history- the american west c.1840-1895 part 2

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  • Created by: charlie
  • Created on: 27-04-13 20:12

trails 

  • 1840's mountain men had knowledge of the routes 
  • mountain men were full of survival skills and usually married Native US wives

why people went west 

  • push and pull factors 
  • 2000 miles - 5 months 
  • donner party- trapped in thick snow (winter was deadly)
  • costed a lot to travel but also created jobs- wagon helpers, moutain men ...etc 
  • manifest destiny- white people was their god-given right (1845)

settlers on the plains 

  • began 1850's gradually settlers edged west 
  • homestead Act 1862 - 160 acres free to settlers who occupied for 5 years
  • transontinental railways helped this 

life on the plains 

  • sod houses (turf)
  • sod busters (expensive steel ploughs)
  • little wood so buffalo dung / cow pats used 
  • extreme climates
  • grasshopper plagues
  • women took part in much more decision making 
  • women- housework, educating, maintain gardens and animals, experienced lonliness

gold rush 

  • 1848 - james marshall

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