Westward Movement

Standard SS5H3 The student will describe how lilfe changed in America at the turn of the century. SS5H3 The student will describe how lilfe changed in America at the turn of the century. A. Describe the role of the cattle trails in the late 19 th century, include the Black Cowboys or Texas, the Great Western Cattle Trail, and the Chisholm Trail. A. Describe the role of the cattle trails in the late 19 th century, include the Black Cowboys or Texas, the Great Western Cattle Trail, and the Chisholm Trail.

Native American Indians After the Civil War people moved west to claim land and opportunities. After the Civil War people moved west to claim land and opportunities. As the U.S. government took land from Native Americans, more land became available for white settlers. As the U.S. government took land from Native Americans, more land became available for white settlers. Native Americans were forced to move to special areas called reservations. When settlers discovered gold or wanted more land, the Native Americans were forced to move again. Native Americans were forced to move to special areas called reservations. When settlers discovered gold or wanted more land, the Native Americans were forced to move again. Many, many Indians died on the Trail of Tears Many, many Indians died on the Trail of Tears

More info about Indians  The government made and broke promises with the Native Americans again and again. Sometimes the Native Americans resisted.  The U.S. Army won most of the wars with the Native Am. because it was strong and had advanced weapons.  The largest Native Am. Victory was at the Battle of Little Bighorn in  U.S. commander George A. Custer with a few hundred men attacked a band of thousands of Sioux warriors.  The battle became known as Custer’s Last Stand.  By the end of the 1800s the U.S. government controlled all the land between Mexico & Canada from Atlantic to Pacific.

Black Cowboys  The first cowboys were the Mexican vaqueros. They taught American settlers cattle ranching.  There were Native Americans, European Americans, both English and Spanish-speaking cowboys.  Money from the cattle trade helped Texas recover after the Civil War.  By the late 1800’s many cowboys in west Texas were African American  Former slaves found freedom as cowboys away from the cities and farming areas.

Life as a Cowboy Their job was to move cattle on big organized cattle drives across the country. Skills: riding horse, roping, living on range Their job was to move cattle on big organized cattle drives across the country. Skills: riding horse, roping, living on range Made good money, free to travel Made good money, free to travel Hard life, didn’t see family much Hard life, didn’t see family much Dangerous when crossing Indian territory Dangerous when crossing Indian territory Cattle trails played a big role in the last 19 th century. Cattle trails played a big role in the last 19 th century.

Chisholm Trail and the Great Western Cattle Trail The cowboys took the cattle on cattle drives. These were long journeys where they would drive the herds to market, to another ranch up north, or towns with railroads to transport them by trains to other states. These trails were important to the growth of trade in our country.

 Great western cattle trails were for cowboys to move the cattle from Texas through Oklahoma to places like Dodge City, Kansas where the cattle were loaded onto railroads headed eastward  One of those trails was used for 20 years after the Civil War, the Chisholm Trail.  By the end of the 1800s more property was fenced using barbed wire which made it hard to drive cattle because herds could no longer cross over wide open plains.  More and more railroads are being constructed to shorten those long cattle drives.

Settlers Homestead Act: law pass to attract settlers to want to move west to get land for cheap Homestead Act: law pass to attract settlers to want to move west to get land for cheap Many wanted to move to California for gold Many wanted to move to California for gold Transportation: walk, horse, covered wagon Transportation: walk, horse, covered wagon Transcontinental Railroad: made traveling easier and safer because tracks went from coast to coast. Many Chinese moved to eastern America to help build this. Transcontinental Railroad: made traveling easier and safer because tracks went from coast to coast. Many Chinese moved to eastern America to help build this.

The Wild West Farmers used new inventions like the steel plow, mechanical reaper, and windmill. Farmers used new inventions like the steel plow, mechanical reaper, and windmill. Miners hoped to strike it rich in California and other areas of the West. Miners hoped to strike it rich in California and other areas of the West. Ranchers owned herds of cattle and used a new invention, barbed wire. Ranchers owned herds of cattle and used a new invention, barbed wire. Cowboys drove large herds of cattle from Cowboys drove large herds of cattle from ranches to towns and markets where they ranches to towns and markets where they could be shipped and sold. could be shipped and sold.

Western Inventions Western Inventions Telegraph: used combination of short and long beeps (Morse code) on wire from city to city Telegraph: used combination of short and long beeps (Morse code) on wire from city to city Indians made blankets, drums, beaded clothes, canoes, bows and arrows Indians made blankets, drums, beaded clothes, canoes, bows and arrows Barbed wire: helped farmers keep cattle out of fields. Helped cattle farmers keep cattle in and wild animals out. Changed America, put cowboys out of business…too hard to travel. Barbed wire: helped farmers keep cattle out of fields. Helped cattle farmers keep cattle in and wild animals out. Changed America, put cowboys out of business…too hard to travel. Windmill: brought water to the prairie so farming was possible. Windmill: brought water to the prairie so farming was possible. Cradle: gravel-washing wooden rocker. Cradle: gravel-washing wooden rocker.

Review Questions What was the importance of cattle trails that were used in the late 19 th century? What was the importance of cattle trails that were used in the late 19 th century? How did life change for African Americans if they became a Black Cowboy during this time? How did life change for African Americans if they became a Black Cowboy during this time?

Journal Activity Pretend that you are in a wagon train traveling west. Your family stops for the night with the wagon train and you go out for a hike. You find a curious sight…an old wagon wheel sticking out of the sand. You begin digging in the loose sand and find a wagon box. As you explore the old wagon box, you see what looks like a diary. As you begin looking through the pages, you find that it was written by a pioneer family who passed this way a few years ago. Write some of the entries you found in the diary. See if you can explain why the wagon was left and where the pioneers who drove it went.

Yee Ha!