American West themes

?
  • Created by: Georgia
  • Created on: 08-05-13 10:12
View mindmap
  • American West themes
    • Native Americans
      • Nomadic hunters
      • Relied heavily on the Buffalo
      • Indians of the west relied on trade
      • Indian men were often warriors
    • Migrating Population
      • Homesteaders had a hard life on the Plains
        • No wood, land was too hard for ploughs, lack of water, extreme climate
      • Railway companies encouraged homesteading
        • Wanted 60,000 residents so to become a state
        • Propaganda of how good the Plains are
      • Homestead act of 1862 = 160 acres of free land
        • Better machinery developed - "Sodbuster" plough
    • Agriculture
      • California Gold Rush - 1849
      • Very hard for homesteaders to plough
        • Invention of better machinery
    • Warfare
      • Little Crow's War 1862
        • No food for Indians, white officials refused them food
          • 4 Indians killed 5 settlers
          • Little Crow led his Sioux  on a murder campaign
          • 38 Indians were hanged
      • Sand Creek Massacre 1864
        • Verge of staration for Cheyenne
          • Warriors raided trails
          • Major J Downing attacked Cheyenne
          • Real massacre began 29th Nov 1864
            • 300 Indians killed
      • Red Cloud's War 1866
        • Army built forts along Bozeman Trail to protect travellers
          • Talks began but indians were betrayed
          • 100 Soldiers died
      • Little Big Horn 1876
        • Gold found in the Black Hills
          • Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse formed an army of 4000 warriors
            • Custer outnumbered 5 to 1
            • Custer and all 225 Soldiers killed
    • Law and order
      • Town marshals controlled law in a small area
      • Federal marshals enforced law throughout America
      • Federal courts = different to state courts
    • Economic Development
      • Some fortunes came from the Gold Rush and Beef Bonanza
    • Mormons
      • Polygamy was practiced until Brigham Young's death in 1890
      • They were Proselytisationists - converted others
      • Anti-Mormon violence was rife
      • Move from Nauvoo in 1846
        • Reached Salt Lake City on 23rd July 1847

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all The American West 1840-1895 resources »