American west

• The Indian Appropriations Act 1851


  -Act that set up legally recognised reservations to protect Plains Indians from new settlers on the edge of the great plains where they hoped they would farm
• Role of buffalo and horses

  -Catching buffalo easier on horse back

  
  

  -Every part of buffalo (except heart) used for food, clothing, tipi (survival of nomadic lifestyle)

  
  

  
  

  Wealth and status measure by how many horses a tribe had

  
  

  -Horses used in war (counting coup)

  
  

  -Horses carried indians and belonging on journey to find buffalo
• How Indians fought


  -Short raids with small groups of braves

  
  

  -Gained honour by 'counting coup'- touching energy with a hand or stick

  
  

  -Killing was rare

  
  

  -Scalped enemies so spirits could not fight in heaven

  
  

  -Retreating was a responsible action- refused to fight if they couldn't win
• Why Indians fought


  -To demonstrate skills, bravery and courage

  
  

  -To protect hunting ground

  
  

  -To revenge or honour

  
  

  -To capture hoses or weapons

  
  

  -To help tribal unity

  
  

  -For chiefs to test their power and position

  
  

  -For elders to control the younger braves
• Bands


  Plains Indians lived in groups called bands made up of several families

  
  

  -Most people in a band were related to each other

  
  

  -Led by chiefs and councils.

  
  

  -Survival and protection of the band as a whole was more important than individuals within it.
• Chiefs and councils


  -Chiefs choses because of wisdom and skills as warriors

  
  

  -Rarely chiefs for life

  
  

  
  

  -Council members decided everything the band did

  
  

  -Chiefs and councils decided where their bands would go and how people were punished.
• Tribes


  -Bands in the same tribe supported each other during crises

  
  

  -Tribal meetings of all the bands were held each year to arrange marriages, trade horses and discuss issues

  
  

  -Chiefs and elders formed tribe councils that advised tribal chiefs

  Some tribe were part of larger groups called nations
• Warrior societies


  -Best warriors from each band formed its society

  
  

  -Members supervised hinting and protected their bands from attack

  
  

  -All short raids and wars led by the war society and bands council would consult them before they made decisions
• Tipis


  -Every indian family lived in a tipi made of wooden poles and buffalo skins

  
  

  -Cone shaped to protect against strong winds

  
  

  -Easily taken down so ideal for their lifestyle

  
  

  -Bottom can be rolled up in summer and banked with earth in winter
• Family roles


  -Every member equally important to survival

  
  

  -Men (braves) hunted and fought enemies

  
  

  -Women (squaws) made clothing, fed family and looked after tipi

  
  

  -Everyone looked after children

  
  

  -Elders respected for their wisdom but left behind to die if threatened survival of band
• Plains Indian beliefs about land

  The Sioux believed they come from the land and use farming as harming their mother. Higher land such as the black hills was seen as sacred as it was close to the spirits.
• When did Plains Indian wars usually occur?

  During the Summer months, as winter was extremely cold on the Plains.
• Sioux


  One of the important Plains Indian nations.
• Counting coup


  Touching a live enemy with a coup stick and escaping unharmed to show bravery.
• -More whites were moving west from the east to the west so Indians and whites needed to be separated.

  -They wanted to civilise Indians who did not agree with farming.


  Why did pressure begin to grow on the government to change their policy towards the Plains Indians?
• The Indian removal Act 1930


  -Established the permanent Indian Frontier. (boundary between USA and Indian Territory)

  -Removed Indians from south-west to small territory that later became Oklahoma.

  -Many Indians died of starvation and cholera on the 150KM march.
• Reservation


  Monitored land set aside for Plains Indians to live on.
• What was the bureau of Indian affairs? (1824)


  US war department set up to manage the relationship with Plains Indians.
• Indian trade and intercourse act 1834


  Gave Indians the territory of Arkansas and established the permanent Indian frontier.
• 1840's the US gained territory in the west


  -In 1845 Texas officially become part of the USA.

  -In 1846 the US gained control over the Oregon territory which it previously shared with Britain.

  -In 1848 the US won a war with Mexico and gained huge territories in the west, including California
• Consequences of the US winning the war with Mexico 1848


  -The Indian territory was now bordered by the new territories of California and Oregon where the government wanted potential settlers to move to.

  -This caused conflict between settlers and indians as they had to use the oregon trail which crossed Indian land.
• In 1849 Bureau of Indian affairs moved from war department to department of inferior


  Were now treating Indians as an interior problem rather than a war problem, they just tried to civilise Indians.
• Moving west timeline


  -Mountain men bring news of land on the other side of the Rockies

  
  

  -Bank crash causes economic depression

  
  

  -Government act makes cheap land available in Oregon

  
  

  -Governor of Illinois tells Mormons to leave

  
  

  -Gold is discovered in California

  
  

  -Gold is discovered in the Rockies

  
  

  -Gold is discovered in Dakota
• Pull factors to move west

  -Freedom and independence

  -Manifest destiny

  
  

  -Fertile land

  
  

  -Space

  
  

  -Furs and fish

  -Victory of Mexico in 1848 meant settlers were encouraged to move to California.

  
  

  -Gold

  -1842 pre-emption act
• The 1842 Pre-emption act


  Act that encouraged settlers to stake a claim for ownership of land because it allowed them to buy 160 acres of land, for $1.25 per acre.
• Push factors to move west

  -Collapse of wheat prices

  
  

  -Overpopulation

  
  

  -Persecution

  
  

  -Unemployment

  
  

  -Economic depression.

  
  

  -Safe south pass through the rockies.
• Manifest Destiny


  -It was gods will that white americans should settle all of America, because it was right and natural that it be so. They also wanted to spread their ideals

  
  

  -US government needed to populate their territory to defend it from foreign powers.
• What time of year did wagon train usually begin?

  April or May
• Danger in journey west

  -Sandstorms

  
  

  -Quicksand

  
  

  -Extreme heat

  
  

  -Storms

  
  

  -Disease

  
  

  -Stampeding buffalo

  
  

  -Hostile Indians

  
  

  -Lack of supplies
• Importance of the 1849 Gold Rush


  -Attracted potential Miners from the US, china and Ireland who wanted to gain wealth in California. This increased the population from 15,000 to 250,00 by 1852.

  
  

  -Made California rich

  
  

  -Made San Francisco an important port

  
  

  -new railroad from east to west

  
  

  -USA a world leader in trade

  
  

  -Native indians wiped out

  
  

  -Racial conflict caused workers from China and Mexico to suffer.
• The Donner Party


  -Led by Jacob and George Donner, they took the Oregon trail.

  
  

  -Left Missouri in 1846 with 60 wagons and 300 people

  
  

  -Had more women, elderly people and children than normal

  
  

  -Tried to take a short cut

  
  

  -Wagons broke, cattle died

  
  

  -Arrived in Sierra Nevada and trapped by heavy snow

  
  

  -Group sent for help took days

  
  

  -To survive both groups ate their dead

  Rescue parties found them
• The Knight party


  -They took the Mormon trail.

  -They faced strong, unpredictable winds which meant they struggled to set up tents.

  -They had to pay a toll fee to some Indians to cross awkward bridges.

  -They were attacked by Indians.

  -They had no wood, limited food and starving livestock that were transporting goods.

  -The journey was months long
• Joseph Smith


  -Founded the Church of Latter-Day Saints

  
  

  -Followers known as Mormons

  
  

  -Persuasive public speaking meant numbers grew to several hundred by 1830

  
  

  -Mormons obeyed him because he said his decisions were inspired by God and the ancient records on gold plates he translated with seer stones.

  
  

  -Believed in polygamy

  
  

  -Murdered in Illinois 1845
• The mormons


  -Religious followers of the Later-day saint Joseph smith who settled in Utah initially around salt lake city.

  -Their first Church was built in 1836
• Reasons for mormon persecution


  -Their success

  
  

  -Their blasphemy

  
  

  -Their desire to free slaves and be friends with Plains Indians.

  
  

  -Practice of polygamy
• The moving timeline of the mormons

  -New York State 1823- Left for a new start in Ohio because the Lord commanded him to.

  
  

  -Kirtland , Ohio 1831-Left because Smith was tar feathered and hated when he bank went bankrupt in the 1837 economic depression so moved to quieter Missouri.

  
  

  -Missouri 1837- Attacked by mobs and given an extermination order by Governor Bogs becaused they supported the freedom of slaves and were sympathetic to Indians so moved to the unpopular, swampy Nauvoo.

  
  

  -Nauvoo, Illinois 1838- Hated by locals for polygamy beliefs, despite growing numbers of Mormon followers. In 1844, Smith was killed by a mob so they decided to create a Mormon state in unpopulated Utah.

  
  

  - Great Salt Lake, Utah 1847- Unpopulated land just for Mormons.
• Brigham young


  Mormon leader who moved his followers to Utah to practice their religion in peace after the murder of Joseph Smith
• Mormon journey to the Great Salt Lake, Utah (stage 1)


  A pioneer band had to travel through the Great plains and the Rocky mountains so food and equipment was put into wagons to improve survival resources. A small group set off across Mississippi to build rest camps for others in 1846.
• Mormon journey to the Great Salt Lake, Utah (stage 2)


  -Thousands of cabins, known as the winter quarters were build for families to shelter under.

  -However many died there from lack of food, supplies and widespread disease.
• Mormon journey to the Great Salt Lake, Utah (stage 3)


  He set up a safe route from the winter quarters to fort laramie so they could avoid any possible conflict with other travellers. They set up ferries accross rivers and planted crops for future group. A pioneer band went first to ensure safety.