Closing The Western Frontier

Susan Pojer

Essential QuestionsEssential QuestionsEssential QuestionsEssential Questions

1. What national issues emerged in the process of closing the western frontier?

2. Why does the West hold such an important place in the American imagination?

3. In what ways is the West romanticized in American culture?

WESTWARD MOVEMENT WESTWARD MOVEMENT WESTWARD MOVEMENT WESTWARD MOVEMENT

After government was stable people in the east began to Move west even more than before.

Manifest Destiny, Railroads, Adventure, free land and profit all lead to the growing need of Americans to migrate to the frontier.

***Why would the government offer free land to people out west?

RAILROADS

• Transcontinental – East to West

• Easier to get people out west – more willing to come.

• Many came out west working on the railroads (Irish, Chinese, blacks, etc.)

Railroad ConstructionRailroad ConstructionRailroad ConstructionRailroad Construction

Promontory Point, UTPromontory Point, UT(May 10, 1869)(May 10, 1869)

Promontory Point, UTPromontory Point, UT(May 10, 1869)(May 10, 1869)

COWBOYS

• Huge cattle population out west.

• Government land could be used for grazing

• Cattle had to be herded over long distances – hard life for cowboys.

The Bronc BusterThe Bronc BusterFrederick RemingtonFrederick Remington

Black CowboysBlack Cowboys

Colt .45 RevolverColt .45 RevolverColt .45 RevolverColt .45 Revolver

God didn’t make men equal.God didn’t make men equal.Colonel Colt did!Colonel Colt did!

Legendary Gunslingers & Train Legendary Gunslingers & Train RobbersRobbers

Legendary Gunslingers & Train Legendary Gunslingers & Train RobbersRobbers

Jesse JamesJesse James

Billy the KidBilly the Kid

Dodge City Peace Dodge City Peace Commission, 1890Commission, 1890Dodge City Peace Dodge City Peace Commission, 1890Commission, 1890

ProspectingProspectingProspectingProspecting

Mining Centers: Mining Centers: 19001900

Mining Centers: Mining Centers: 19001900

Anaconda Copper Mining Co. Anaconda Copper Mining Co. (MT)(MT)

Anaconda Copper Mining Co. Anaconda Copper Mining Co. (MT)(MT)

Mining (“Boom”) Towns--Mining (“Boom”) Towns--Now Ghost TownsNow Ghost Towns

Mining (“Boom”) Towns--Mining (“Boom”) Towns--Now Ghost TownsNow Ghost Towns

Calico, CACalico, CACalico, CACalico, CA

RANCHERS

Free land for cattle Homestead Act – 160 acres free – must farm for 5

years and build a structure with a window and a door.

People would race for land – Oklahoma Land Rush (Boomers and Sooners)

Homesteads From Public LandsHomesteads From Public LandsHomesteads From Public LandsHomesteads From Public Lands

RANCHERS CONT.

• Ranchers – wealthy could use free government land

• Issues between farmers and ranchers

• Hard life

TheThe

CattleCattle

TrailsTrails

TheThe

CattleCattle

TrailsTrails

Land Use: 1880sLand Use: 1880sLand Use: 1880sLand Use: 1880s

New New AgriculturalAgriculturalTechnologyTechnology

New New AgriculturalAgriculturalTechnologyTechnology

““Prairie Fan”Prairie Fan”Water PumpWater Pump

Steel Plow [“Sod Steel Plow [“Sod Buster”]Buster”]

Barbed WireBarbed WireBarbed WireBarbed Wire

Joseph Joseph GliddenGliddenJoseph Joseph GliddenGlidden

The Range WarsThe Range WarsThe Range WarsThe Range Wars

SheepHerders

CattleRanchers

FARMERS

• Homestead Act

• Built fences to keep cattle out

What is the Message of this What is the Message of this Picture?Picture?

What is the Message of this What is the Message of this Picture?Picture?

The Realty--A Pioneer’s Sod The Realty--A Pioneer’s Sod House, SDHouse, SD

The Realty--A Pioneer’s Sod The Realty--A Pioneer’s Sod House, SDHouse, SD

Frontier Settlements: 1870-Frontier Settlements: 1870-18901890

Frontier Settlements: 1870-Frontier Settlements: 1870-18901890

BlackBlack“Exoduster”“Exoduster”HomesteadHomestead

ersers

Blacks Moving WestBlacks Moving West

The Buffalo Soldiers on the Great The Buffalo Soldiers on the Great PlainsPlains

The Buffalo Soldiers on the Great The Buffalo Soldiers on the Great PlainsPlains

A Romantic ViewA Romantic ViewA Romantic ViewA Romantic View

The Buffalo Soldiers & the Indian The Buffalo Soldiers & the Indian WarsWars

The Buffalo Soldiers & the Indian The Buffalo Soldiers & the Indian WarsWars

The “Chinese Question”The “Chinese Question”The “Chinese Question”The “Chinese Question”

Exclusion Act (1882)Exclusion Act (1882) - Oriental Exclusion - Oriental Exclusion ActAct - Chinese Exclusion - Chinese Exclusion ActAct

NATIVE AMERICANSDOWNFALL

• LAND– Loss of land to westward movement

• BUFFALO– Land blocked – killed for sport

• DISEASE– Small Pox - #1 cause of death

• OPINION– Fear – seen as uncivilized - “Only good Indian is a dead Indian”

Treaty of Ft. Laramie Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1851)(1851)

ColoradoColoradoGold Rush Gold Rush

(1859)(1859)

INDIAN WARS

• SAND CREEK MASSACRE– Col. John Chivington– Killed 450 Cheyenne (mostly women and children)– Chief Black Kettle tried to hold up white flag – it

was ignored. “Kill and scalp all”

Colonel John ChivingtonColonel John ChivingtonColonel John ChivingtonColonel John Chivington

Kill and scalp all, big Kill and scalp all, big and little!and little!

Sandy Creek, CO Sandy Creek, CO MassacreMassacre

November 29, 1864November 29, 1864

Capt. William J. FettermanCapt. William J. FettermanCapt. William J. FettermanCapt. William J. Fetterman

80 soldiers massacred80 soldiers massacredDecember 21, 1866December 21, 1866

Treaty of Medicine Treaty of Medicine Lodge Creek (1867)Lodge Creek (1867)

22ndnd Treaty of Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1868)Ft. Laramie (1868)

ReservationReservationPolicyPolicy

ReservationReservationPolicyPolicy

Gold Found in Gold Found in the Black the Black

Hills of the Hills of the Dakota Dakota

Territory!Territory!

18741874

Gold Found in Gold Found in the Black the Black

Hills of the Hills of the Dakota Dakota

Territory!Territory!

18741874

BATTLE OF LITTLE BIG HORN

• George Custer

• 1876 – he lead a troop of 264 men toward a Sioux Camp – Sitting Bull waiting for him – Custer was

surrounded and he and all the men were killed– **Greatest Indian Victory

The Battle of Little Big The Battle of Little Big HornHorn18761876

The Battle of Little Big The Battle of Little Big HornHorn18761876

Chief Sitting BullChief Sitting Bull

Gen. GeorgeGen. GeorgeArmstrong Armstrong

CusterCuster

CHIEF JOSEPH

• Believed Black Hills could not be sold

• Wanted Peace

• Forced to run with people to Canada – many died

• Eventually captured and forced to a reservation

Chief Joseph Chief Joseph I will I will fight no more forever!fight no more forever!

Chief Joseph Chief Joseph I will I will fight no more forever!fight no more forever!

Nez Percé Nez Percé tribal tribal

retreat (1877)retreat (1877)

Geronimo, Apache Chief: Geronimo, Apache Chief: Hopeless CauseHopeless Cause

Geronimo, Apache Chief: Geronimo, Apache Chief: Hopeless CauseHopeless Cause

Dawes Severalty Act Dawes Severalty Act (1887):(1887):

Assimilation PolicyAssimilation Policy

Dawes Severalty Act Dawes Severalty Act (1887):(1887):

Assimilation PolicyAssimilation Policy

Carlisle Indian School, PACarlisle Indian School, PA

DAWES ACT

• Broke up Indian land – 160 acre units

• Not allowed to sell land for 25 years

• Schools set up to “civilize” – English, Christianity, etc.

GHOST DANCE

• Celebration – not a call to war

• Vision that chief would drive white man away

• Military concerned – Chief Sitting Bull killed

Arapahoe “Ghost Dance”, Arapahoe “Ghost Dance”, 18901890

Arapahoe “Ghost Dance”, Arapahoe “Ghost Dance”, 18901890

WOUNDED KNEE

• Chief Big Foot led the Sioux away

• Military rounded up 350 freezing and starving Sioux – taken to Wounded Knee SD.– Shot fired – 300 unarmed Indians killed and left to

freeze. Many children butchered.– Ended Indian Wars.

Chief Big Foot’s Lifeless Chief Big Foot’s Lifeless BodyBody

Wounded Knee, SD, 1890Wounded Knee, SD, 1890

Chief Big Foot’s Lifeless Chief Big Foot’s Lifeless BodyBody

Wounded Knee, SD, 1890Wounded Knee, SD, 1890

Indian Reservations TodayIndian Reservations TodayIndian Reservations TodayIndian Reservations Today

Crazy Horse Monument:Crazy Horse Monument:Black Hills, SDBlack Hills, SD

Crazy Horse Monument:Crazy Horse Monument:Black Hills, SDBlack Hills, SD

Lakota ChiefLakota ChiefLakota ChiefLakota Chief

Korczak Ziolkowski, SculptorKorczak Ziolkowski, SculptorCrazy Horse MonumentCrazy Horse Monument

Korczak Ziolkowski, SculptorKorczak Ziolkowski, SculptorCrazy Horse MonumentCrazy Horse Monument

His vision of the finished His vision of the finished memorial.memorial.

His vision of the finished His vision of the finished memorial.memorial.

Mt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SDMt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SDMt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SDMt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SD

The Traditional View of the The Traditional View of the WestWest

The Traditional View of the The Traditional View of the WestWest

William “Buffalo Bill” William “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West Cody’s Wild West

ShowShow

William “Buffalo Bill” William “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West Cody’s Wild West

ShowShow

““Buffalo Bill” Cody & Sitting Buffalo Bill” Cody & Sitting BullBull

““Buffalo Bill” Cody & Sitting Buffalo Bill” Cody & Sitting BullBull

Legendary Female Western Legendary Female Western CharactersCharacters

Legendary Female Western Legendary Female Western CharactersCharacters

Calamity JaneCalamity JaneCalamity JaneCalamity Jane Annie OakleyAnnie OakleyAnnie OakleyAnnie Oakley

The Fall of the The Fall of the CowboyCowboy

Frederick RemingtonFrederick Remington

Destruction of the Buffalo Destruction of the Buffalo HerdsHerds

Destruction of the Buffalo Destruction of the Buffalo HerdsHerds

The near extinction of the buffalo.The near extinction of the buffalo.

Yellowstone National ParkYellowstone National ParkYellowstone National ParkYellowstone National Park

First national First national park established park established

in 1872.in 1872.

National ParksNational ParksNational ParksNational Parks

Conservation MovementConservation MovementConservation MovementConservation Movement

John MuirJohn Muir

With President With President Theodore Theodore RooseveltRoosevelt

Sierra ClubSierra ClubSierra ClubSierra Club

Founded in 1892Founded in 1892