Westward Expansion Notes
Manifest Destiny- belief that U.S. had the God given right to expand westward all the way to the
Pacific Ocean.
Miners
In search of gold and other precious
metals.
California Gold Rush (1849) - produced
a population explosion in the Far West
Klondike Gold Rush (1896)-harsh
climate in Yukon.
$$$$$$$$$
Cowboys
Cattle Drives-Texas cattle were moved
along trails to rail lines Northern Cities.
Open range (no fencing) to closed range
(farmers used barbed wire) by the end of
the 1800’s
Conflict between cowboys and farmers
Railroads Help Settle the West
U.S. government encouraged development of
transcontinental railroad
Transcontinental Railroad-connected east and west
coast. Shorted travel time, encouraged settlement in
the west, opened new markets in the U.S. Completed
in 1869.
Chinese and Irish Immigrants- provided low cost
labor to build railroads, did dangerous jobs, and faced
discrimination
Chinese Exclusion Act first time U.S. limited
immigration based on nationality/race/ethnicity
Impact of Railroads- fast transportation, loss of
buffalo, settlement of the west, opened new markets,
new territories for settlement by Americans
Native Americans
Buffalo- very important to the Native
American way of life. Once they begin to
disappear Native Americans are forced on
reservations.
Dawes Act (1887) –Broke up tribal land
and gave individual families land.
GOAL: Assimilation of Native Americans
Assimilation- “Americanize”
forced/encouraged to adopt the way of life
of the dominant culture.
Farmers-Homesteaders- Great Plains
Federal land grants encouraged settlement in the west.
Homestead Act (1862) - promoted settlement of the plains area, federal land grant, 160 acres of
land after 5 years of residency
Morrill-Land Grant Act (1862) - federal land grant that gave each state large tracts of public
land to help finance the establishment of agricultural colleges.
Life on the Plains- adapted to harsh environment with new farming techniques and sod housing
Sod Houses-because of the lack of lumber, Homesteaders adapted to their environment by
building houses out of
Steel Plow-helped farmers slice through heavy soil.
Barbed wire-brought an end to the open range.
Economic hardships-Farmers bought these new inventions and even seeds on credit/loans.
Crop prices dropped and farmers were unable to pay the loans and many ended up losing their
farms.
Populism-farmers need help and we begin to see the ideas of Populism.