Westward Expansion and Native American Relations

A term used to describe the purchase of Alaska from Russia by the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million. Many criticized the purchase, calling it "Seward's Folly", but the discovery of gold in the Klondike region in the mid-1880s proved its value.

A movement among Native Americans in the late 19th century that promoted the resurrection of the buffalo and a cataclysmic storm to drive white people back to Europe. It combined Native American beliefs with Christian elements and served as a response to the loss of their land and culture.

A massacre that occurred on November 29, 1864, where American militia killed up to 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians at Sand Creek, Colorado. This event served as a symbol of the violence and brutality faced by Native Americans during westward expansion.

A period of armed conflicts between Native Americans and the United States government in the 19th century, driven by territorial disputes, cultural differences, and government policies. These conflicts resulted in the displacement and loss of cultural practices for Native Americans, and contributed to their forced relocation onto reservations.

A defining battle in the Indian Wars that took place on June 25, 1876, where a combined force of Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, defeated the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. It is considered a major victory for Native Americans and a symbol of their resistance to American westward expansion.

A massacre that occurred on December 29, 1890, where U.S. Army soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Lakota people. This event marked the end of organized Native American resistance in the West and is considered a tragic symbol of the government's violent policies towards Native Americans.

The Plains Indians were a group of Native American tribes who lived in the Great Plains region of North America. They were known for their skilled horsemanship, hunting, and reliance on buffalo for sustenance and resources.

A belief held by many American settlers during westward expansion that the United States had the right and duty to expand its territory from coast to coast. This idea played a significant role in driving the displacement of Native Americans and fueling the colonization of the West.

A policy aimed at integrating Native Americans into mainstream American society, encouraging them to abandon their tribal identities and customs.

An 1887 act designed to divide Native American reservations into individual plots of land, promoting private ownership and farming. This act was part of the Americanization Movement.

Boarding schools established to accelerate the assimilation of Native American children by immersing them in American culture and suppressing their traditional practices.

Towns that grew rapidly around valuable gold and silver deposits, often characterized by a boom-and-bust cycle.

Self-appointed law enforcers in mining towns who took it upon themselves to maintain order and punish outlaws.

A significant infrastructure project that connected the eastern and western United States by rail, driving the development of the American West.

The construction of the transcontinental railroad relied heavily on the labor of Chinese and Irish immigrants, who often faced discrimination and unequal treatment.

The growth of cities and towns in the American West was directly influenced by the location of the transcontinental railroad, as it provided transportation and access to resources.

A system of cattle ranching where fences and property boundaries were nonexistent, allowing ranchers to let their livestock graze freely on open land.

A type of barbed wire that was used to fence property lines in the late 1800s, revolutionizing cattle ranching and changing the West.

A federal law passed in 1862 that offered 160 acres of land to settlers who were willing to live on it, build a house, and farm for at least 5 years.

The theory proposed by Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893, which argued that the Western frontier played a key role in shaping American democracy, individualism, and national character.

A land rush that occurred in 1889, where thousands of settlers raced to claim land in the newly opened Oklahoma Territory.

A type of park where the federal government preserves land for public use, recreation, and conservation.

The first national park in the world, established in 1872, located in Wyoming, known for its stunning landscapes and wildlife.

A valley in California, set aside in 1864 for public use and enjoyment, known for its towering cliffs and granite formations.

An era in the Southern United States (1860s-1890s) marked by a shift towards industrialization, featuring economic growth in steel, lumber, tobacco, and textiles, coupled with improvements in agriculture techniques and crop diversification. However, this progress was accompanied by significant challenges, including widespread poverty, limited education, weak political leadership, and racial segregation.

A set of state and local legal mandates that endorsed racial segregation in the Southern United States, primarily enacted from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. These laws enforced the separation of people by race, leading to severe limitations on civil rights, voting, and overall social standing for African Americans.

The Supreme Court case of 1896 that legalized racial segregation in public facilities, upholding the principle of "separate but equal." This decision solidified the foundation for Jim Crow laws and further perpetuated racial discrimination in the United States.

A concept that emerged from the "New South" era, representing the belief that the South should prioritize industrialization, adopting a more modern and diversified economy, thus leaving behind the agrarian past rooted in slavery. However, this vision often failed to address the systemic issues of poverty and racial segregation.

A prominent African American leader during the Jim Crow era, who advocated for a gradual approach to racial progress, emphasizing economic self-reliance through education and hard work, believing that earning white Americans' respect would pave the way for full citizenship rights.

Influential African American leader during the Jim Crow era, promoting the pursuit of immediate social and civil rights, including voting and equal access to education. He challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine and argued that achieving equality required active resistance against racial discrimination.

This movement urged patience and economic advancement before seeking civil rights, encouraging African Americans to work towards gaining white Americans' respect by proving themselves economically and socially.

A movement led by W.E.B. DuBois that challenged the ideas promoted by Booker T. Washington, advocating for immediate racial progress and demanding full social and civil rights, with a focus on education rather than just skilled work.