6.3: Westward Expansion: Social and Cultural

Question 1

MIGRATION

Answer 1

• 1865: increased in hopes of independence and self-sufficiency
• 19th Century = mostly settled
• Lots of Cattle into Great Plains
• Western Cowboy Ideals

Question 2

INDIAN PROBLEM

Answer 2

• Reservation System
• Indian land w/ strict boundaries
• Indians = angry = used to following Buffalos through plains
• Buffalos = decimated = railroad workers and passengers for sport and food
• Indians on Reservation until they could assimilate
• Several groups resisted above

Question 2

SODBUSTERS

Answer 2

• Homesteaders and bought land from rail companies
• Land consolidated into hands of large agri businesses
• 1890: OK open for settlement
• Designated Indian territory but relocated w/ Indian Removal Act
• 1890: Frontier = settled via. US Census Bureau
• Turner’s “Significance of the Frontier in American History”
• Frontier = promise of fresh start, democratizing force leveling class and release for American discontent
• Closing = devolution of US into class conflicts

Question 3

SIOUX WARS [1886]

Answer 3

• Sioux spanked entire US army division
• Gov further restricted land by making treaties w/ more Indians
• Gold discovered on Indian Land

Question 4

INDIAN APPROPRIATION ACT [1887]

Answer 4

• Gold discovered on Indian Land
• Ended recognition of sovereignty of several Indian nations
• Nullified all previous treaties w/ Indians
• Result = war w/ Sioux and Comanches
• Pressure of settlers, US army and buffalo extinction made Indians obey gov demands

Question 5

DAWES ACT [1887]

Answer 5

• Reservation System abandoned
• Reservations into 160 acre lands to be farmed by Indians
• If settled and assimilated, Indians could be citizens

Question 6

ASSIMILATIONIST MOVEMENT

Answer 6

• Education and Christianity to end distinct Indian culture

Question 7

GHOST DANCE MOVEMENT

Answer 7

• Wovoka = founder
• Ritualistic dance for ancestors to return and drive white man away

Question 8

WOUNDED KNEE [1890]

Answer 8

• South Dakota
• Last violent battle of Indian wars
• US Army trying to disarm Lakota Indians
• Old man begins Ghost Dancing
• Gun goes off
• 200+ Indians killed
• Indian Resistance movement ended