1. Chapter 17 The Diverse Peoples of the West
What drew new settlers to the western part of the United States in the 1800s?

2. 17.1 Introduction Pioneers had different reasons for coming
Cheap land
New religion
Gold rush
Settlers did not care about the people already in the West
Impacted the Mexicanos and the Nez Percés

3. 17.2 The West in the Mid-1800s Writers were writing about the West
It was cheap
Families with a small amount of money could own land
In 1848 there was news of gold in California
People started to head to California
People who went by water sailed around South America or sailed to Central America and took ships to California, most went by land
Most of the newcomers didn’t respect the people who already lived in the west or their land
Some took away the land of people who have had that land for a long time
Settlers broke land treaties and took the land

4. 17.3 Mexicanos Many Mexicanos had ranchos
Most were just for raising cattle
Traded goods like hides and fat
Also grow crops
Had cowboys watch over their land
Had special tools and clothing: lariat (rope), sombreros (wide- brimmed hat), chaps (protects their legs from thorny bushes)
Food: rich beef stew and tortillas
built their houses out of clay bricks (adobe)
Dug ditches to get water
Made songs about current events called corridos
Were outnumbered by settlers
Settlers didn’t give them respect

5. 17.4 Forty-Niners
Forty- niners were people who went to California for the Gold Rush
Hoped to get rich quickly
Some were a former or run away slave
Lots of the gold was in the river
Scraped gold off rocks in the river and panned for gold
Many worked in groups using a sluice
Hard and lonely life
Lived in tents and shacks
Many went home with no profit

6. 17.5 Chinese Immigrants Chinese learned about the gold rush in 1851
Sailed to California looking for the “Golden Mountain”
Hopped to earn money then return home
Most Chinese were poor
When they got to California most of the gold that was easy to find was gone
Worked together in abandoned mines
Figured out new ways to find gold by using tools they made
American miners were jealous of the Chinese
Government put a tax on foreign miners
Americans also used violence and threats to get to Chinese to go

7. 17.5 Chinese Immigrants
Many Chinese people helped to build the first railroad that spread across North America
They were in the Central Pacific Railroad
Skilled at laying track
Earned less than everyone
Long hours
Riskier jobs
Some had to carve tunnels through solid rock
Dangerous work
Completed the railroad in 1869

8. 17.5 Chinese Immigrants Had to get new jobs
Storeowners, farmers, fishermen,
Americans still didn’t like them
Accused Chinese of taking their jobs for less money
Some Chinese were forced to leave
Some were killed
In 1882 Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act
Stopped most Chinese from coming to the United States
Years passed until they could come back

9. 17.6 Mormons Were looking for religious freedom
Joseph Smith founded Church of Christ
He was an inspiring preacher
Many accompanied him when he went west
Americans attacked them
Didn’t like their beliefs
Mormons moved
Non- Mormons feared that they had to much power
Some Mormon men were accused of having more than one wife
Joseph and his brother were arrested
Mob broke into the jail and killed them

10. 17.6 Mormons In 1846 Mormons left Illinois and went to Nebraska
Their new leader, Brigham Young, said they would only be safe in the West
Started to go in 1847
Built cabins, planted crops, and dug wells for other groups coming
Young decided they were staying in Great Salt Lake
Started to build their city
More Mormons started to come
left messages for others in animal skulls
Missionaries gained new followers
Wouldn’t be forced out of their homes again

11. 17.7 Oregon Pioneers
In the 1840’s news of Oregon Country spread East in lots of ways
Fur traders
Forests and farmlands
Religious leaders
Told settlers to move
Newspapers and books
Good life of farming, fishing, and trading
In 1843 one thousand people in Missouri organized a wagon train headed to Oregon
Loaded the wagons with supplies

12. 17.7 Oregon Pioneers Hard work Found lots of grass for animals
Men drove wagons, herded cattle, found camp, and guarded the wagons
Women set up camp, washed clothes, and cooked
Also took care of the sick
Travelers got diseases, suffered hunger and cold, poisoned by water
Many died
Found lots of grass for animals
Crossing rivers, steep mountains, and deserts were dangerous
Passed through American Indian land
Some were nice and traded
Some were mad because their cattle was eating the buffalo’s grass
In 1845 thousands of people had traveled the Oregon Trail

13. 17.8 Nez Percés Lived in Oregon, Idaho, and Washington
They went places with prized horses
Ate salmon, wild berries, and plants
White settlers began farming on their land
Made treaties promising the Nez Percés some land and whites other land
Government persuaded the Nez Percés onto a reservation
To avoid war some headed towards the reservation
Chief Joseph refused to go
He feared US soldiers would attack his tribe
He lead his people to Canada

14. 17.8 Nez Percés Soldiers chased them
They hid and fought the soldiers
They were 40 miles away from Canada when soldiers found them
Chief Joseph surrendered
U.S. promised they could return home
They actually took them to a reservation in Oklahoma
Half of the tribe died
Some were allowed to return to Idaho and Washington
They never went back to their land