Today we watched presentations and took notes on it.
Chapter 5
Changes in the Western Fontier
Native American Culture
The Arctic, Sub-Arctic, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Great Basin, Plains, Northwest Coast, California, Plateo. The houses were very mobile so as the animals moved, so did the Native Americans. Eventually the government began to set aside land known as the Indian Reservations still used today.
Why did people move to the Great Plains?
Land there was a lot cheaper and there was a lot more land to buy for people coming from Europe.
Homestead Act
A bill that encouraged settlers to move west. It gave 160 acres of land to any settler who was an American citizen or was committed to farming the land for 6 months of the year.
Railroad and Western Expansion
In acts of 1862 and 1864, the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads received grants of land to extend tracks west.
Challenges on the plain
Droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, locust, plagues, raids by outlaws.
US Government and Native Americans
US government moved Native Americans off the traditional lands.
US Policies
One Policy to deal with the Indians were brutal. Whenever white men wanted Indian land, the tribes were pushed farther west.
A cowboys life
They had to stop buffalo and cattle stampedes that were very dangerous.
Western Cowboy Goods
Horses, saddles, and boots.
John Chisum
He was a famous cowboy because he was a rich cattle baron.
Problems farmers faced on the Great Plains
The ground was hard and dry and made it hard to grow crops. Wind would blow the seeds and dust around. Only about 13 cm of rain fell every year-lead to a big drought. The farmers used the wrong types of seeds.
Who the populists were and what they believed in
Populism was the first social and political movement which started the organization for communities.
By 1890, populists became organized in some of the plain states. They endorsed labor unions and stated long work hours.
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