Effects of Settlement on the West

1. Effects of Settlement on the West 5-2.2 Illustrate the effects of settlement on the environment of the West, including changes in the physical and human systems.

2. Who Affected the West • The environment was influenced by the men and women who settled the region. • The Great Plains, the bread basket of our country, were plowed and irrigated to grow crops. • Railroads also crossed the plains affecting both physical and human systems. • Movement of people to the West also influenced the culture of the Native Americans.

3. Railroad • After rail lines were laid, the great herds of bison who freely wandered the plains began to mangle the tracks. • Railroad owners hired riflemen to shoot the bison. • Soon whole herds of bison were decimated, which impacted the Native Americans who depended on them.

4. Human Movement • As more migrants settled the West, they infringed on the land that had long been the domain of Native American tribes. • Indian Wars-Native Americans resisted moving. As a result, they were forced onto reservations.

5. Human Movement • US government tried to make the Native Americans become farmers. • The reservations were divided into parcels of farm land. • However, the Native Americans did not want to give up their traditional way of life so many lost their land to settlers.

6. Let’s Review • Who influenced change in the environment of the West? • How were the bison impacted? • How were the Native Americans impacted?