Chapter 16: Conflicts in the West (1865-1912)

Conflicts in the West (1865-1912)

• Native American tribes (Kiowa, Comanche, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Nez Perce) controlled vast territories in the Great Plains and Southwest.
• 1867: Forced relocation of Native tribes to Oklahoma after a conference at Medicine Creek Lodge.
• Nez Perce Chief Joseph attempted to preserve their culture, but a conflict with American soldiers led a 1,500-mile retreat; they were caught and exiled to Oklahoma.
• Chief Joseph famously stated, "I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. The old men are all dead. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever".
• 1868: Sioux agreed to a reservation in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory.
• 1874: Colonel Custer led gold prospectors into the Black Hills, violating Sioux hunting grounds.
• 1876: Custer’s forces were annihilated at the Battle of Little Bighorn by Sioux warriors. A later U.S. Army attack forced the Sioux onto reservations.
• Sioux, hoping to avoid conflict, began the Ghost Dance movement, spreading rapidly and alarming white authorities.
• 1890: The Wounded Knee Massacre occurred, a tragic event where many Sioux were killed during a perceived surrender. This event effectively ended the "Indian Wars".
• The United States government adopted policies to assimilate Native Americans by forcing relocation to reservations.

Impact of Westward Expansion

• Post-Civil War westward expansion fueled the American Dream.
• Homestead Act: Offered 160 acres of free land to settlers.
• Reservations were established to house Native Americans; this was economically beneficial to the U.S.
• Dawes Act: Ended tribal ownership of reservations; Native Americans and settlers gained individual land.
• Increased migration to the West led to economic gains for the U.S.

The Transcontinental Railroad and its Impact

• The need for a transcontinental railroad emerged from westward expansion.
• 1869: Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads connected, creating the first transcontinental railroad.
• Chinese and Irish immigrants significantly aided in construction.
• By 1890, four transcontinental railroads existed.
• This had major economic and social implications: easier trade, migration, decreased prices/wait times (e.g., NY to CA travel shortened to 10 days).
• Standard time zones emerged to ensure consistent train schedules.

Transformation of the West

• The westward settlement had both positive and negative impacts.
• Positive aspects included economic opportunities and personal freedoms.
• Negative aspects included exploitation of resources, destruction of wildlife, and near-eradication of Native cultures.
• The Great Plains was initially perceived as uninhabitable due to its aridity; however, discoveries of gold, silver, and transcontinental railroads changed this.
• Settlers confronted different climate and landscapes.
• The rise of the cattle industry and dry farming/irrigation.

Cattle Industry and Farming

• The Great Plains provided ideal grazing land for cattle.
• Refrigerated trains facilitated nationwide beef transportation, driving the cattle industry.
• Cattle trails linked Texas ranches to Northern railroads.
• Barbed wire enabled containment of cattle.
• The "Cowboy Era" flourished between the Civil War and 1900, with associated icons and legends.
• Farmers turned the Great Plains into an economic force due to land, soil, water, and railroads.
• Gold, silver, copper, and lead mining spurred development in the West.
• New towns emerged, then became ghost towns as resources were depleted.

Statehood and Legends

• Territories sought statehood as populations grew.
• Westward expansion spurred iconic figures: e.g., Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.
• Statehood, while sometimes contested, reflected the nation's growing footprint.