american west Flashcards
(235 cards)
1
Q
what were tribes divided into
A
bands
2
Q
what would each band have
A
cheif and a council
3
Q
who led the bands
A
cheifs and council members , the council members would decide everything
4
Q
what were chiefs chosen for
A
their wisdom
5
Q
what type of life style did the plains indians live
A
nomadic
6
Q
what did plains indians believe about nature
A
that everything in nature had a spirit , they could contact spirits through rituals
7
Q
what did plains indians believe about land
A
that is is sacred
8
Q
what was the highest respect given to in plains indians soceity
A
warriors
9
Q
what were pull factors to move west
A
freedom, fertile land , gold , space
10
Q
what were push factors for moving west
A
collapse of wheat prices, overpopulation, persecuation, enemployment
11
Q
when did the first migrants travel by the orgen trail
A
1836
12
Q
when was gold found in california
A
1848
13
Q
what was the manifest destiny
A
that is was God’s will for white americans to settle all over America
14
Q
what percentage did unemployment reach in some places in the east
A
25%
15
Q
when was the california gold rush
A
1849
16
Q
what was the amount of people using the oregon trail for the gold rush between 1836 and 1846
A
5000
17
Q
what were the consequences of the gold rush
A
by 1855 californiaa population was 300 000, tensions between plains indians , racial tensions, boost in economy , lawlessness
18
Q
when did the donner party leave
A
may 1846 with 60 wagons and 300 people
19
Q
what happened to the donner party
A
some of them decided to take a short cut which led to them getting stuck in the cold winter leading to deaths and cannibalism
20
Q
when was the mormon migration
A
1846-47
21
Q
who was the mormon leader
A
brigham young
22
Q
why were the mormons successful in migrating
A
they split everyone into groups, everyone had a secific role, they knew how to assemble their wagons into a circle for safety
23
Q
what problems did settlers face on the plains
A
very hot summers and very cold winters, insect pests , lack of water, prairie fires, lack of trees for timber
24
Q
what did settlers do due to the lack of timber
A
lived in caves and sod houses made from earth
25
what was the problems with the land in the east
it had never been ploughed before so the settlers ploughs all broke, they had to dig up ground by hand
26
when was the indian removals act and what was it
1830- forced plains indians to move west of the mississippi river
27
when was the indian trade and intercourse act and what was it
1834-sets out the frontier between usa and indian territory
28
when was the indian appropriations act and what was it
1851- set up reservations for plains indians
29
when was the fort laramie treaty and what was it
1851- a agreement between plains indians and the government
30
what issues caused lawlessness
increased population, mining camps where isolated in the mountains, racism, new crimes such as claim jumping
31
what are vigilantes
a group of ordinary people that enforced law
32
what were miners courts
when miners set up their own courts to settle dispuits
33
when was the Oregon trail opened
1836
34
when was the great emigration on the oregon trail
1843
35
when did the donner party head west but where met with disaster and death
1846
36
when did the mormons travel to Great Salt lake
1846
37
when was the homstead act
1862
38
when was the pacific railway act passed and work begins on the transactional railway
1864
39
when did goodnight loving reach for summer with a herd of cattle
1866
40
when did abilene become the first cow town
1867
41
when was the first transactional railway completed
1869
42
when did cattle ranching begin on the plains
1870
43
when was the timber culture act
1873
44
when did barbed wire begin to be masses produced
1874
45
when was the wind powered water pump introduced
1874
46
when was the exoduster movement
1879
47
when was the OK corral
1881
48
when was the severe winter that lead to the end of open range
1886-87
49
when was the Johnsom county war
1892
50
when was the oklahoma land rush
1893
51
pull factors for moving west
freedom, fertile land, space, Oregon trail, gold
52
push factors for moving west
collapse of wheat price, overpopulation, persecution, unemployment
53
why was there financial panic in the east
collapse in the cost of cotton in 1837 led to economic difficulties, banks ran out of money, people lost their savings, businesses closes, unemployment reached 25% in some areas
54
what was manifest destiny
belief it was Gods will for white Americans to settle all over America
55
what was the farming crisis in the midwest
1837 - corn prices collapsed leaving farmers in ruin, farmers moved west
56
when was the California Gold Rush
1849
57
when did the first Migrants use the Oregon trail
1836
58
number of people using Oregon trail between 1836 and 1846
5000
59
why people from China come to California
famine in 1852
60
did most migrants find gold in California
no
61
who took over Gold mining in California
Professional miners with equipment to mine underground
62
consequences of California Gold Rush
had a population of 300,000, farming boom, genocide of Californian Indians, gold boosts US economy, racial tension, lawlessness in camps
63
where did the Oregon trail start
independence , Missouri
64
how long was the Oregon trail
3200km or 3800km to California
65
why was crossing the Great Plains dangerous
sandstorms, quicksand, heat, buffalo,hostile Plains Indians
66
who was the Donner party led by
Jacob and George Donner
67
when did the Donner party leave and what with
1846 - 60 wagons , 300 people
68
what did the Donner party have more than usual of
women, elderly people and children
69
where did 80 people from the Donner party take a short cut
Fort Bridger
70
what did the Donner party shortcut lead to
4 wagons broke, 300 cattle died, one man killed another
71
what happened to the Donner party shortcut when they arrived in the Sierra Nevada
they were trapped by heavy snow
72
when were the Donner party found
1847
73
when was the Mormon migration
1846
74
why were Mormons persecuted
people saw their beliefs as blasphemy, some whites were angry that they spoke up about rights of indigenous people, were involved in violence, they did polygamy which angered other Christians
75
who led the Mormon Migration
Brigham young
76
why did Mormon's have to migrate
persecution in Illinois
77
where did Mormon's migrate to
Great Salt Lake
78
how did Brigham Young organise the migration
split everyone into groups with a leader, gave everyone a role, taught them how to form their wagons into a circle for safety, insisted on discipline and regular rest
79
differences between Donner party and Mormons
Young carefully researched route in advance, Donner's ran out of food , Mormon's had enough for a year, Young's group were skilled
80
why were Mormon's successful in Salt lake
religious faith encouraged them to work hard, Young made good decisions, dug irrigation ditches, mixed skills
81
problems with settling on the Plains
climate, insect pests, weather, lack of tress for fencing or building, crops were vulnerable, thick sod, prairie fires, lack of water
82
where did Settlers live because of the lack of trees
caves and sod houses
83
sod houses details
thick walls and roof were good insulation, fireproof giving protection from prairie fires, impossible to keep clean and full of insects
84
what happened to crops that did well in the east , in the west
dies from a lack of water, or were eaten by insect infestations
85
what happened to ploughs that worked in the east, in the west
they broke
86
when was the Indian removal act and what did it do
1830- forces indigenous Americans to moves west of the Mississippi river
87
when was the Indian trade and intercourse act
1834 - set a frontier between indian and american territory
88
when and what was Indian Appropriations act
1851 - paid for moving Indigenous people into reservations
89
when and what was the first Fort Laramie treaty
1851 - established territories for Plains Indians tribes
90
why did the first Fort Laramie treaty happen
settlers conflict with Plains Indians meant that they wanted to protection
91
what were consequences of the first Fort Laramie treaty
reservations, settlement of the Great Plains, loss of independence for Plain's indians
92
what was the main cause of lawlessness
rapid rise in population meant law enforcement couldn't cope
93
new crime example
claim jumping
94
what did mining camps being in the mountains mean
out of reach of the law
95
what did mining camps being all male mean
violence fueled by alcohol
96
what factor increased crime
prejudice against other criminals
97
what were set up to help settle disputes in mining camps
miners courts
98
what did San Francisco's population grow to as a result of California Gold rush
25000
99
what did San Francisco quickly fill with
disappointed miners
100
what had formed by 1851 in San Francisco
gangs
101
what was set up to deal with gangs
vigilance committee
102
why did the government encourage growth of railroads
troops could be moved around to control Indigenous uprisings, creates national unity, helps manifest destiny, law officers could move around, promotes settlement of the west, transport goods
103
when was the pacific rail road act
1862
104
what did the pacific railroad act do
gave the job of building the first transactional railway to the companies, union pacific and central pacific
105
how much money and land did the government give for railway
61 million, 45 million acres of free land for the companies to sell to settlers
106
significance of spread of railroads
easier to migrate, towns set up, interfered with Plains Indians and disrupted buffalo, encouraging ranching
107
when was the homestead act
1862
108
why did the government pass the homestead act
to encourage family famers to settle west
109
what did the government do to encourage the homestead act (2)
provided land cheaply ($10), could file a claim of 160 acres
110
what did homesteaders have to prove and then do
prove they had lived on the land for 5 years and improved it in order to keep it, they then had to pay $30 to fully own the land and keep it
111
by 1876 how many acres of land was homesteaded
6 million
112
how many acres were homesteaded at the end of the act (1930s)
80 million
113
who did the homestead act give an opportunity to
unemployed and homeless soldiers from the civil war
114
what amount of homestead claims were never 'proved up'
60%
115
what was a negative that homesteaders felt about the 160 acres
it was not enough to support their family
116
did rich land owners still find a way to file claims
yes
117
problems with the lack of timber on the plains
nothing to build houses with, no fencing for cattle and to protect crops, nothing to use for cooking and heating
118
solutions for lack of timber on the plains
sod houses, 1876 - barbed wire mass produced, cattle dung and dried buffalo used as fuel
119
explanation for lack of water on the plains
low rainfall and few rivers or lakes
120
solution for lack of water on the plains
drills were developed and then wind pumps were built
121
impacts of hard arid land on the plains
ploughs often broke, low rainfall meant crops wouldn't grow such ad maize and wheat which farmers were used to in the east
122
hard, arid land solutions on the plains
mass produced stronger machinery made, new techniques such as dry farming used, migrants from Russia used Turkey Red wheat which thrived on the plains
123
impacts of prairie fires and grasshoppers
pests could destroy a whole seasons crop, fire spread quickly and burned everything
124
solutions of prairie fires and pests on the plains
no solutions, homesteaders could go bankrupt
125
solution of land holdings not being big enough on the plains
timber culture act 1873 let homesteaders have another 160 acres if they promises to plant trees on it. Dessert land Act 1877 let settlers buy 640 aces of dessert land cheaply
126
explanations of disease and lack of medical care on the plains
sod houses were hard to keep clean and had no sanitation
127
solutions for illness on the plains
women cared for sick using their own remedies
128
explanation for lack of education on the plains
homesteads were too far away from towns and schools
129
solutions for lack of education on the plains
women taught the young, female teachers arrived
130
explanation for isolation on the plains
life was lonely and tough
131
solutions for loneliness on the plains
railroads improved travel and brought supplies to homesteaders, communities worked together to build schools and churches.
132
why did lawlessness increase
young men from the south resented the government and its laws, men found it hard to fit into society after the civil war so turned to crime, towns connected by railroads too quickly for law enforcement to keep control, trains carrying valuables were a target, cowboys spent wages on drinking and gambling which led to fighting, railroad towns had a reputation for gambling, heavy drinking and prostitution, civil war destroyed south's economy leaving many without jobs.
133
civil war start and end
1861- 1865
134
combination of what led to high numbers of crime
overcrowding, poverty, opportunities for crime and limited law enforcement
135
what did towns do to look after law and order them selves
cow towns passes laws banning firearms, sheriffs and marshals were employed
136
what did gangs and outlaws often do to communites
intimidated them into supporting them as they were too powerful to control
137
who had the most power out of town marshals, sheriffs, US marshals and deputy marshals
US marshals, deputy marshals, town marshals= sheriffs
138
US marshals details
appointed by the president to be responsible for a whole state or territory
139
deputy marshals details
states and territories were too big for 1 marshal, so they were appointed to specific towns and counties
140
town marshals details
appointed by townspeople, they would deal with local out breaks
141
sheriffs details
appointed for a 2 year period of office, they could force local people to form into a posse to chance local law breakers
142
how did the government try to keep law and order
new territories in the west were run by the government, government decided laws for a territory, they appointed a governor, 3 judges and a US marshal, when a territory reached a population of 60,000 it became a state with its own laws
143
why was tackling lawlessness hard
geography - could be days before news reached a marshal, US didn't pay them very much which led to corruption as they would take bribes, no legal training, settlers disliked government
144
what helped law enforcers to have better communication
government encouraged growth of railroads and electric telegraphs
145
what and when was cow quarantine
1855 - laws block texan cattle from Missouri and Kansas because they had Texas fever
146
what did the civil war lead to (cows)
5 million cows in the wild
147
when was the first cow town made
1867
148
when and what was the beef bonanza
1870s- investors piled in the cattle industry
149
difference in cattle cost in texas and other cities
$5 - $40
150
why was Abilene (first cow town) made
railroad reached Abilene which created railheads outside the quarantine zones
151
what had to be done to create Abilene as a successful cow town
building stockyards and hotels, building loading areas for cattle onto trains, agreeing passage through Indian territory, McCoy spent $5000 on marketing
152
who made Abilene the first cow town
Joseph McCoy
153
why was the Goodnight- Loving trail made
they realised there was a another market for Texan cattle - settlements in the West
154
when was the first Goodnight- Loving Trail and where was it to
Fort Summer - 1866
155
why did the first Good Night loving trail go to Fort Summer
because the US government failed to get supplies to a reservation here, so they sold 800 cattle to Indians for $12 000, which was 4x the price in Texas
156
where did the Goodnight-Loving Trail extend to in 1868
Colorado and Wyoming
157
what did Goodnights success lead to
other cattlemen started to drive cattle to Wyoming and Wyoming's cattle ranched began to grow
158
who was John ilif
he saw opportunities to sell meat to booming mining towns in Colorado. Colorado was not on the railroad till 1870 so it was hard to get supplies there (Rockies or plains). He raised cattle on the Plains and began ranching near Denver in 1866, By 1870 he had a heard of 26,000 on a ranch over 16,000 acres. He became Denver's first millionaire by selling meat to all different people
159
what did the cowboy hat do
protect from weather
160
what did cowboy bandana do
protect from dust
161
what did the development of cow towns and cattle trails in the 1860s mean for cow boys
long drives from Texas became a key part of their year
162
what happened to cowboys when ranching was established on the Plains in the 1870s
cattle drives to cow towns became shorter. They would do more work on the ranch to look after cattle
163
change in role for cowboys
164
what type of land did ranching rely on , why
public land - law said everyone could pasture livestock on public land for free
165
problems with cattle on public land
homesteaders took 160 acres of public land for their own
166
how did ranchers block homesteaders
filing homestead claims them selves to the parts of the range homesteaders might be interested in, buying and fencing just enough land to block access to other plots, taking homesteaders to court knowing they were too poor to afford court fees
167
why did farmers and ranchers argue about fencing
famers said ranchers should fence their land to stop cattle roaming on crops, ranchers said cattle had a right to roam and it was their responsibility to fence, and they shouldn't harm cattle. This led to tensions
168
what did rail roads do to buffalo
disrupted buffalo migrations - noise and fencing of tracks
169
what were railroads funded by
land grants that the railroad companies sold to settlers
170
impacts of railroads
increased settlement, disrupted buffalo herds, led to buffalo extermination, Plains Indians moved off railroad land to reservations
171
why did cattle put pressure of buffalo
they competed for the same grass. Numver of cattle in the west increased from 130,000 in 1860 to 4.5 million in 1880
172
what did some tribes attacking cattle trails lead to
US retaliation attacks
173
what did gold prospectors do in tribal land
trespass and ignore all treaties, brought new diseases, killed buffalo that Indians needed, violence broke out, communites brought things that were not part of Plains Idians culture
174
why did Plains Indians move to reservations
white settlement meant there was less land to hunt, US promised protection of their lands and regular supplies of food, tribes desperate for food would sign treaties, some tribes sides with US for support against enemies, US army used force to move them
175
how did reservations affect Plains Indians way of life
reservations were made smaller which meant that they could not survive by hunting they became dependent of government food supplies, the Bureau of Indian Affairs agents that ran reservations were corrupt and cheated tribes out of their annuities
176
when was the second Fort Laramie Treaty
1868
177
what caused the second Fort Laramie Treaty
red clouds war
178
terms of the second Fort Laramie Treaty
great sioux reservation set up which included the black hills which were sacred to them, regular payments of food and clothing to the Sioux, US agreed to close the Bozeman trail as well as 3 US forts built along it, settlers not aloud in the Sioux reservation
179
when was little crows war
1862
180
what happened in little crows war
they attacked the agency that ran the reservation because crops didn't grow and their promised food never came. They stole food to share, then burnt the agency buildings and killed US soldiers. Most of his tribe had been captured and they were then moved to a smaller reservation
181
when was the sand creek massacre
1864
182
sand creek massacre story
the first Fort Laramie Treaty had guaranteed tribal territories, But a gold rush to the Rocky Mountains in 1859 caused disruption on their land. The treaty of Fort Wise (1861) moved the tribes to a reservation. Many of the Indians moved but some didn't and carried out attacks on prospectors. The plains Indians who moved began to starve due to crop failures. After 3 years of raids of poverty the Cheyenne leader black kettle negotiated with government officials and the US army. Believing he had government protection Black Kettle set up camp at Sand Creek. Colonel Chivington led a raid on the camp, more then 150 Indians were massacred oven though they waved white flags.
183
when was red clouds war
1866-68
184
red clouds war story
Gold was discovered in Montana and many prospectors used the Bozeman trail, which connect the Montana and Oregon trail. Tensions rose as this broke the first Fort Laramie Treaty. Red Cloud led attacks on the trail traveler. The government talked with red cloud and offered gifts and a guarantee of protection for allowing travelers to use the Bozeman trail. Red Cloud learnt that army had brought materials to build to more forts across the trail, without an agreement. Red Cloud chose to fight, there were 3000 Indians against 700 US soldiers. In December Captain Fetterman and 80 soldiers rode into a trap and were massacred by the Sioux. The US army the negotiated the second Fort Laramie treaty (1868)
185
what did dry farming aim to do
conserve the amount of water trapped in the soil e.g ploughing soil immediately after it rained
186
what did agricultural experts promote to homesteaders
dry farming as the best method to grow wheat
187
what was dry farming responsible for
turning the Plains into Americas main wheat producing region
188
when was the Wind pump developed
1854
189
con of wind pump
took years of development to become wide spread, would need constant repairing
190
when was barbed wire first introduced
1874
191
cons of barbed wire when first introduced
expensive and broke too easily , could wound cattle
192
what happened to barbed wire in the 1880s
a coating was applied to it to make it stronger, new techniques made it cheaper
193
what happened to the open ranch in the 1880s because of all the money that went into the cattle industry in the 1870s
open range became over stocked
194
what did too many cattle lead to
over grazing - too little grass, prices dropped
195
what did prices dropping and over grazing lead to
less profit - some cattlemen sold up, others went bankrupt
196
when was the harsh winter and what did it lead to
1886-87 - at least 15% of cattle dies and more cattlemen went bankrupt
197
what did ranchers do after of the harsh winter of 1886-87
moved to smaller ranches
198
benefits of smaller herds
easier to manage and could be sheltered in bad weather, easier to guard against people trying to steel cattle, high quality breeds brought in to produced better meat, less cattle raised prices again
199
consequences for cowboys after the winter of 1886-87
many lost their lives. They now had less adventurous lives : looking after cattle, repairing fences, looking after grass. They lived in uncomfortable bunkhouses with leaking roofs and walls with beds full of lice. They had schedules to keep to and rules to follow e.g ban on carrying firearms. Cowboys numbers dropped as ranches employed less of them.
200
when was the exoduster movement
1879
201
what was the exoduster movement
a large group of black americans who moved west to Kansas
202
why did the exoduster movement happen
they had been facing oppresion
203
farming problems to do with exoduster movement
other settlers had already taken the best land, they had no money to set up, found it hard to survive
204
what were the responses to exodusters
southern white people opposes the migration, white people in Kansas did not think they should be helped, Kansas governor helped migrants
205
consequences of the exoduster movement
by 1880 mass migration ended as there were too many problems, by 1880 43,000 black Americans settled in Kansas, they had fewer rights and were poorer than whites
206
Oklahoma land rush story
Indian territory had different sections for tribes. In the middle there was free space. US army had to constantly move settlers off this section. In 1889 the government opened the middle section for white settlement. Thousands of white settlers rushed over the boundary to claim there 160 acres.
207
when was the Oklahoma land rush
1889
208
how many Oklahoma land rushes were there in total
7
209
who was Billy the Kid
He grew up in poverty and was on the wrong side of the la. In 1878 he became involved in a range war, he swore revenge when his friends were killed. His gang causes chaos across new Mexico. After escaping jail, Billy was tracked down and shot by Garrett in 1881
210
brief history of Wyatt Earp
He first got into law enforcement by helping a deputy marshal deal with rowdy cowboys. By 1879 he had moved to the mining town tombstone, rich business men were fighting for control of the area and they hired him as a deputy marshal to fight on their side. This led to a famous gun fight in OK Corral in 1881. After this public opinion turned against the Earp's and they were considered murderers, they left tombstone in 1882
211
what did the Earp's become known for
aggressive policing
212
when was the Johnson County War
1892
213
background to the Johnson County War start
Wyoming had a population of 9000 in the early 1870s. Huge cattle ranched developed, rich businessmen controlled Wyoming. More homesteaders came to Wyoming, barbed wired was a problem for ranchers, newcomers disliked the big ranches would not share power. Watson and Averill were homesteaders, Bothwell accused her of stealing his cows. Bothwell hung Watson and Averill and took their land.
214
why did the Johnson County War start
3 more murders after Watson and Averill. The small ranchers announced they would hole a earlier spring round up of cattle than the WSGA (the big ranchers). WSGA members were sure they would use this too steal cattle from them.
215
what did the WSGA do
hired 22 gun men to invade Johnson County and kill 70 suspected rustlers. They raided $100,000 most of it would be used to pay for legal costs after the invasion. The invaders were held off and arrested.
216
what happened after the Johnson County War
WSGA used its $100,000 to hire the best lawyers, they moved the trial to Cheyenne were Juries favored the WSGA, they delayed trial till Johnson County couldn't afford to keep them in jail. The government refused to help with the trial and they were set free.
217
when was the Battle of the Little Big Horn
1876
218
why was Custer blamed for the defeat at the battle of the little big horn
should have waited for back up, only had 600 men, heavily out numbered
219
consequences of the Battle of the Little Big horn
appalled most white Americans, they now wanted to destroy all Plains Indians
220
how did the battle of the little big horn start
The second fort laramie treaty (1868), gave the Sioux free roam of the Black Hills where white settlers couldnt go. As the rail road got closer to their land, Custer led men to protect the rail road builders and search for gold. Prospectors made claims. The government offered the Sioux 6 million a year or 400,000 for mineral rights, they refused. They were given 60 days to return to their reservation or would be attacked, deep snow made it impossible to travel. 7000 plains Indians were ready for war. They defeated the army and travelled to Little Big Horn River, Custer attacked them here and his men were massacred
221
positives of the battle of little big horn
2 forts built and 2500 army reinforcements sent west, persuit of tribes into reservations, capture of Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull moved his tribes to Canada, forced to sell Black Hills
222
when was the wounded kneww massacre
1890
223
what was the Ghost Dance
In 1890m Sioux rations were cut and a drought meant their crops failed. An Indiginous American had a vision that if they call kept dancing a spirit would bring back the dead and a great flood would carry the white people away. The army moved in to stop them all dancing, Sitting Bull was killed. His followers fled and joined Big Foot
224
what was the wounded knee massacre
Big Foot's band were slowed by snow and the army took them to wounded knee to disarm them. They started dancing and shooting broke out. After 10 minuites 250 Plains Indians and 25 soldiers were dead
225
Impacts of the wounded knee massacre
Last clash between sioux and US army, end to Sioux resistance, end of Indian Frontier
226
factors that led to the end of Plains Indians way of life
Rail roads in the west, extermination of Buffalo, reservations, discovery of gold in the west, homesteaders on Plains
227
by 1885 how many Buffalo were left
200
228
how did tribal chiefs lose power
1871 - no longer sign treaties, councis looked after reservations not chiefs
229
what happened to Plains Indians children in schools
punished for using their own language and respecting their culture
230
what were Plains Indians no longer allowed to do
hunt
231
when was the Dawes Act
1887
232
what happened in the Dawes Act
each indiginous family was alloted a 160 acre share of reservation land. 80 to single indigenous people, 40 to orphans. They could then become American citezens
233
aims of Dawes Act
make indigenous Americans assimilate, reduce influence of chiefs and tribal council, reduce cost of reservations, free up more land to settlers, encourage families to farm and not rely on tribe, ecourage individualism
234
significance of the Dawes Act
by 1890 they had lost half the lands they had in 1887 to white people, they couldn't farm properly as the land was too poor, most sold their land as soon as they could and ended up landless, most were cheated into selling land
235
when was the indian frontier closed and what did this mean
1890- US government had full control of the west.
