Changes on the Western Frontier 1877 – 1900 Chapter 13 – The Americans Mitten – CSHS AMAZ History Semester 1

Vocabulary Great Plains Treaty of Fort Laramie Sitting Bull George A. Custer assimilation Dawes Act Battle of Wounded Knee longhorn Chisholm Trail long drive

Cultures Clash on the Prairie Life on the Plains Great Plains – grasslands in west-central portion of the United States East: hunting, farming villages West: nomadic hunting, gathering The Horse and the Buffalo Horses, guns lead most Plains tribes to nomadic life Buffalo provides many basic needs hides used for teepees, clothes, blankets - meat staple of diet

The Culture of the Plains Indians Family Life Plains Indians form family groups ties with other bands that speak the same language Men are hunters, warriors; women butcher meat, prepare hides Belief in powerful spirits that control natural world men or women can become shamans Children learn through myths, stories, games, and by example Communal life; leaders rule by counsel

Settlers Push Westward Clash of Cultures Native Americans: land cannot be owned; settlers want to own the land Settlers believe natives forfeited land migrants head west to claim ‘unused’ land Silver and Gold 1858 discovery of gold in Colorado brings thousands Mining camps, small frontier towns have filthy, rundown dwellings Fortune seekers of different cultures, races; mostly men

Gov't Restricts Native Americans Railroads Influence Government 1834, government designates Great Plains as one huge reservation 1850’s, treaties define more specific boundaries for each tribe Massacre at Sand Creek Troops kill over 150 Cheyenne, Arapaho at Sand Creek winter camp Bozeman Trail Crosses Sioux Hunting Grounds Crazy Horse ambushes troops Treaty of Fort Laramie – U.S. closes trail; Sioux to reservation Sitting Bull, leader of Hunkpapa Sioux, does not sign treaty

Bloody Battles Red River War Gold Rush 1868, Kiowa, Comanche engage in 6 years of raiding 1874 – 1875, U.S. Army crushes resistance on Plains in Red River War Gold Rush 1874 George A. Custer reports gold in Black Hills Custer’s Last Stand 1876, Sitting Bull has vision of war at sun dance Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Gall crush Custer’s troops By late 1876, Sioux are defeated; some go to Canada his people starving, Sitting Bull surrenders 1881

Gov't Supports Assimilation Assimilation – natives to give up traditional way of life, join white culture 1887, Dawes Act to “Americanize” natives, break up reservations gives land to individual Native Americans sell balance of land to settlers money for farm equipment for natives In the end, Native Americans receive only 1/3rd of land – no money

Destruction of the Buffalo Destruction of buffalo most significant blow to tribal life Tourists, fur traders shoot for sport, destroy buffalo population

The Battle of Wounded Knee Ghost Dance – ritual dance to regain way of life spreads rapidly among Sioux on Dakota reservation December 1890, Sitting Bull is killed Seventh Cavalry takes 350 Sioux to Wounded Knee Creek Battle (massacre) at Wounded Knee – cavalry kill 300 unarmed Indians Ends Indian wars, Sioux are left to dream of regaining old life

Cattle Become Big Business Vaqueros and Cowboys Americans learn to manage large herds from Mexican vaqueros adopt clothing, vocabulary, way of life Texas longhorns – sturdy breeds brought by Spanish Cowboys not in demand until railroads arrive Growing Demand for Beef After Civil War ends demand for meat increases in rapidly growing cities The Cow Towns Cattlemen establish shipping yards where trails and rail lines meet Chisholm Trail becomes major cattle route from San Antonio TX. to Wichita, KS.

A Cowboy's Life Cowboy Life 1866 – 1885, up to 55,000 cowboys on plains 25% African American, 12% Mexican 10 to 14 hour days; 14 or more on trail Round up & Cattle Drives Spring – cattle rounded up and branded Herds of animals on long drives of up to 3 months Legends of the West Celebrities emerge – Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are two of the most popular

The End of the Open Range Changes in Ranching Overgrazing, bad weather from 1883 to 1887 destroys entire herds Ranchers keep smaller herds – yield more meat per animal Fence land with barbed wire; turns open range into separate ranches Open range is no more