History Chapter 17 Flashcards

Ghost Dances

• A late 19th-century religious movement led by Wavoka, a Paiute Indian.
• Followers believed it would make white men disappear and restore Native American lands.
• The U.S. government outlawed the movement, leading to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

Wounded Knee Massacre

• Occurred in December 1890 involving Sioux led by Chief Big Foot.
• Troopers aimed to suppress the Ghost Dance religion.
• An uncertain initial shot triggered violence, resulting in approximately 200 Native American deaths.

Dawes Severalty Act

• Passed by Congress in 1887 to promote individual land ownership among Native Americans.
• Divided tribal lands into small parcels for distribution among tribe members.
• Led to exploitation and weakening of Native American tribal culture.

Gold Rush of 1849

• Initiated by gold discoveries in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
• Triggered a significant mining boom, influencing Westward development and future strikes.

Overland Trail

• Pathway for thousands traveling from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific Coast in the late 19th century.
• Journey was arduous, often taking six months or more to complete.

Homestead Act of 1862

• Legislation granted 160 acres to individuals who paid a $10 fee and committed to living on and cultivating the land for five years.
• Despite some fraudulent claims, spurred significant migration to the West with nearly 600,000 families claiming homesteads by 1900.

National Reclamation Act (Newlands Act)

• Enacted in 1902 to dedicate public land sale proceeds for irrigation projects in Western states.

Placer Mining

• Mining method requiring minimal technology, using shovels and washing pans to extract gold from streams.
• Usually performed by individuals or small groups during the early mining phase.

Comstock Lode

• Found in 1859 near Virginia City, Nevada; it became the richest mining discovery in history.
• The claim produced over $306 million worth of silver and gold between 1859 and 1879.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

• Legislation that barred Chinese immigrant workers for ten years and denied citizenship to Chinese nationals in the U.S.
• Marked the first U.S. law targeting a specific racial group for exclusion.

Exodusters

• Approximately 6,000 African Americans migrated from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas to Kansas in 1879.
• Sought freedom and opportunities as farmers or laborers.

Dry Farming

• A technique developed to cultivate arid Western lands with low rainfall.
• Defined by deep plowing and creating dust mulch to help retain soil moisture.

Bonanza Farms

• Extensive farms covering thousands of acres on the Great Plains utilizing modern machinery.
• Reflected an agricultural evolution akin to industrial advancements.

National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry

• Founded by Oliver H. Kelley in 1867 to enhance the social and cultural life of farmers.
• Established grain elevators, cooperative stores, and insurance companies, while advocating for railroad regulation despite its political ban.

Turner's Thesis

• Developed by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893.
• Argued that the existence of the American frontier shaped national character and democracy.