African Americans
Many African Americans moved west after the Civil War to
be farmers, cowboys, or soilders.
Barbed WIre
Barbed wire made fencing possible for farmers in the west; it
caused the end of the open range.
Black Exodus
The Black Exodus is the name given
the period given the period after the
Civil War in which many Africans
Americans left the South to move
west.
Buffalo
The Plains Indians relied on the buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter. Ranching, railroads, and
white settlement led to a decrease in the buffalo population and greatly impacted the Plain Indians.
Buffalo Soliders
The Buffalo Soldiers were African American soldiers who served admirably and
had reputation among Native Americans as brave fighters.
Cattle Ranching
Cattle Ranching became a major western industry due to available land and the fact that white
settlers learned the ranching techniques of Mexicans who already lived and raised cattle in the
Southwest.
Chinese Exclusion Act
Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, restricting
Chinese immigration The law was not repealed until 1943.
Chinese Immigrants
Chinese immigrants arrived and often helped construct the nation's
railroad during the late 1800's. They were frequently objects of racism.
Cooperatives
Cooperatives were organizations
through which farmers untied to help
one another economically and
politically.
"Cross of Gold" Speech
This was a famous speech given by William Jennings Bryan at
the 1896 Democratic Convention,in which he called for free silver.
Dawes Act
The Dawes Act was a law passed by Congress in 1887 meant to assimilate Native Americans into
US culture. It failed because most Native Americans did not want to become farmers or end their
tribal affiliations.
Free Silver
Free Silver was the position that the US government should based the US dollar on silver as well as
gold. Populists eventually adopted the cause of free silver.
Greenbacks
Greenbacks referred to paper money. Populists supported the distributions of more greenbacks
because it increased the money supply and raised farm prices.
Little Bighorn
The Battle of Little Bighorn was the Native American's last great victory over the US army and
resulted in the massacre of George A. Custer and over two hundred of his men.
Manifest Destiny
Manifest destiny was the belief that it was the United States destiny to
expand west and conquer territory all the way to the Pacific.
Mexicans
US settlers to the western territories
learned cattle ranching from the
Mexicans. They also adopted many
aspect of Mexican culture because of
the constant interaction between the
two people groups.
Mining
The discovery of gold in the west made mining a very important industry
and led to the establishment of mining camps that grew into towns.
Native Americans
Native Americans who lived int eh West had conflicts with European Americans, fought several
battles against settlers and the US Army, and were often forced to move from their land to
government run reservations.
Nativists
Nativists were people who did not like immigrants because
they felt they drove down wages by offering cheap labor
Nez Perce
The Nez Perce were a Naive American people led by Chief Joseph. Despite Joseph's masterful
retreat in an attempt to escape to Canada, the tribe was stopped short of the border and forced to
move to Oklahoma, where many of them died as a result of sickness and malnutrition.
Oklahoma Land Rush
The Oklahoma land rush occurred when the US government opened
what had previously been native american territory to white settlers.
Populist Movement
The populist movement was a political movement that
supported farmers and "common man"
Railroads
Railroads allowed farmers and ranchers to import goods
from and export goods to important eastern markets.
Reservation
Reservations were government lands
to which Native Americans were
forced to move on and which they
were forced to live.
Sand Creek Massacre
The Sand Creek Massacre occured when US soldiers attacked Cheyenne Indians at Sand Creek
and killed 270 Native American , many whom were women and childres
Steel Plow
John Deere's steel plow made it possible to farm the tough prairie
terrain of the West, helping to make farming a key western industry.
Transcontinental Railroad
The transcontinental railroad was completed in 1862 and connected eastern
railroads to western railroads, making transcontinental rail travel possible.
William Jennings Byran
Bryan was a fiery speaker and
political leader who won the 1896
Democratic nomination for president.
He was endorsed by the Populist but
lost to Republican William McKinley
Windmills
Windmills made it possible for farmers to pump water water from deep, underground water sources
to the surface, allowing them to water their crops and farm successfully.
Wounded Knee
Wounded Knee was the last major armed conflict between US soldiers and Native Americans. It
ended with 150 Native American men, women, and children being killed by US troops at Wounded
Knee Creek