The Western Frontier Overarching Topic: Discuss the subjugation of American Indians and the factors that contributed to settlement of frontier from 1865-1900

Historical Context Manifest Destiny Civil War and Reconstruction Civil War Legislation Transcontinental Railroad Burgeoning major American corporations

I. The Struggle of the Plains Indians A. Over 200,000 Indians lived in the Plains following the Civil War B. Conflict with settlers in the East before the Civil War resulted in the removal policy which placed Indians in the trans-Mississippi west, most in Oklahoma territory. C. Peace Commissions (army and Indian agents) sent to meet with Plains Indians in 1867 and 1868 and promised aid and non-interference D. Conflicts between Indians and U.S. Army 1. Sand Creek Massacre-1864. 450 Arapaho and Cheyenne men, women, and children killed in Colorado Territory by Col. Chivington's volunteer forces 2. Little Big Horn-1876. Gen. Custer and 264 troops killed by Sioux Indians in Montana Territory. 3. Chief Joseph and Nez Perce captured by army after 1300 mile chase 4. Wounded Knee-1890. 200 unarmed Sioux killed after Sitting Bull was killed (we will come back to this at the end of the week)

I. The Struggle of the Plains Indians Continued E. Dawes Act (1887) sought to Americanize Indians 1. Reservations divided among families in 160 acre segments. 2. Tribal loyalties had to be renounced to gain American citizenship 3. Between 1887 and 1934, Indians lost over half of their reservation lands to whites Boarding schools: “Kill the Indian, save the man” Helen Hunt Jackson A Century of Dishonor.- Documented the brutality in which the U.S. treated Native Americans

II. Gold and Silver Fever A. Strikes brought thousands of settlers 1. California Gold Rush of 1848-49 2. Gold discovered in Colorado in 1858. Gold ran out quickly, with very few fortunes being made. 3. Silver discovered in Virginia City, Nevada (Comstock Lode). More than $100 million extracted by most ambitious miner, John Mackay. B. Between 1860 and 1890, $2 billion in gold and silver mined in the west (Side note this would have huge effects on the monetary system and one of the reasons for the populist movement that we will cover later on)

III. Cattle Ranching in the West A. Western lands and open range proved ideal for cattle ranching 1. Railroads opened up Eastern markets for beef 2. Texas longhorns brought in herds of 3000 cattle from Texas to railhead towns such as Abilene and Dodge City B. Open ranged ended in 1880s 1. Harsh winters of 1885 and 1886 wiped out herds 2. Barbed wire (invented by Joseph Glidden) allowed farmers to fence range land to keep cattle from grazing (Side note barbed wire would end up being a very important defensive weapon in WWI)

IV. Farmers on the Frontier Tough life for settlers on woodless plains (sod houses) B. Homestead Act (1862) brought settlers to west from East and Europe - File for a homestead (up to 160 acres of land) - Develop the land over a 5-year period - File for and receive the deed for the land C. Railroads established towns, sold land after huge land grants from the government. D. Last major section of the west settled with Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 

V. Closing of the Frontier A. 1890 census declared that the frontier was closed. B. Frederick Jackson Turner's thesis ("The Frontier in American History") stated 1. Frontier was critical development of American democracy 2. Self-reliance and independent nature of American culture were fostered by the frontier

John Green if time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q16OZkgSXfM&index=25&list=PL 8dPuuaLjXtMwmepBjTSG593eG7ObzO7s