2. Communication The Pony Express (1860) Goes from St. Louis to San Francisco in 10 days Pony Express lasts about 2 years. The Telegraph Samuel Morse develops the Morse code. R.R. Companies allow wire to be strung along the tracks for free use.

3. Native Americans There are about 15,000 Plains Indians that are being pushed off their land as a result of people going to the plains for land, mining, and to build railroads. The Native Americans depend on the buffalo for most of the necessities of life. White men kill off the buffalo and as the buffalo dies out, so does the Plains Indians.

4. Native Americans Whites break treaties with Native Americans which lead to tension. In 1867-68 the U. S. government Indian policy is to move Native Americans to reservations. Some tribes don’t agree and fight for their land and freedom.

5. Indian Reform The Dawes Act In 1887 the Dawes Act was put in place to put Indians in the mainstream of “American Life”. 1.Indians get 160 acres and if accepted, would become an American citizen. 2.Government was to provide funds for schools. The Dawes Act did not work due to Indian resistance.

6. Carlisle Indian School 1879 - 1918

7. Tom Torlino

8. Custer’s Last Stand The Battle of the Little Big Horn June 25 th, 1876 Crazy Horse, Gall and Sitting Bull lead a force of 2,500 Indians. General Custer and the 7 th Cavalry (267 men) attack. Custer and all his men are killed. The Sioux surrender later in 1876.

9. Crazy HorseCuster

10. Wounded Knee 1890 The U. S. Cavalry was sent to arrest Indians for taking part in the Ghost Dance at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. A shot was fired and 290 men, women and children were killed by the troops.

11. Opening the West The Homestead Act (1862) Made to encourage farmers to settle out west. Any citizen could purchase 160 acres for a $10 registration fee. To keep the land they had to… 1.Build a house on the land and live in it. 2.Farm the land for 5 years. By 1900, there were 600,000 farmers that had claimed Homesteads.

12. Plains life was hard – People lived in sod houses – Many moved back east

13. Cattle High profits were made for a short (20 years) period of time Cowboys drive Texas longhorns to Abilene Kansas on the Chisholm Trail and other less famous trails.

14. Down Fall of Cattle Over grazing Drought Barbed wire Bad weather Ranch wars Sheep Ranchers