What is prospecting? Searching for minerals in the ground Gold, copper, silver, and other metals Placer mining Using simple tools (like shovels, pans, and sluices) for shallow minerals Quartz reef mining Using explosives and mine shafts deep beneath the surface Quartz contained gold What is prospecting?

How did mining affect the Western US? Bonanzas Sudden abundance of wealth and/or materials Rapid expansion of towns Boomtowns Vigilante justice Leadville Thousands of incomers per week $20 billion of silver and gold in today’s money Comstock Lode Mud in small Nevada town turns out to be silver 30,000 flock to the town How did mining affect the Western US?

What is ranching? Raising livestock for meat and hides Wasn’t practical until… Longhorns could survive on the Plains Civil War caused price of meat to rise Railroads could transport cattle Open range Huge body of grassland on plains owned by the gov’t Open for herds to graze for free What is ranching?

How did ranching affect the Western US? Cowboys and the long drive Cowboys escorted cattle herds Texas  Midwest towns  Eastern US Eastern US would pay 10x more than Texas Major trails like Chisholm Trail Death of the open range & long drive Government sold land, which was fenced off with barbed wire More competition  more cattle  drop in prices How did ranching affect the Western US?

Why did Americans start settling on the plains? Railroads made the plains accessible Railroads sold land cheaply Homestead Act, 1862 Up to 160 acres for a $10 fee Improve land and receive title after five years New technology made dry farming possible Steel plows, seed drills, reapers could plant seeds below surface where there was more moisture Why did Americans start settling on the plains?

What kind of hardships did settlers face? Extreme climate Above 100°F in summer & sub-zero temps in winter Tough on livestock & humans alike Extremely dry Had to drill up to 300 feet for water Wind erosion destroyed topsoil Swarms of bugs Grasshoppers destroyed crops Very few trees Very windy No wood; houses made of sod (mud) 30-60 million buffalo What kind of hardships did settlers face?

How did farming affect the Western US? Wheat Belt US became largest exporter of what by 1880s Competition from other countries hurt farmers Many families lost their land due to tough conditions Birth of commercial farming Bonanza farms = 50,000 acres or larger Hired poor, desperate family farmers and purchased their land How did farming affect the Western US?

Who were the Plains Indians? Nomadic lifestyles Followed main source of food—buffalo Gender roles Women raised children, prepared food and clothes Men were hunters, traders, and warriors Spiritual religion Based on nature Government Small councils of elders, but most tribal members had input Who were the Plains Indians?

Reservations on undesirable land Relocation to Reservations Indian Removal Act, 1830 Trail of Tears Reservations on undesirable land Violent, impoverished, and corrupt Indian Peace Commission US Army sent to deal with any resistance Annuities Annual payments made to reservation dwellers Cheap, and usually stolen by American traders What policies did the US gov’t enact towards the Plains Indians?

Assimilation Absorbing Native Americans into American society Very difficult after years of mistrust Allotments Reservation territory divided and given to Native American families Rest sold to American settlers What policies did the US gov’t enact towards the Plains Indians?