The “Wild” West

A Tale of Gold, Trains, Indians, and Buffalo

By Caitlin M. Palasinski

The Great Railroad Race

• In 1848 gold was discovered in California.• A transcontinental railroad was built to get to it.• Trains made travel shorter and cheaper.• Congress asked two train companies to start

building the railway.• The companies were:

– The Union Pacific Railroad.– The Central Pacific Railroad.

The Transcontinental Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad

• The head: Grenville Dodge

• Workers: “ former soldiers, African Americans, and Irish and German immigrants.”

• Workers lived in a train that followed them.

• The train had huge cars with bunk beds.

                                                  

                                                  

                                                  

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The Central Pacific Railroad• The head: Charles Crocker.• Most workers left company when they reached the

Sierra Nevada.• The Company then hired mostly Chinese workers.• Other workers mistreated the Chinese workers.• This is because of prejudice.

How Train Tracks Were Made• Tools: Picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows.• The tools were used to make the road smooth.• Ties were put across the ground.• Iron Rails were placed on ties• The rails were held with spikes.

The “Wedding of the Rails”• The date was May 10, 1869.• Both railroads met at

Promontory Point, Utah.• A telegraph was used to

record when the “last spike” was driven into the ground.

• It was celebrated all across the U.S.

• Four more transcontinental railroads were built.

• The railroad joining ceremony didn’t go smoothly.

Conflicts with the Indians

• The Plains Indians had settled the West first.• Their way of life depended on buffalo.• The railroad brought many people.• The Indians attacked railroad workers.• Resulting in a fight with Union Pacific Railroad.

Conflicts with the Indians Continued

• The government tried to stop the fight.• They sent the Indians to reservations.• The Indians wanted to hunt buffalo.

The Uses for Buffalo

The Disappearing Buffalo

• Buffalo were killed to force Indians to the reservations.

• Less buffalo had dangerous consequences.• The Indians had to depend on the

government.• They needed food but it was spoiled.• Or the food was sold.• The Indians rebelled.

The Battle of Little Bighorn

• Occurred in 1876.• Between the army and the Sioux.• Gold was found in the Black Hills.

– Where: on Sioux land.– Government wanted them to leave.– Sioux planned to fight.– The government sent troops to capture them.

The Battle of Little Big Horn Continued

• The Indians were led by:– Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.

• The Armed Forces were led by George Custer.– Plan: to find Indians and wait for reinforcements.– What happened: Custer attacked.

• Results:• Custer and his men all died.• This is considered “the Sioux’s last victory.

Faces of the Battle

George Custer

Sitting BullChief Crazy Horse

“The Nez Perce’s Long March”• The government wanted the

Indians to move to a reservation.

• Young Indians rebelled.• The Indians had to escape to

Canada.• They fought 13 battles.• They walked over 1,000 miles• 40 miles from Canada they

were captured.

Chief Joseph

Final Words

• The railroad caused:• Huge changes in travel• Conflict with the Indians• Changes in everyday life

Works CitedAll of the information is from the book: Banks, James A., et. al. United States And its Neighbors: Teacher’s Edition. New York:

Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company, 1993. Print.• Slide 1, picture 1: http://www.old-picture.com/old-west/Passenger-Train-West-Old.htm• Slide 3, picture 1: http://mrberlin.com/transcontinentalrailroad.aspx• Slide 4, picture 1: http://transportationheroes.org/heroDetail.php?id=22• Slide 4, picture 2: http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/155765/enlarge• Slide , picture 1: http://www.asianweek.com/2012/01/04/significant-dates-in-asian-americanchinese-american-history/• Slide 5, picture 1: http://www.kued.org/productions/chineseamerican/resources/photos_ushs.html• Slide 6, picture 1:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/95565/Workers-laying-tracks-for-the-Central-Pacific-Railroad-in-Nevada• Slide 8, picture 1: http://westernsreboot.com/• Slide 12, picture 1: http://lprewittmccracken.weebly.com/important-information-about-native-americans.html• Slide 14, picture 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43619751@N06/4098309687/

Slide 14, picture 1: Chuck_893, “Maj. Gen G. A. Custer” November 18, 2011 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution.• Slide 14, picture 2: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2582/5795511910_79dd6723b3.jpg

Slide 14, picture 2: Pearlmatic, “1885 Sitting Bull by David Frances Barry” June 3, 2011 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution.

• Slide 14, picture 3: http://www.flickr.com/photos/64609450@N08/5876439356/sizes/m/in/photostream/Slide 14, picture 3: Wanagi Ska, “Chief Crazy Horse, Lakota” June 27, 2011 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution.

• Slide 15, picture 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gizart68/5198527129/Slide 15, picture 1: John Patterson, “Chief Joseph 30"x42“” September 18, 2010 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution.

• Slide 16, picture 1: http://www.schillerinstitute.org/lar_related/2008/lar_maglev_conf.html