1. Westward Expansion

2. Reasons why people moved west after the Civil War
In the East, farmland was expensive
Poor people could not buy their own land
Sharecropping was how many poor whites and ex- slaves had to farm
In the West, there were “wide open” areas –especially the Great Plains where “only” some Indians lived
Gold and silver were discovered – drawing people who wanted to get rich quick
Millions of buffalo lived on the Great Plains – easy to kill and hides worth money back east

3. Manifest Destiny
Americans, stirred by their hunger for land and the ideology of “Manifest Destiny,” flocked to the new frontiers.
Manifest Destiny = the United States’ fate to grow and become powerful regardless of who or what was in their way – Indians, buffalo, Mexicans

4. The Homestead Act of 1862
The Homestead Act gave public lands (lands owned by the national government) to American citizens
For a small fee a person could obtain 160 acres
The Homestead Act helped poor families who could not afford land in the eastern states.
It gave unemployed workers a chance to find work on land of their own.

5. California Gold Rush
The CA Gold Rush began in 1849, attracting thousands of gold hunters known as forty-niners.
Thousands of miners from the U.S., Europe, Mexico, and China flocked to the West.

6. Effects of Westward Migration: African Americans Move to the West
Thousands of African-Americans moved west in 1879 in an effort to find a better life.
This was known as the “Exodus of 1879”, and the participants were called “Exodusters”.

7. Effects of Westward Migration: Buffalo and the Rise of the Cowboy
Buffalo were in the way of railroads and settlers so had to be removed
Also, hides worth money back east
25 million buffalo killed ( )
Replaced with cattle – and rise of the cowboy
1 in 4 cowboys were African Americans

8. Effects of Westward Migration:
The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad
· Railroad companies raced to lay tracks to the gold mines

9. Effects of Westward Migration: Immigrant Workers Build the Railroads
Labor was scarce due to the hard, dangerous work and low pay.
Central Pacific - approximately 90% of their workforce were Chinese immigrants
Union Pacific - hired many Irish immigrants
Immigrants willing to work for low wages and in harsh conditions were used.

10. Effects Of Westward Migration: Native American Wars
As Indians lost more and more land, they fought back.
Battle of Little Big Horn (1876) – Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana
George Custer planned to defeat the Lakota and force them onto a reservation. But underestimated Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull who helped lead the Lakota to victory.
It was the biggest victory Native Americans ever won over United States forces.
Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) – South Dakota
The last major conflict between the United States and Native Americans occurred at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.