Essential QuestionsEssential Questions1. What national issues emerged in

the process of closing the western frontier?

2. Why does the West hold such an important place in the American imagination?

3. In what ways is the West romanticized in American culture?

Railroad ConstructionRailroad Construction

““The Big FourThe Big Four”” Railroad Magnates Railroad Magnates

Charles CrockerCharles Crocker

Mark HopkinsMark Hopkins Leland StanfordLeland Stanford

Collis HuntingtonCollis Huntington

Promontory Point, UTPromontory Point, UT(May 10, 1869)(May 10, 1869)

The Bronc BusterThe Bronc BusterFrederick RemingtonFrederick Remington

Black CowboysBlack Cowboys

Colt .45 RevolverColt .45 Revolver

God didnGod didn’’t make men equal.t make men equal.Colonel Colt did!Colonel Colt did!

Legendary Gunslingers & Train Legendary Gunslingers & Train RobbersRobbers

Jesse JamesJesse James

Billy the KidBilly the Kid

Dodge City Peace Commission, 1890Dodge City Peace Commission, 1890

ProspectingProspecting

Mining Centers: Mining Centers: 19001900

Anaconda Copper Mining Co. (MT)Anaconda Copper Mining Co. (MT)

Mining (Mining (““BoomBoom””) Towns--) Towns--Now Ghost TownsNow Ghost Towns

Calico, CACalico, CA

TheThe

CattleCattle

TrailsTrails

Land Use: 1880sLand Use: 1880s

New AgriculturalNew AgriculturalTechnologyTechnology

““Prairie FanPrairie Fan””Water PumpWater Pump

Steel Plow [Steel Plow [““Sod BusterSod Buster””]]

Barbed WireBarbed Wire

Joseph GliddenJoseph Glidden

The Range WarsThe Range Wars

SheepHerders

CattleRanchers

Regional Population DistributionRegional Population Distributionby Race: 1900by Race: 1900

Regional Population DistributionRegional Population Distributionby Race: 1900by Race: 1900

BlackBlack““ExodusterExoduster””

HomesteadersHomesteaders

Blacks Moving WestBlacks Moving West

The Buffalo Soldiers on the Great PlainsThe Buffalo Soldiers on the Great Plains

A Romantic ViewA Romantic View

The Buffalo Soldiers & the Indian WarsThe Buffalo Soldiers & the Indian Wars

The The ““Chinese QuestionChinese Question””

Exclusion Act (1882)Exclusion Act (1882) - Oriental Exclusion Act - Oriental Exclusion Act - Chinese Exclusion Act - Chinese Exclusion Act

The Tong Wars: 1850s-1920sThe Tong Wars: 1850s-1920s

Began in San Francisco in 1875.Began in San Francisco in 1875.

African American & ChineseAfrican American & ChinesePopulations:Populations:

1880-19001880-1900

Frontier Settlements: 1870-1890Frontier Settlements: 1870-1890

Homesteads From Public LandsHomesteads From Public Lands

18871887LandLand

PromotionPromotionPosterPosterfor thefor theDakotaDakota

TerritoriesTerritories

What is the Message of this Picture?What is the Message of this Picture?

The Reality--A PioneerThe Reality--A Pioneer’’s Sod House, SDs Sod House, SD

Rain Follows the Plow!Rain Follows the Plow!

Frederick Jackson TurnerFrederick Jackson Turner

The Significance of the Frontier The Significance of the Frontier in American Societyin American Society (1893)(1893)

Newlands Reclamation Act Newlands Reclamation Act (1902)(1902)

Francis NewlandsFrancis Newlands

Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1851)Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1851)

ColoradoColoradoGold Rush (1859)Gold Rush (1859)

Colonel John ChivingtonColonel John Chivington

Kill and scalp all, big and Kill and scalp all, big and little!little!

Sandy Creek, CO Sandy Creek, CO MassacreMassacre

November 29, 1864November 29, 1864

Capt. William J. FettermanCapt. William J. Fetterman

80 soldiers massacred80 soldiers massacredDecember 21, 1866December 21, 1866

Treaty of Medicine Treaty of Medicine Lodge Creek (1867)Lodge Creek (1867)

22ndnd Treaty of Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1868)Ft. Laramie (1868)

ReservationReservationPolicyPolicy

Gold Found in Gold Found in the Black Hills the Black Hills of the Dakota of the Dakota

Territory!Territory!

18741874

The Battle of Little Big HornThe Battle of Little Big Horn18761876

Chief Sitting BullChief Sitting Bull

Gen. GeorgeGen. GeorgeArmstrong Armstrong

CusterCuster

Chief Joseph Chief Joseph I will fight I will fight no more forever!no more forever!

Nez Percé tribal Nez Percé tribal retreat (1877)retreat (1877)

Geronimo, Apache Chief: Hopeless CauseGeronimo, Apache Chief: Hopeless Cause

Helen Hunt JacksonHelen Hunt Jackson

A Century of DishonorA Century of Dishonor (1881) (1881)

Susette La FlescheSusette La Flesche

Omaha Indian Omaha Indian lecture tour on lecture tour on Native American issues in the 1870sNative American issues in the 1870s

Dawes Severalty Act (1887):Dawes Severalty Act (1887):Assimilation PolicyAssimilation Policy

Carlisle Indian School, PACarlisle Indian School, PA

Arapahoe Arapahoe ““Ghost DanceGhost Dance””, 1890, 1890

Chief Big FootChief Big Foot’’s Lifeless Bodys Lifeless BodyWounded Knee, SD, 1890Wounded Knee, SD, 1890

Indian Reservations TodayIndian Reservations Today

Crazy Horse Monument:Crazy Horse Monument:Black Hills, SDBlack Hills, SD

Lakota ChiefLakota Chief

Korczak Ziolkowski, SculptorKorczak Ziolkowski, SculptorCrazy Horse MonumentCrazy Horse Monument

His vision of the finished His vision of the finished memorial.memorial.

Mt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SDMt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SD

The Traditional View of the WestThe Traditional View of the West

William William ““Buffalo BillBuffalo Bill”” CodyCody’’s Wild West Shows Wild West Show

““Buffalo BillBuffalo Bill”” Cody & Sitting Bull Cody & Sitting Bull

Legendary Female Western Legendary Female Western CharactersCharacters

Calamity JaneCalamity Jane Annie OakleyAnnie Oakley

The Fall of the CowboyThe Fall of the CowboyFrederick RemingtonFrederick Remington

Destruction of the Buffalo HerdsDestruction of the Buffalo Herds

The near extinction The near extinction of the buffalo.of the buffalo.

Yellowstone National ParkYellowstone National Park

First national park First national park established in 1872.established in 1872.

National ParksNational Parks

Conservation MovementConservation Movement

John MuirJohn MuirWith President With President

Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt

Sierra ClubSierra Club

Founded in 1892Founded in 1892