Law and order
- Created by: Katie
- Created on: 13-04-14 12:32
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- American West - Law and Order
- Why was there lawlessness in the West?
- Geographical factors - The West was a vast area and transport was very slow, making it difficult to enforce law and order.
- As the offender could commit the crime and get away quicker than the law enforcers could get there.
- The Permanent Indian Frontier was moving further and further West, so there was more and more land to cover.
- Economic Factors - there were many potential sources of conflict between the different economic groups.
- Cowboys vs. townspeople
- Homesteaders vs. ranchers
- Miners vs. hunters
- Sheep herders vs. ranchers
- Cattle barons vs. small ranchers
- Political factors - there was a shortage of reliable law enforcement law and new mining and cow towns were particularly lawless in their early years.
- Enforcement officers and politicians did not think it important enough to spend money on.
- Social Factors - there were many potential conflicts between different ethnic groups and after the civil war thousands of people were demobilised and many weren't ready to forgive and forget what happened.
- Values and Attitudes
- the West was dominated by a primitive code of honour which said it was your responsibility to settle things for yourself.
- Many people carried guns so things would often end in a shooting
- If you shot a man in self-defence, then you had not broken the law, as long as the other man was armed.
- Geographical factors - The West was a vast area and transport was very slow, making it difficult to enforce law and order.
- Types of crimes
- Immediately after the Civil War some of the ex-confederate guerrilla fighters turned to bank robbery.
- Cattle rustling wasn't common as herds of cattle roaming freely on the range were easy targets.
- The branding of the cattle could easily be altered and young cattle that hadn't yet been branded were also easy targets.
- Claim jumping was common near gold and silver mining areas as people tried to steal the land others had already claimed,
- Fence cutting was commonly commited by homesteaders and small ranchers as they were trying to avoid being cut off from water or forced out altogether by the cattle barons.
- Horses were extremely valuable so horse stealing was regarded as a serious crime. Horse thieves were often hanged.
- But for the Plains Indians, it was essential for their way of life.
- Racial Attacks
- Many of the Chinese were encouraged to migrate to the US where they helped make the railroads.
- At a coal-mining centre in Rock Springs, Wyoming, in 1885, 51 Chinese were killed and over 400 others were expelled from the town.
- Shootings
- Train Robbery. This caused the companies to have to strengthen doors, employing tougher guards and guards better weapons.
- The forces of law and order
- US Marshals
- They were appointed by the President to oversee a state.
- As it was such a vast area, the marshals would appoint deputies who worked on a more local basis.
- Town Marshals
- These were often appointed by the towns people and they were often elected on a yearly basis.
- Sheriffs
- These were elected every 2 years by the people of a county.
- The Texas Rangers
- Established in 1820.
- They were a small army that were employed to enforce the law in Texas, there were also Arizona Rangers.
- Judges
- They were appointed by the President to try cases. Each state had three judges to supervise.
- However, there weren't enough as many prisoners had to be held before their trial.
- The Pinkerton Detective Agency
- These were hired as a private company to provide protection.
- US Marshals
- Vigilantes - good or evil?
- They were people who took the law into their own hands.
- When they identified someone whom they believed to be a criminal they punished them.
- There were over 200 vigilante groups west of the Mississippi.
- Billy the Kid
- Why was there lawlessness in the West?
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