GCSE history -> The American West

• Plains Indians in the 1840s depended on huge herds of buffalo that roamed the Great Plains
• By 1895, the Great Plains were populated by thousands of homesteaders and ranchers, with towns, cities, and railroads
• Plains Indians were nomadic hunter-gatherers who followed the buffalo around the Plains
• The tipi was the home of each Indian family, made from buffalo skins sewn together and supported by a circular frame of wooden poles
• Plains Indians relied on the buffalo for meat, skins, sinews, bones, and dung
• The horse increased the tribes' power and efficiency, transforming the lives of Native Americans
• Plains Indians believed in Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, and that all things had spirits that could influence their lives
• Plains Indians believed the land could not be owned or bought by individuals or nations, and sacred high places were closer to the spirit world
• Sioux Indians believed in the circle of nature, living through the circle of life, and had circular villages and tipis
• Dances and ceremonies, such as the Buffalo Dance and Sun Dance, were used to contact the spirit world and gain guidance
• Visions were a way of contacting the spirit world, influencing decision making, and giving names; medicine men were believed to cure illness using spirits
• Men were responsible for hunting and protecting the band, while women were responsible for the tipi, food, and clothing; children were valued for the future of the band
• Plains Indians were highly individualistic, valued fine possessions, and expected generosity from those who could provide it
• Most men were warriors, engaging in tribal warfare and raiding for animals and captives to gain prestige
• Mountain men had knowledge of routes that later became the Oregon and California trails, adopting Native American survival skills
• The Great Plains were initially thought of as the Great American Desert due to extreme climate, sparse rainfall, and hard ground
• Factors pushing people to go west included poverty, disease, religious persecution, and overpopulation, while factors pulling them included fertile cheap land, government encouragement, and the allure of gold and silver
• The Oregon and California Trails stretched about 2000 miles, presenting a tough journey across the Great Plains
• Rivers, mountains, and deserts had to be crossed during the journey west across the Great Plains
• Lack of discipline and experience caused dangerous delays - it was vital to beat the winter deadline
• The Donner Party, heading for California, tried a shortcut and were trapped in deep snow in the Sierra Nevada in 1846
• The Oregon and California Trails stretched about 2000 miles and took about 5 months by loaded wagon
• Of 87 emigrants, less than 50 survived till next spring by eating those who had died
• Many were farmers who had sold their farms at a profit
• Crossing the continent wasn't cheap - those who could outfit a wagon must have had money
• Young men without funds could hire themselves out as helpers on the wagon trains
• Many white Americans believed they were destined to occupy and govern all of North America
• They saw it as their God-given right and their "manifest destiny" to do so
• White settlers saw their religion and culture as superior to those of the Native Americans
• They believed they were civilizing the continent
• Gold was found in California in 1848 by James Marshall working at a sawmill
• News of the gold discovery led to tens of thousands of fortune-seekers coming to California, known as the "49ers"
• During 1848-1852, the non-Native American population rose from 14,000 to 225,000
• Not everyone made a fortune - the first gold was found by panning stream beds, but expensive underground mining took over
• Prices for everything were high, and many had to work for mining companies in harsh conditions or starve
• Problems of law and order in mining towns
• Criminals were attracted to the Gold Rush, including con men, violent thieves, and claim-jumpers
• People stole land and mining stakes from others
• Disagreements often ended in shootings as men were armed with guns and other weapons
• No US government law officers to protect the miners, so people made their own arrangements