Westward Expansion

Push Factors - The civil war displaced thousands of farmers, former slaves, and other workers - eastern land was getting more expensive, especially to African Americans and immigrants -Failed entrepreneurs saw the west as a second chance -Ethnic and religious intolerance looked to the west for freedom

Pull Factors Giving away public lands or selling them cheap -Pacific Railway Acts -Morrill Land-Grant Act -Homestead Act-private property ownership

Settlers From Far and Wide -Cheap land and new jobs attract foreigners and people of different religious backgrounds -Immigrants from Mexico, European nations such as Germany, Ireland, Italy as wells as many European Jews and Chinese settled in the west. -ranching, mining, farm labor railroad construction, and other trades drew Americans and foreigners alike

Black Exodusters Homesteaders -African Americans come to the west for a new chance at freedom -Inspired by the biblical account of the Israelites flee from Egypt to a prophesized homeland in the book of Exodus, The African Americans called themselves EXODUSters.

“The Indian Problem” -What could be done about the western Indians so there land could be used productively -Native Americans believe the “problem” was a threat to their way of life Native Americans Settlers US Government railroads

Treaties and Reservations -produced misunderstandings and fraud -the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs was responsible for providing critical supplies but did not react -As a result, acts of violence on both sides began war on the western front.

Sand Creek Massacre US military killed many innocent Cheyenne Indians after promise of protection. “Kill and scalp all, big and little! Colonel John Chivington

Battle of Little Bighorn government wanted control of Black Hills as a result the Sioux fought back and slaughtered Custer's soldiers Sitting Bull General Custer

The Battle of Wounded Knee misinterpreted the Native American Ghost Dance as a violent act. Government took over reservation and shots were soon fired.

Changing Native Americans - give up their traditions - Dawes Act allowed Native Americans to become self- sufficient in their new society. -This idea known as assimilation

Opening of Indian Territory April 22, Government allowed settlers to stake claims on previously owned Indian land. -Boomers had claimed 2 million acres by sun down -Sooners sneaked past government officials before boomers and staked their claims early

Mining -Mining of precious metals such as gold and silver became goal of many settlers -Towns sprung up around prosperous mining and eventually became ghost towns -Technology advanced as mining became more popular, such as the use of dynamite, drills and hydraulics

Cattle Ranching -Began due to increase in demand for beef. -Removal of Native Americans and Buffalo allowed for more land to be used for ranching -Cow towns sprung along rail lines which became known as the Chisholm Trail -More than 100,000 cattle that grazed over 1 million acres for one Cattle Baron

Farming -Majority of farmers were those who profited from the Homestead act -Suffered many nature related hardships -boom in technology such as new machines that eased labor -Poor farmers build soddies-homes made out of sod.

Populism -People’s Party, a political party that grew from economic interest of farmers Followers were called populists 1.Increase circulation of money 2.Unlimited mining of silver 3.A progressive income tax 4.Government ownership of communication and transportation systems -This allowed prices of crops to increase