Early Settlement of the West

Tribes-

Werent a single group, different tribes, some were nomadic, moved about hunting buffalo, few were more settled, farmed the land.

Lifestyles-

Each tribe split into band with a cheif and a council of elders. Cheif earnt loyalty, demonstrating courage and generosity. Medicine men/women, spiritual leaders, religion closely linked to nature. People part of nature not masters. Beleived in great spirit, everything in nature contained a spirit, needed to keep on their side, ceremonies and dance rituals performed to contact them. Women did most work, men hunted and fought. Men head of family, women owned tipi and content, gave them status. Buffalo were vital for Plains Indians. 

US citizens only lived east coast originally, settlements went westwards, 1830's beyond Mississipi river, attracted by fertile farmland. Population growing, demand land growing. Belief grew that it was USA's duty to expand westwards. Thomas Jefferson beleived land ownership & farming create healthy moral population. Extra land promised by expanding west, promised freedom, independance and opportunity.

Settlers began move across Plains to west coast, some settled on eastern edges of Plains. Created conflict between settlers and Plains Indians, Indians dislike settlers being on their land , two groups couldnt live together, nomadic culture clashed with desire of settlers to fence off and settle land.

Some of land wanted for settlers to farm was occupied by Native American tribes. US citizens saw way of life as inferior and uncivilised. 1830 Indian Removal Act passed, President Andrew Jackson, authorised him to grant tribe land on Great Plains exchange for land in East. 1840, most eastern tribes moved to Plains. Intentions Native Americans live on Great Plains, while settlers farmed east land. Plains would be one large Indian reservation. Boundary between both known as Permanent Indian Frontier. From then white Americans viewed Plains as 'Great American Desert' believed harsh climate and lack of wood and water, unsuitable to settle on 

• Problems in East-
• Economic problems, recession in 1837, wages profits fell, unemployment rose
• Overpopulation, high European immigration, overcrowded cities, lack of land
• Disease, overcrowding, poor sanitation, epidemics of yellow fever and cholera
• Attractions of West-
• A new start, land fertile and cheap
  
• Government encouraged, Acts allowed settlers claim land in Oregon, wanted people to settle in West, strengthen USA's claim to land there
• Gold

Journey-

5 months complete journey to West coast. must done before winter. Very dangerous, 10% die, mountains and rivers, food water shortages, disease, accidents falling underwagon wheels and accidental shooting. Half went to California, 1849, by sea. 5 months, crowded, sickness, storms.

Mormons Hardships-

Travelled 1400 miles, left because religious persecution, Americans disliked polygamy. Attacked and driven from homes. Leader wanted to go further, create state live freely, chose part of Meico. Planned to leave spring 1846, more violence, left Feb. Rushed departure, left supplies, conditions hard. Progress slow. didnt complete in year. By spring 1847, 400 died. Set off again April, organisation better, in groups led by captains,reached Salt Lake Valley, July. 

Settling-

1850s, people saw possibility of settling on Plains, wasn't 'Great Desert' they thought. 1854, Government opened Kansas and Nebraska for settlement, not travel as far. Living and farming Plains was tough, soil fertile but covered in sod, little wood for building/fuel, lack of water and extreme climates and infestation ruined crops

Understanding-

To settlers, Indians had no Government, warfare was cowardly and religion was super stition.Native Americans thought land for everyone, Settlers wanted own, farm and exploit land. Settlers thought nomadic lifestyle was uncivilised, wasted land, but Native Americans thought settlers ruined the land.

Contact-

Many settlers moved beyond Permanent Indian Frontier, reach West lands from 1843, more with Gold Rush.Disrupted Buffalo herds, polluted water and brought disease. Indians became more hostile, attacked wagons, increased settlers fear and distrust. Also threatened by inter-tribal conflict.

Reservation System-

Government wanted reduce conflict, concentrate Indians onto reservations, Indian Appropriations Act 1851, funded this. Encouraged farmng and house building. Fort Laramie Treaty, 1851, defined territory, tribes agreed to stay in area, allow settlers to cross and allow roads and forts to e built on trails. Return, permanent rights to their land, $50, 000 of goods a year for 50 years. Neither side kept, some tribes unaware of deal. 1852 reduced from 50 years to 10.

• Settlement increased California and Oregon
• Restricting Native Americans to reservations and building roads and forts in their territory threatened their way of life
• Broken promises increased resentment among Native Americans towards government and settlers

• Huge numbers people came California, Non-native ameircan population, 14, 000-225, 000 between 1848 and 1852
  
• Rapid migration mainly men, quick developing towns, society unstructured
• Keeping order-problem, tensions 1849 as places became crowded, gold scarce, 'claimjumpers' stole others claims to profitable land
• Criminals, professional gamblers, attracted by wealth, disagreements ended in shootings and murder
• Living/working confitions, little hygiene, disease common, nutrition for miners poor, couldnt find gold would work for mining company, dangerous, low wage
• Not working, turn to gambling and drinking, led to trouble
• Frequent racial conflict, white Americans believed they were superior and more entitiled to gold especially when it was scarce 

• Congress not establish Government in California until became state in 1850
• Some army units stationed there before then, didnt enforce law
• Us not have national law regulating mining claims until 1866, miners made own laws. Made mining districts, representatives and settled disputes about claims. Justice wasn't always fair, foreigners often ignored
• Areas relied on miners taking law into own hands, unofficial trails and swift punishment. No prisons, no right to appeal
• Mining areas often remote, difficult enforce law, after California became state, law enforcers didnt have means to police areas effectively
• Law enforcement officails sometimes not cope in ares of high levels lawlessness, 1851, group citizens in San Francisco foormed a vigilance commitee, targeted gangs acused starting fires, sentenced to death/whip