GCSE History - American West Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

Who was the Sheriff of Buffalo who supported the homesteaders?

Red Angus

What did the cattlemen call the homesteaders?

'Nesters'

What was life like in new mining towns and cow towns?

Lawlessness, crime, gambling, and harsh poverty.

Name some well-known lawbreakers.

Billy the Kid, Belle Starr, Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch, The James-Younger Gang. Signup and view all the answers

Name some well-known law enforcers.

Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok. Signup and view all the answers

What were the reasons why Indians and White Settlers had conflict?

Gold miners threatening Indian lands, cultural clashes, and westward expansion. Signup and view all the answers

What actions did the US government take to resolve the conflict between them and the Indians?

Broken treaties, Indian Removal Act, buffalo hunting encouragement. Signup and view all the answers

What years were the early phase of the Plains Wars?

1858 to 1869 Signup and view all the answers

In what year was the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851) broken and how did it happen?

It was broken in 1859 due to gold discovery at Pike's Peak. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Sand Creek Massacre?

A massacre of Cheyenne Indians by Colonel Chivington's forces in 1864. Signup and view all the answers

What are Reservations?

Designated areas of land for Native Americans, often under poor conditions. Signup and view all the answers

Name all the main leaders in the Plains Wars and their methods.

Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, General Sheridan, General Sherman, General Custer. Signup and view all the answers

Explain what happened in the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Custer's cavalry was defeated by a combined force of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Signup and view all the answers

What are reasons for General Custer's defeat?

Acting alone, poor planning, being outnumbered, and misjudging the Sioux forces. Signup and view all the answers

What were the reasons for the defeat of the Plains Indians?

Superior US military technology, fragmented tribes, and buffalo slaughter. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Ghost Dance?

A ritual dance believing to bring back the buffalo and the dead, inspired by Wovoka. Signup and view all the answers

What happened at the Battle of Wounded Knee?

The US army killed 153 Sioux during a confrontation regarding the Ghost Dance. Signup and view all the answers

What year did the government take over all legal matters on the reservations and why?

1885 so the Indians could no longer judge or punish people from their tribes. Signup and view all the answers

After the Plains Wars, what did the White Americans do to the Indians in the reservations?

Tried to change their culture, enforce US laws, and suppress their language. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Manifest Destiny?

It is a belief of white Americans that they would expand throughout the country. Signup and view all the answers

Who described the Plains as 'Unfit for cultivation'?

Major Stephen Long Signup and view all the answers

What are some characteristics and problems of the Plains?

Enormous size, isolation, lack of trees, semi-arid climate, unpredictable weather, ferocious winds, and locusts. Signup and view all the answers

What did early explorers call the Great Plains?

The Great American Desert Signup and view all the answers

What were the four famous tribes and who were they led by?

Apache, Sioux, Blackfeet, and Cheyenne, each one led by its own Council of Elders. Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for Native Americans not living in one permanent place?

Nomadic Signup and view all the answers

What is polygamy?

Having more than one wife. Signup and view all the answers

What power did the chief have over his people?

No Power at all but had great respect due to bravery. Signup and view all the answers

Who are the Dog Soldiers and what did they do?

They were the 'police' in Native American society. Signup and view all the answers

What is exposure in Native American context?

Old people wandered off to die. Signup and view all the answers

What is Counting Coup?

A brave act of war where a warrior tapped his enemy with a stick and escaped. Signup and view all the answers

What is heaven in the Native American sense?

Happy Hunting Ground Signup and view all the answers

What was the one occasion during which 'everybody had to obey' in Native American society?

The hunt Signup and view all the answers

What is a tipi and what are its features?

A home made from buffalo hides, warm in winter, cool in summer, circular in shape. Signup and view all the answers

What activities did Native Americans do for fun?

Horse racing and shooting contests. Signup and view all the answers

Why were buffalo important to Plains Indians?

They provided food and materials for various needs. Signup and view all the answers

How important were horses to Indians?

They were used as currency, for hunting and war. Signup and view all the answers

What were the roles of men, women, and children in Native American societies?

Men hunted or went to war; women managed households; children learned chores and hunting. Signup and view all the answers

What was the worst crime in Native American society?

Not to look after one's parents. Signup and view all the answers

What is scalping and what is gained from it?

Taking off the scalp of the enemy. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Great Spirit called?

Wakan Tanka Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean that 'Native American religion was animistic'?

They believed that everything had a living soul. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Sun Dance?

A ceremony where young men hung themselves on their nipples. Signup and view all the answers

Who is a Medicine Man and what is another name for them?

Shaman Signup and view all the answers

Who are mountain men and what year did they start to move west?

They were the first white Americans to move west, in the 1820s and 1830s. Signup and view all the answers

What was life like for mountain men?

Tough, lonely with freezing temperatures and danger from wildlife. Signup and view all the answers

In what decade did fur become less fashionable and beaver nearly wiped out?

1840s Signup and view all the answers

What is a rendezvous?

A meeting time for trappers to trade fur. Signup and view all the answers

Why did Indians dislike the trappers?

They brought diseases such as smallpox. Signup and view all the answers

In what decade did most early pioneers move west due to economic depression?

1830s Signup and view all the answers

In what year and place did people start to move west in search for gold?

Started in 1848 in California, lasting until 1856. Signup and view all the answers

What decade did most of the gold disappear?

1850s Signup and view all the answers

What was a '49er'?

A gold prospector. Signup and view all the answers

What were the travels of the Mormons?

They faced hostility and economic struggles, ultimately settling in the Great Salt Lake. Signup and view all the answers

Who started the religious group 'Mormons' and when?

Joseph Smith in the 1820s. Signup and view all the answers

What year did the Mormons have several hundred followers?

1830 Signup and view all the answers

What did the Mormons practice that made non-Mormons hate them?

They practiced polygamy. Signup and view all the answers

How did Joseph Smith die?

A mob shot him in jail. Signup and view all the answers

Who was the new leader of the Mormons after Joseph Smith died?

Brigham Young Signup and view all the answers

What problems did Mormons face in the Great Salt Lake?

No trees, little rain, and tensions with US authorities. Signup and view all the answers

Between what years did more and more people start to migrate to the west?

1840s to 1880s Signup and view all the answers

What are the pull factors for people to move to the west?

New life, free land, gold discovery, and government legislation like the Homestead Act. Signup and view all the answers

What are the push factors for people to move to the west?

The end of the Civil War, land pressure, economic problems, and religious persecution. Signup and view all the answers

Who are homesteaders?

Settlers without the money to pay for land. Signup and view all the answers

What problems did the homesteaders face?

Building houses with little wood, diseases from insects, isolation, and lawlessness. Signup and view all the answers

What was the role of women in homesteading?

Making sod houses clean, caring for the sick, and teaching children. Signup and view all the answers

What problems did homesteaders have in farming?

Hard crust soil, lack of rainfall, pests, lack of fencing, and extreme weather. Signup and view all the answers

What new farming methods did the homesteaders adopt?

Introducing new crops, better machinery, barbed wire, and dry farming techniques. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the development of ranching.

Origins in Texas, long drives to meet beef demand, establishment of open ranges, and eventual conflicts. Signup and view all the answers

Who established the first cow town and where?

Joseph McCoy in Abilene. Signup and view all the answers

How was the life of a cowboy similar to that of a Native American?

Both were dependent on natural products and moved frequently. Signup and view all the answers

What hardships did cowboys have to endure on the plains?

Freezing weather, danger from stampedes, lack of sleep, and Native American attacks. Signup and view all the answers

What jobs did cowboys have?

Trail boss, chuck wagon, point, swing, drag, and wrangler. Signup and view all the answers

What protected a cowboy against the sun?

A hat. Signup and view all the answers

What protected a cowboy against the dust?

A bandana. Signup and view all the answers

What protected a cowboy against thorns?

His chaps. Signup and view all the answers

What are the reasons for disputes between cattle ranchers and homesteaders?

Fears of crop trampling, land boundaries disputes, and different land usage preferences. Signup and view all the answers

What were the events of the Johnson County War in 1892?

Cattlemen hired a lynching party to eliminate perceived rustlers, leading to violent conflicts. Signup and view all the answers

What were the range wars?

Conflicts over land use between cattle ranchers and farmers. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Manifest Destiny and Exploration

Manifest Destiny reflects the belief of white Americans in their right to expand across the continent.
Major Stephen Long labeled the Great Plains as "Unfit for cultivation."
The Great Plains were initially referred to as the Great American Desert by early explorers.

Characteristics and Challenges of the Plains

Enormous size, isolation, and a semi-arid climate made settlement difficult.
Lack of trees resulted in minimal building materials and fuel sources.
Extreme weather conditions included harsh winters with cold, hail, and violent storms.

Native American Societies

Major tribes included the Apache, Sioux (largest with 25,000 members), Blackfeet, and Cheyenne, all governed by councils.
Native Americans led a nomadic lifestyle, dependent on buffalo herds for survival.
Polygamy was practiced as a means to provide for excess women.

Power and Roles within Tribes

Chiefs held no formal power but earned respect through bravery.
Dog Soldiers acted as the tribal "police," managing camp activities, hunting, and community welfare.
Counting Coup involved a warrior's act of valor, touching an enemy before escaping.

Cultural Beliefs and Practices

The Great Spirit was referred to as Wakan Tanka, and animism was a central belief.
The "Happy Hunting Ground" represented the Native American concept of heaven.
Ceremonies such as the Sun Dance showcased spiritual beliefs, while Medicine Men (or Shamans) communicated with spirits.

Mountain Men and Westward Expansion

Mountain men were early white explorers in the Rockies during the 1820s and 1830s, facing tough, isolated lives.
The 1840s marked the decline in fur fashion and depletion of beaver populations.
Rendezvous events served as trading and social gatherings but often devolved into drunken parties.

Pioneer Migration and the Gold Rush

The 1830s saw economic depression prompting westward migration among pioneers.
The California Gold Rush began in 1848 and lasted until 1856, drawing thousands seeking fortune.
Pull factors for migration included new life opportunities, free land, and government legislation like the Homestead Act.

Homesteaders and Their Challenges

Homesteaders were settlers who cultivated land under law but faced numerous hardships, including isolation and poor living conditions.
Women played key roles in homemaking, healthcare, and educating children, often facing loneliness during men's extended hunts.

Ranching Development

Ranching originated in Texas post-Civil War, evolving into "long drives" to cater to beef demands in northern US.
The "open range" allowed for free cattle grazing until environmental changes and fencing led to the decline of this practice.

Disputes and Law Enforcement

Tensions existed between cattle ranchers and homesteaders, particularly over land boundaries and cattle drives.
The Johnson County War of 1892 illustrated extreme conflicts between cattlemen and homesteaders, eventually marking the decline of cattlemen's power.
Life in mining and cow towns was marked by lawlessness, with rampant gambling, violence, and organized crime.

Notable Figures

Outlaws like Billy the Kid, Belle Starr, and the James-Younger Gang became infamous for their crimes.
Lawmen such as Wyatt Earp gained notoriety for their roles in restoring order, notably during the shootout at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona.### Wild Bill Hickok
James Butler Hickok, known as Wild Bill, was a renowned scout, gunman, and fighter.
While rumored to have killed over a hundred men, only seven confirmed kills are documented.
He was assassinated in 1876 by a hired gunman.

Conflict Between Indians and White Settlers

The influx of gold miners into the plains, particularly following the Montana gold rush in 1862, threatened Native American lifestyles by disrupting buffalo populations.
Retaliatory attacks from some Indian tribes on settlers prompted the U.S. government to deploy troops for protection, leading to increased tensions.
Homesteaders and cattlemen began occupying the plains, intensifying the struggle for land.
The concept of 'Manifest Destiny' fueled white Americans' beliefs that they had the divine right to occupy Native lands, leading to Native displacement.
Cultural clashes arose, as white settlers disapproved of Native customs like polygamy, while Native Americans viewed settlers as destructive forces.

U.S. Government Actions

Treaties such as the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie were initially made to protect both parties but were frequently broken by white settlers, reducing Native land and trust in the government.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 led to the forced relocation of 70,000 Native Americans to Oklahoma.
Buffalo hunting was sanctioned by the government to undermine Native society, reducing buffalo numbers from 13 million in 1840 to approximately 200 by 1885.

Early Phase of Plains Wars

The Plains Wars occurred from 1858 to 1869, involving multiple conflicts over land and sovereignty.

Treaty of Fort Laramie Breach

The treaty was broken in 1859 when gold discovery at Pike’s Peak led to settler encroachments on promised Indian lands, prompting conflict.

Sand Creek Massacre

On November 29, 1864, Colonel Chivington led an attack on Black Kettle’s Cheyenne camp at Sand Creek, ignoring signs of peace.
The massacre was partially fueled by food shortages, leading Cheyenne to raid settlers for sustenance.

Indian Reservations

Reservations are designated lands where Native Americans were confined, monitored by government agents, starting from 1825.
Initially, tribes could hunt buffalo, but restrictions tightened post-1860s, reducing them to near-prison conditions.
Those on reservations often faced starvation and harsh treatment from corrupt officials.

Key Leaders in the Plains Wars

Red Cloud: Sioux chief known for successful ambushes against U.S. soldiers, later agreed to peace treaties.
Crazy Horse: Warrior and medicine man who fought fiercely and participated in significant battles, like the Fetterman Massacre.
Sitting Bull: Resisted U.S. government control and co-led Native forces at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
General Sheridan: Advocated for Native extermination during winter campaigns for strategic advantage.
General Sherman: Supported removal to reservations or extermination if tribes resisted.
General Custer: Famous for his ambitious tactics but suffered a fatal defeat at Little Bighorn.

Battle of Little Bighorn

The battle stemmed from the Sioux refusal to sell land in the Black Hills after gold was discovered in 1874.
Custer, leading a two-pronged attack, underestimated Sioux strength and made tactical errors that led to his annihilation and the loss of his troops.

Reasons for Custer's Defeat

Custer's unilateral decisions and failure to await reinforcements weakened his forces.
Dividing his troops against a well-prepared Sioux army, which was larger and more united than initially believed, led to disaster.
His arrogance and misjudgment, along with a lack of proper intelligence, contributed to his defeat.

Reasons for Plains Indians' Defeat

The U.S. military had modern technology and were trained for warfare, while Native tribes were often fragmented.
The systematic slaughter of buffalo weakened the Native subsistence economy, increasing dependence on government aid.

Ghost Dance

A religious movement initiated by Wovoka in 1890, predicting the return of Native lands, the resurrection of ancestors, and the revival of buffalo herds.

Battle of Wounded Knee

In 1890, U.S. troops, alarmed by the Ghost Dance, opened fire on Sioux, killing 153 individuals, marking a tragic final event in Native resistance.

Legal Control Over Reservations

In 1885, the U.S. government assumed control over all legal matters on reservations, undermining Native self-governance.

Cultural Impact on Indians Post-Plains Wars

The U.S. government aimed to assimilate Native Americans into white culture, enforcing American laws and punishing cultural practices.
Native children faced punishment for using their languages, reflecting efforts to erase Indigenous identities, exemplified by the motto "kill the Indian to save the man."

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Test your knowledge of key concepts in GCSE History related to the American West. This quiz includes important themes like Manifest Destiny and the characteristics of the Plains. Perfect for students preparing for their exams.