1. The Last West And The New South 1865-1900
The American West and South underwent profound changes after the Civil War

2. The West: The Last Frontier
After the Civil War many Americans turned to settling the West
Within 35 years the frontier no longer existed
Buffalo nearly exterminated and damage to environment
Miners, cattlemen, cowboys and farmers

3. Mining Frontier 1848 gold in CA – 49ers 1859 in CO and NV
Boomtowns created – saloons, dance halls, and vigilante justice
San Fran., Sacramento, Denver
Chinese Immigration inc.
Congress passed Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

4. Cattle Frontier Vaqueros Vast open grasslands “Texas” longhorns
RRs opened eastern markets to western cattle
Cow towns along RRs
Soon open range ends with barbed wire and homesteaders
Ranches are developed

5. Farming Frontier Homestead Act of 1862 offers land “sodbusters”
Lonely and isolated life
At the mercy of mother nature
Many failures
Planted hardy strains of Russian wheat
Eventually dams and irrigation saved many

6. Turner’s Frontier Thesis
1890 the U.S. Census Bureau declared the frontier had been settled
Turner wrote “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” (1893)
Said the frontier had promoted independence and individualism
Broke down social classes

7. Removal of Native Americans
Hopi, Zuni, Apache and Navajo, Sioux, Crow
Destruction of buffalo contributes to loss of culture
Reservations established
Indian wars
Assimilation?
Dawes Severalty Act