Chapter 13 Settling the West

Miners Purposes for Western gold, silver, and copper: 1. Served industries in the East 2. Brought settlers West.

Miners Two types of mining: 1.placer mining- surface mining using simple tools like shovels, picks, and pans 2.quartz mining- corporate or commercial mining where they dug deep to reach the deposits of ore

Mining and Economics 1. boomtown- community that experienced sudden and rapid population and economic growth due to a mining discovery

Mining and Economics 2. ghost town- when the mines dried up, people left to go to the next strike; deserting the town

Mining and Society 1.vigilance committee- self appointed volunteers that tracked down and punished wrong- doing.

Mining and Society 2. Roles of women in the West A. Property owners B. Community leaders C. Employment outside the home i. hurdy-gurdy”- women who would dance with men for the same price as the price of a drink ii. cooks iii. laundry

Striking It Rich- Nevada Henry Comstock- found gray mud that was almost pure silver in Six Mile Canyon, Nevada

Striking It Rich- Colorado 1.Pikes Peak- gold deposits were thought to be there 2.Placer miners did not find anything 3.Became Pikes Peak Hoax 4.Gold was there- should have done quartz mining

Striking It Rich- Colorado Leadville- town was named this because it had huge deposits of lead with silver in it

Striking It Rich- Colorado Three results of Colorado mining: 1. Money- $1 billion in gold and silver 2. Railroads- extended through the Rocky Mountains 3. Denver- mining supply point/ 2 nd largest city in the West

Striking It Rich- Dakota & Montana Gold in the Black Hills of Dakota and copper mines of Montana Caused Expansion into the Great Plains

Railroads and the Great Plains: Mining deposit discovered Miners flood in to strike it rich Railroad extends to area More people come in by train to start farms and ranches

Statehood The Dakotas were divided into North Dakota and South Dakota, and admitted into the Union with Montana.

Ranching and Cattle Drives 1. Hardships of the Great Plains a. lack of water b. tough prairie grass 2. Texas longhorns- Spanish cattle that adapted to the Great Plains over a hundred year span

Ranching and Cattle Drives Who introduced cattle ranching in CA, NM, and TX? Mexicans open range- vast area of grassland owned by the gov’t

Ranching and Cattle Drives Mexican cowhands developed two things: a. tools- to be able to do the job b. techniques- made the job easier Mexican cowhand terminology adopted by American cowhands a. lasso b. lariat- same as lasso c. stampede

Ranching and Cattle Drives Two things that made ranching profitable: a. Civil War b. railroad Chisholm Trail- went from TX to Abilene, Kansas

Ranching and Cattle Drives long drive- driving cattle long distances to reach a railroad depot What time of year did a long drive start? Spring Where did they get the cattle from? Open range How were the cowhands able to tell one rancher’s cattle from another’s? brands

Ranching and Cattle Drives Mavericks- stray cows without brands or marks - Cow hands divided the mavericks up among the ranchers and branded them The men on the long drive: - ex- Confederates - Hispanics - African Americans (normally ex-slaves)

Ranching and Cattle Drives Ranching Becomes Big Business 1. What would happen to cattle on these long drives? Slaughtered or sold 2. “Range wars”- who was involved and why did they happen? Farmers, sheep herders, ranchers….fighting over resources (land and water access) 3. What two things ended cattle drives? Barbed wire Eastern and British investors flooded the market with their cattle- price of cattle plummeted

Ranching and Cattle Drives Dime novels- exaggerated tales of daring told by cowboys End Of Section 1 Notes

The Great Plains The Great Plains is the region that extends westward to the Rocky Mountains and from the Dakotas to Texas. a. < 20 inches of rain per year b. The only trees will be found along rivers and streams

The Great Plains Stephen Long – Explored the area in 1819 – Called it the Great American Desert

The Great Plains The Homestead Act $10 registration fee to file for a homestead Homestead- tract of public land available for settlement Could apply for up to 160 acres Had to live there 5 years to receive title to it

The Great Plains The Conditions on the Great Plains Lack of trees and water First houses were made of sod Water well were 300 feet deep to reach the water table 100+ degree summers Blizzards in winter Destroyed crops » Prairie fires » grasshoppers

The Great Plains The Wheat Belt – Dry farming- plant seeds deep in the ground for the moisture – Sodbusters- those who plowed (farmed) the Plains – Wheat Belt- eastern edge of the Plains, the Dakotas, and western parts of Nebraska and Kansas – Bonanza farm- farms that yielded big profits

The Great Plains Hard Times on the Farm 1800’s The Wheat Belt allowed the US to become world’s leading exporter of wheat Late 1800’s brought drought Farmers mortgaged land to get through Many lost their farms and moved back east Others came to take their place

The Great Plains Closing the Frontier – Oklahoma Land Rush- 10,000 raced to stake claims in the last territory – The Census Bureau advised there was no longer a clear line of the frontier

The Great Plains – The loss of the “safety valve of social discontent” (People in the East had used the safety net of being able to go West if they wanted a new start on life.)

The Great Plains – Many saw it as an end to a chance for a fresh start. End of Section 2

Native Americans Culture of the Plains Indians a. Communities (farmers/ hunters) b. nomads- followed the buffalo migration c. nomads- people who continually move from place to place, normally in search of food

Native Americans Governing Body a. Indian nations were divided into bands of up to 500 people b. A governing council headed each band, but most members participated in decision making

Native Americans Roles in society were determined by gender a. Women- reared children, cooking, preparing hides b. Men- hunting, trading, military life of the band (security)

Native Americans Religion- based on a belief in the spiritual power of the natural world.

Native Americans Sequence of events that led to the Sioux Uprising Miners, ranchers, and farmers moved onto the plains Native Americans were deprived of their traditional hunting grounds Americans broke treaties with the Native Americans that guaranteed them certain lands Native Americans began attacking wagon train, stagecoaches, and ranches Sioux uprising in Minnesota (first major clash on the Plains)