Clash of Cultures: Native American Resistance and the Transformation of the Great West

1. Chapter 26 By 1890 Great West had been transformed into states and changed rapidly Clash of Cultures Native Americans numbered about 360,000 in 1860-scattered in West and stood in way of whites Migration & conflict became common/culture change was also common-591. When white soldiers edged onto the plains-contributed to difficulties amongst Natives-cholera, typhoid, smallpox Whites also harmed bison population-buffaloes dwindled & warfare amongst Plains tribes intensified Government signed treaties w/groups-1851 Ft. Laramie-marked beginning of reservation system-treaty makers misunderstood Native American “tribes” and “chiefs”-small confinements were a foreign concept Gave up lands only when they were promised things from government-mostly pawned off poor supplies to Natives After Civil War-fighting intensified between Natives and soldiers

2. Receding Native Populations • Savage clashes in West-Sand Creek, Col-1864(Chivington massacred 400 Natives) • Sioux party massacred 81 soldiers in Montana-cylce continued • Treaty of 1868 of Fort Laramie-government abandoned Bozeman Trail-”Great Sioux Reservation”-however in 1874 Custer led a mission in Black Hills of S. Dakota & announced he had discovered gold-gold seekers swarmed in forcing Sioux to take to violent means-led by Sitting Bull • Custer and 7th Cavalry, 1/2 immigrants attacked 2,500 warriors at “Little Big Horn” in Montana-Custer was demolished along with 264 officers and men-”battle” or “massacre”?

3. One band of Nez Perce in N’eastern Oregon pushed into fighting-1877 Chief Joseph surrendered his band of 700 after a 1,700 mile trek-Joseph hoped to meet up with Sitting Bull in Canada after Little Big Horn-Thought they would be returned to ancestral lands in Idaho-taken to Kansas where 40 % died • Apaches were tough to subdue(led by Geronimo)-pushed down & had farming success in Oklahoma • Fighting finally ended w/Reservations • “Taming” caused by many factors:RR in west, transport troops & settler, diseases, gunpowder, & extinction of buffalo

4. Bellowing Herds of Bison • For the Plains Indians buffalo provided life • When Civil War ended, 15 million grazed-as RR came population dropped-by 1885 wasteful killing left fewer than 1,000 End of the Trail • By the 1880s much uneasiness about the plight of Native-Americans-Helen Hunt Jackson-A Century of Dishonor- brought much sympathy • Debate intensified-some wanted assimilation & others wanted simply to contain and punish • Missionaries sometimes punished Native Americans into adopting Christianity • 1884 Federal Government outlawed the Sun Dance-Ghost Dance stamped out with the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890-200 Native Americans killed

5. Dawes Severalty Act of 1887-dissolved many tribes, wiped our tribal ownership of land & set up individual family heads w/ 160 free acres-If acted well they would get full citizenship in 25 years-Full Citizenship came in 1924 • Reservation land not allotted to Native Americans under the Dawes Severalty Act sold to whites and RR w/ proceeds used by the government to “civilize” the Native Americans • 1879 the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania took children from homes-1890s schools were extended and women were sent in to teach Native American women hygiene and chastity • Dawes Act struck at tribes & tried to make rugged individualists • By 1900 50% of 156 million acres held were lost • Forced assimilation remained the government policy for nearly 1/2 century until Indian New Deal of 1934 reversed individualistic approach & tried to restore tribal basis • In 1887 only 243,000 Native Americans yet by 2000-1.5 million

6. Mining • Westward push of miners-1858-gold rush in the Rockies • “59ers” pushed into Nevada-Comstock Lode • Idaho, Montana, & others experienced gold rushers as well • “Helldorados”-vigilante justice-ghost towns • Once loose surface gold was dug, ore breaking machines brought in-Big Business entered • Small miner died out yet important-Westward expansion-women won equality in roughneck frontier-right to vote • Precious metals helped to finance the Civil War, building of RR, intensified white-Native American conflict, threw silver into politics and added to literature

7. Beef and the Long Drive • After Civil War-in came the millions of cattle-w/ RR cattle could be shipped & meatpacking emerged-stockyards of Chicago & K.C. shipped to East • “Long Drive”-cowboys drove herds to RR terminal-herds grazed on government grass-towns grew(Dodge City, Abilene, Cheyenne)-order maintained by Marshals • As long as the grass grew-profits came- except for Native Americans,stampedes, and cattle fever-4 million driven from 1866-1888 • RR ruined the Long Drive-more homesteaders & sheepherders came and ruined by land ownership as well as 1886-87 freezing winters and overexpansion • Cattle raisers fenced in and made meatier animals • Heyday of the American cowboy-folklore

8. Farmer’s Frontier • Grazing land became farmland-Homestead Act of 1862-160 acres for living on land for 5 years and improving it-paid $30 • Given away to fill empty space-family farm was the “backbone of democracy”-1/2 million tried yet 5 times more bought land from RR, land companies, and states • Homestead Act-Cruel Hoax? • More land ended up in land grabber’s hands-profit from timber, minerals, or oil-improve land? • RR made out well-marketing crops • Many felt plains would not grow crops-once the sod was broken much success followed

9. Wheat prices fell in 1870s, settlers pushed further west beyond 100th meridian to east-well watered and semiarid • Many lost $ in attempts to grow west of Kansas-No Rain! • Dry farming used yet attributed to the Dust Bowl • New crops developed(wheat & sorghum) • Irrigation projects created a blossoming population • Columbia, Missouri and Colorado Rivers tapped into-engineers added more growth than any other actions

10. Far West Comes of Age • Western growth-Colorado, Dakotas, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, later Utah-only Oklahoma, NM, & Arizona remained of contiguous • Government opened up free land in Oklahoma-”Sooners and Boomers”

11. Fading Frontier • By 1890 Frontier was no longer discernible • Frederick Jackson Turner-thesis on significance of the American frontier! • Frontier was filling-phase ending led to problems-no longer footloose, safety valve of moving west was not accurate • Free acreage did attract some immigrant farmers and lure workers leaving kept wages up-Real safety valve was the western cities-more urbanized • US History cannot be understood without westward movement-last and distinct chapter • 1. Native American struggle 2. Anglo-Hispanic culture 3. Pacific to Asia 4. Environmental issues 5. Large government role unparalleled 6. Myths of West

12. Farm and Factory • Farms-once subsistence turned to cash crops-used profits to buy goods • Large scale farmers in Mississippi Valley were businesspeople-tied to the banking, RR, and manufacturing • Had to buy expensive machines-speed increased w/ combines-pushed smaller farmers off the land-Agribusiness • California was a state of plantations & estates-fruit and veg. crops flourished w/ cheap foreign labor

13. Deflation • One crop system-corn-wheat-price dropped in 1880s-fiercely competitive business-world market determined prices-if other world market flourished prices fell • Borrowed $ and price per bushel limited • Problems w/static $ supply-low in comparison to growth • Farmers functioned year after year in a loss-better production yet less $ w/suplus • More and more lost farms by 1890 • 8-40% mortgage rates-mostly by eastern agents • Farm tenancy rather than ownership spread-by 1880 1/4 of farms operated by tenants-New industry yet old serfdom

14. Unhappy Farmers • Problems-grasshoppers, boll weevil, floods, droughts • Gouged by government-overassessed & paid heavy local taxes • High protective tariffs helped wealthy easterners • Had to sell in world market while buying goods in a protected market • At the mercy of corporations and processors • RR had growers in its grip-freight rates were too high • Farmers made of 1/2 of population in 1890 yet unorganized-individual and independent by nature-slow to organize yet did lead a political uprising

15. Farmers Take a Stand • Farmers had organized to push greenbacks • 1867-National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry-enhance the lives of isolated farmers-gathering, secrecy, & hierarchy • By 1875 800,000 members-goals ranged from self improvement to eventually the establishment coop stores, elevators, warehouses, and attempted to manufacture harvest machinery • Went into politics in Midwest-strove for regulation-various Granger Laws drawn yet eventually failed & so too did Grangers • Found vent in Greenback Party-ran James Weaver for president in 1880-no real success

16. Prelude to Populism • Farmer’s Alliance (1870s)-came together to combat corporation’s grip through coop buying-by 1890-more than 1 million • Ignored tenant farmers excluded blacks-1/2 of agriculture population in South-1880 Colored Farmers National Alliance formed • People’s Party-1890s-Populists-Goals: Nationalizing RR, telephone, graduated income, subtreasury, free unlimited coinage of silver • Had to be taken seriously-Dem/Repubs had pay attention • 1892 ushered members into Congress

17. Coxey’s Army and Pullman Strike • Panic of 1893 & depression strengthened Populists • Jacob Coxey led march to Washington demanding government public works programs-arrested for walking on grass • Chicago-Pullman Strike of 1894-Eugene V. Debs-labor leader helped organize American RR Union-150,000 strong • Pullman Palace Car Company-model town near Chicago-hit hard-unemployed, salaries cut-wages remained-workers struck-AF of L did not support-Gov. Altgeld felt things were OK yet Att. Gen. Richard Olney sent federal troops-interfering w/US mail • Crushed Pullman Strikes-Debs put in prison-Socialism? • Justice?

18. Gold McKinley/Silver Bryan • Election of 1896-Employers vs. Workers-Gold vs. Silver • Republican-McKinley-Ohio-big business & politics(Hanna)-supported gold and soft on silver and supported high tariff • Democrat-William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska-”Cross of Gold” demanded silver

19. Class Conflict • Bryan made silver the issue w/ his vigorous campaign • Eastern conservatives attacked Bryan/Hanna raised millions($16 million for Republicans) • Intimidation tactics-McKinley won big-Areas of strength? • Factory worker would not vote for inflation • New era in American politics, East v. West, Prosperity v. Poor-Victory to big business, big cities, middle class values, financial conservatism • Future politics lay in cities not farms • Long reign of Republicans-diminishing voters, weakening party organizations, fading issue of $-”Fourth Party System”? • Issues of Industrial Regulation & Welfare of Labor dominated

20. Republicans • McKinley was a “safe” politician • Shied away from reform-business unfettered & trusts grew • Wilson-Gorman Tariff • Dingley Tariff passed-higher-46.5% • Prosperity returned & Republicans took credit • Gold Standard of 1900 established-more discoveries-inflation came and silver and the money issue faded