The Movement West

The Movement West : 

The Movement West United States Studies

Here’s What We’ll Learn : 

Here’s What We’ll Learn The West’s Geography Why Easterners moved West Conflict with Native Americans Attempted “assimilation” of Native Americans The Cattle Boom Living in the West

Statehood : 

Statehood

Why Move West? : 

Why Move West? Pull Factors: Railroads—sold left-over land cheap Homestead Act (1862)—160 acres 21 years old or head of a family American citizen or immigrant applying for citizenship Live on land for 6 months for 5 years Railroads (Transcontinental Railroad)

Why Move West? : 

Why Move West? Push Factors: Eastern farmland costly Restart (African-Americans) Escape religious repression (Mormons) Who Settled? Germans Immigrants: Texas to Missouri African-Americans: Kansas (Exodusters) Scandinavians: Iowa & Minnesota (climate) Mexicans: Texas & New Mexico

Fighting Native Americans : 

Fighting Native Americans Whites: “Indian Problem” Natives: Life or death—must do an all-out assault Great Plains was their area: nomadic—followed buffalo herds Indian Land until the Gold Rush & Homestead Act First—made treaties (some kept; others not) to buy land, stop movement of Nomads, or put Natives in Reservations

Result: Battles : 

Result: Battles 1871: U.S. Government: won’t sign treaties any more; fight instead Battle lines shifted; forts couldn’t be built; desertion common Buffalo Soldiers (10th Cavalry) Battle of Little Bighorn (1876): Custer’s Last Stand—Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse (Sioux) won Battle of Wounded Knee (1890): Last battle between Natives & US Army

New Policies Towards Natives : 

New Policies Towards Natives They were defeated, so… 1. Assimilation: Give up culture, learn English, children go to school 2. Dawes Act: Created many new reservations, Natives given 160 acres & granted US citizenship (went against Native ideas of shared land & tribal leadership) 3. More land for settlement (squatters)

Homesteaders : 

Homesteaders Difficult life (~$1000 setup) Sod house (leaky roofs; dirt floors) Farming: no machines; tough land (backbreaking labor) Pests: grasshopper & mosquito infestations; rattlesnakes get into sod homes easily) Droughts common in great Plains Help was on the way: irrigation; farm machinery (both increased debt) “Bonanza Farms” were created too

Making Money : 

Making Money Sutter’s Mill (Ca. Gold Rush) Comstock Lode (Silver & Gold in Nevada) Black Hills (many ores in Dakotas) Result: boom towns Cattle drive (Great Plains): Texas ranchers’ cattle escaped when they went to fight for the Confederacy US: beef binge; ranchers made $ Cowboys: 18 hour days! Cattle boom ended as price dropped and land became fenced