the american nation

1. The American Nation

3. Indian Peoples of the Great Plains What was life like for the Plains Indians? Why did the Plains Indians follow herds of buffalo? How did the roles of men and women differ in the Plains Indian society?

4. The Plains Indians Many different Native American nations lived on the Great Plains. Some nations had lived on the Plains for hundreds of years. Others were newcomers. Plains Indians had a variety of cultures. Most cultures had well-organized religions and warrior societies. Each nation had its own language (communicated with sign language) Most Plains Indians were farmers who lived in semi-permanent villages. They sent out hunting parties. Spaniards had brought horses to the Americas in the late 1400s. When the Plains Indians acquired horses during the 1600s, their way of life changed. They used horses while hunting, moving their villages, or raiding other villages. Some Indians left their semi-permanent villages and lived their lives following buffalo.

5. Following Buffalo Some groups of Indians lived their lives following great herds of buffalo. They lived in tepees, or tents made by stretching buffalo skins on tall poles. They carried their tepees from one place to another on a travois, or sled pulled by a dog or horse. There were different ways to hunt buffalo. In one method, hunters drove a herd of buffalo into a corral, or enclosure. There they killed the trapped buffalo. Plains Indians depended on buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter. They dried buffalo meat and called it jerky. Hides were tanned to make sleeping robes and tepee covers, and buffalo fur was woven into coarse cloth that became the outer covering for a tepee.

6. Roles of Women and Men Women Oversaw life in the home, gathered food, and prepared meals Made the tepees, raised the tepees, and took them down Cared for children and taught them traditions Made such necessary items as baskets and blankets�a woman�s skill in crafts determined her rank in society Men Hunted Protected the women, children, and elders Passed on their skills and knowledge to the boys Supervised the spiritual life of the community Provided military leadership�a man�s ability as a warrior earned respect from other members of his nation

7. Section 1 Assessment Plains Indians followed buffalo herds because a) the buffalo provided their food, clothing, and shelter. b) the pursuit brought them into contact with other Indian nations. c) horses followed the buffalo herds, so it gave Indians an opportunity to capture horses. d) the buffalo knew where the best crops were. In Plains Indian life, the people most likely to be responsible for making tepees, taking them down, and putting them up as the group moved from place to place were a) men. b) women. c) children. d) elders.

8. Section 1 Assessment Plains Indians followed buffalo herds because a) the buffalo provided their food, clothing, and shelter. b) the pursuit brought them into contact with other Indian nations. c) horses followed the buffalo herds, so it gave Indians an opportunity to capture horses. d) the buffalo knew where the best crops were. In Plains Indian life, the people most likely to be responsible for making tepees, taking them down, and putting them up as the group moved from place to place were a) men. b) women. c) children. d) elders.

9. Mining and Railroading How did the boom in gold and silver change the West? What problems arose on the mining frontier? How did railroads help the West develop?

10. A Boom in Gold and Silver

11. A Boom in Gold and Silver

12. Problems on the Mining Frontier Mines and towns polluted clear mountain streams. Miners cut down forests. They also forced Native Americans from the land. Foreign miners were often treated unfairly. Mobs sometimes drove them from their claims. Some were heavily taxed or left to work claims abandoned by others. Few miners became rich. Eventually, most western mining was taken over by large companies. Individual miners were replaced by paid laborers who worked for the large companies rather than for themselves. Lawlessness and disorder often accompanied the rapid growth of a mining town. In response, miners sometimes organized groups of vigilantes, or self-appointed law enforcers. A common punishment was lynching. Sometimes, vigilantes took political control of an area. However, informal methods of governing gradually gave way to more formal arrangements.

13. Railroads Help Develop the West First transcontinental railroad A transcontinental railroad is one that stretches across a continent from coast to coast. The Union Pacific ran westward from Omaha, Nebraska. The Central Pacific ran eastward from Sacramento, California. The two lines met at Promontory, Utah. The federal government aided railroad building by giving subsidies to railroad companies. A subsidy is financial aid or a land grant from the government. Thousands of immigrants, especially workers from China and Ireland, built the transcontinental railroad. Railroads promoted growth Railroads brought people, supplies, and mail into the West. They carried heavy loads of ore eastward. Towns sprang up along the tracks. The largest towns and cities developed where major rail lines met or where sea and land transportation met. Other cities grew where cattle trails met the railroads.

14. Section 2 Assessment Towns grew up in the West wherever what group of people replaced the tent cities of the miners with their wood-frame buildings? a) farmers b) cattle ranchers c) merchants d) railroad workers Congress helped the railroad companies by a) paying thousands of immigrants to work on the railroads. b) loaning the railroad companies money and giving them land. c) building railroad towns where the workers could live. d) planning cities wherever rail lines met.

15. Section 2 Assessment Towns grew up in the West wherever what group of people replaced the tent cities of the miners with their wood-frame buildings? a) farmers b) cattle ranchers c) merchants d) railroad workers Congress helped the railroad companies by a) paying thousands of immigrants to work on the railroads. b) loaning the railroad companies money and giving them land. c) building railroad towns where the workers could live. d) planning cities wherever rail lines met.

16. The Cattle Kingdom What was the Cattle Kingdom? What was life like for a cowhand? Why were cow towns important during the cattle boom?

17. The Cattle Kingdom Wild cattle known as longhorns roamed freely across the plains of Texas. (longhorns were popular because they were low maintenance) After the Civil War, the demand for beef increased. People in the growing cities of the East, miners, railroad crews, farmers, and the growing communities of the West all added to the demand for meat. Texas ranchers began rounding up herds of longhorns. Then, they drove the animals hundreds of miles north to the railroad lines on trips called cattle drives. Cattle drives took place over routes called cattle trails.

18. The Life of a Cowhand American cowhands learned about riding, roping, and branding from Spanish and Mexican vaqueros�skilled riders who herded cattle on ranches in Mexico, California, and the Southwest. The gear used by American cowhands was modeled after the gear used by vaqueros�a leather lariat, a hat like a Spanish sombrero, and leather chaps. Work on a cattle drive was hot, dirty, tiring, and often boring. The day was long�up to 18 hours. Cowhands faced many dangers, including prairie dog holes, rattlesnakes, fierce thunder storms, raging grass fires, and attacks from cattle thieves. One of a cowhand�s worst fears was a stampede. Cowhands usually earned low wages.

19. Cow Towns Cattle drives ended in cow towns such as Abilene, Wichita, Caldwell, and Dodge City, that had sprung up along the railroad lines. Cow towns had great pens in which to keep cattle. dance halls, saloons, hotels, and restaurants. settlers who wanted to build a real community. doctors, barbers, artisans, bankers, and merchants. a general store and churches.

20. Railroads, Cattle Trails, and Mining Centers

21. Section 3 Assessment After the Civil War, the demand for beef increased because a) people began to eat in restaurants more often. b) Mexico began to import American beef. c) people had been eating fish, but after the war, meat became more popular. d) the populations of eastern cities and western communities were growing. American cowhands learned about riding, roping, and branding from a) Hawaiian paniolos. b) Spanish and Mexican vaqueros. c) mounted Confederate troops. d) Plains Indians.

22. Section 3 Assessment After the Civil War, the demand for beef increased because a) people began to eat in restaurants more often. b) Mexico began to import American beef. c) people had been eating fish, but after the war, meat became more popular. d) the populations of eastern cities and western communities were growing. American cowhands learned about riding, roping, and branding from a) Hawaiian paniolos. b) Spanish and Mexican vaqueros. c) mounted Confederate troops. d) Plains Indians.

23. Indian Peoples in Retreat What promises did the government make to Indians? Why did buffalo begin to disappear? How was the movement west a major factor in the end of the Indian way of life? Why did reformers fail?

24. Promises to Native Americans

25. Promises to Native Americans

26. The End of the Buffalo Huge herds of buffalo lived between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. The herds diminished for several reasons. Disease, drought, and destruction of the areas in which they lived caused the herds to shrink. During the 1830s and 1840s, buffalo robes became popular. Professional buffalo hunters killed many buffalo for their skins. Buffalo hunting became a popular sport where railroads cut through the areas in which the animals lived. Indian peoples hunted buffalo much more efficiently.

27. The End of the Indian Way of Life Settlers and miners continued to move into the West. Their way of life brought an end to the Indians� traditional way of life. The U.S. government took away the power of tribal leaders.

28. The End of the Indian Way of Life

29. The End of the Indian Way of Life

30. Reformers Fail to Help Native Americans Reformers Spoke Out Susette La Flesche, daughter of an Omaha chief, wrote and lectured about the destruction of the Native American way of life. Helen Hunt Jackson published A Century of Dishonor, telling the story of broken treaties. The Dawes Act In 1887, Congress passed the Dawes Act. It encouraged Native Americans to become farmers. Some tribal lands were divided up and given to individual Native American families. The act was unsuccessful. To Native Americans, land was meant to be an open place for riding and hunting. As a result, Indians often sold their share of land for low prices. The federal government took away the power of Indian leaders and appointed government agents to make decisions instead.

31. Section 4 Assessment In the Fort Laramie Treaty, the government promised Native Americans that certain lands would be theirs forever. That promise was broken because a) Native Americans refused to accept the agreement. b) the buffalo herds were shrinking on those lands, and the Indians no longer wanted to live there. c) gold was discovered and the miners and settlers who rushed in demanded protection from the Indians. d) the railroad was built across those lands. One reason the great buffalo herds disappeared was because a) they moved farther north, into Canada. b) after Indians were forced onto reservations, there was no longer any reason for such large herds of buffalo. c) along rail lines, hunters shot buffalo for sport. d) Native American nations competed to see which could kill the most buffalo.

32. Section 4 Assessment In the Fort Laramie Treaty, the government promised Native Americans that certain lands would be theirs forever. That promise was broken because a) Native Americans refused to accept the agreement. b) the buffalo herds were shrinking on those lands, and the Indians no longer wanted to live there. c) gold was discovered and the miners and settlers who rushed in demanded protection from the Indians. d) the railroad was built across those lands. One reason the great buffalo herds disappeared was because a) they moved farther north, into Canada. b) after Indians were forced onto reservations, there was no longer any reason for such large herds of buffalo. c) along rail lines, hunters shot buffalo for sport. d) Native American nations competed to see which could kill the most buffalo.

33. Farming Why did farmers and other settlers move west? What was the Oklahoma land rush? Why was life hard for Plains farmers? Why did farmers help form the Populist Party?

34. Farmers Move West In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act. The law promised 160 acres of free land to anyone who paid a small fee and farmed the land for five years. (By 1900 500,000 farmers staked claims).

35. The Oklahoma Land Rush As free land elsewhere began to disappear, the federal government forced some Indian nations in Oklahoma to sell their land so it could be homesteaded. The government announced that farmers could claim free homesteads in Oklahoma, but they could not stake their claims until exactly noon on April 22, 1889. On the appointed day, as many as 100,000 people lined up at the Oklahoma border. At noon, a gunshot rang out. People charged into Oklahoma. However, some people had sneaked in sooner and staked out the best land.

36. Lives of Plains Farmers

37. Farmers Begin to Work Together

38. The Populists

39. The Populists

40. Section 5 Assessment Because there was so little wood on the Plains, many farmers built their homes out of a) brick. b) adobe. c) cement. d) sod. Farmers formed the National Grange, which helped them by setting up a) cooperatives where the farmers pooled their money to buy large quantities of seeds and tools at low prices. b) banks that farmers could count on to loan them money when crops failed. c) a political party that would nominate candidates who understood farm problems. d) a bigger money supply so farmers could pay their debts.

41. Section 5 Assessment Because there was so little wood on the Plains, many farmers built their homes out of a) brick. b) adobe. c) cement. d) sod. Farmers formed the National Grange, which helped them by setting up a) cooperatives where the farmers pooled their money to buy large quantities of seeds and tools at low prices. b) banks that farmers could count on to loan them money when crops failed. c) a political party that would nominate candidates who understood farm problems. d) a bigger money supply so farmers could pay their debts.