions: Dugouts and Soddies Dugouts Soddies • Home in side of ravine with • Sod home in Great Plains stove pipe • Pros and Cons • Easy to build – Easy to build/warm in winter, cool in the summer. How? • Luxury because trees were scarce – Cheap – Haven for Bugs – Can Leak Farmers Education • Morill Act (1862) – Meant to build Agricultural Colleges for states by the federal government to support the farmer • This all helped to turn the dry eastern plains into the “bread-basket” of the nation. – Researched grains for arid soil, and to help retain moisture. • Bonanza farms were created in part because farmers needed to sell more crops because of expensive machinery. One farm was 24 square miles in North Dakota. Section III: Farmers Unite to Address Common Problems 1. Bad Economy 2. Prices for crops were falling – Would take a second loan on their farms to buy more land and produce more crops 3. Railroads took advantage of farmers by charging excessive prices for shipping and storage. The Plight of the Farmers READ Farmers were particularly hard hit in the decades leading to the financial panic of 1893. They regarded big business interests as insurmountable enemies who were bring them to their knees and leaving them with debts at every turn. The cartoon on the next page is a warning of the dangers confronting not only the farms but the entire nation Analyzing Political Cartoons 1. How does this cartoon depict the plight of the farmers? 2. Who does the cartoonist suggest is responsible for the farmers plight? . Answers 1. They’re at the mercy of the railroads, and their warnings are being ignored by businessmen and industrialists 2. The railroad and business communities. Analyzing Causes • What are some of the causes of farmers’ economic problems? 1. Deflation – Greenbacks from C.W. were taken out of circulation. Therefore, value of money goes up. Prices, fall and farmers sell for less. Also, original loans were at higher prices 2. High Railroad rates for shipping crops 3. Cycle of mortgage and debt Famers Alliances • Farmers realized the need to organize for change • In 1867, Oliver Hudson Kelley started the Patrons of Husbandry, known as the Grange. • Purpose: Provide a social outlet and forum for farmers. – They discussed fighting railroads, organizing, and sponsoring legislation to regulate railroads. Populist Movement/Party • Movement of the people in 1892 in Omaha, Nebraska • Purpose/Platform: Provide farmers and workers a voice in government Farmers/Populists Organize the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Loan Program for farmers – Farm Equipment Income Tax for Americans to spread wealth 8 hour workday Restrictions on Immigration Will become the Democratic Party – Government has to reform social injustices McKinley V. Bryan • By the time of the 1896 election, the economy was in depression. The issue was over metals • William McKinley won the Republican nomination – advocate for Gold Standard to back up paper money. • Democrat William Jennings Bryan gave a speech known as the "Cross of Gold" advocating for Bimetallism (gold & silver could be exchanged for paper money) – more $ in circulation – Importance was it would help the economy by lifting people back up, help the farmer, etc. • KEY QUESTION: Why have gold or silver or both back up paper money? Election of 1896 William Jennings Bryan (D) William McKinley (R) Issues of 1896 • Republicans = Business owners and bankers of the industrialized Northeast • Democrats – Farmers and laborers of the South and West • Issue was metal would be the basis of the nation’s monetary system. Gold Bugs and Silverites Gold Bugs Silverites Who They Were Bankers - R Famers/Lab D What They Want Gold Standard Less Money in Circulation ($ More value) Bimetallism More money in Circulation Why Loans would be repaid in stable money Products would be sold at higher prices Effects Deflation Inflation Who Won? • McKinley won the election 7 million votes to 6.5 million votes. • Populism died, hopes for the farmer ended. • But, it proved to the American public that a man with meager funds could challenge the establishment.

US HIstory the West Lecture

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