Unit 7: The West & Urbanization Describe the effects of the new railroad migration Westward Day 1: Movement West and Transcontinental Railroad 7.01 Examine the Causes and Effects of the migration of various groups into the West. I. Groups That Migrated West A. Mormons and 49ers - Began the process of moving West B. Homestead Act of 1862 1. Meant to encourage white settlers (especially from the South) to move into the frontier. a) African Americans were not yet citizens. 2. 160 Acres of farmland for $10.00, if they lived on and worked the land for 5 years (60% failed to stay all 5 years) C. Morrill Land Grant Act- provided land for colleges that would specialize in farming and mining. a) Texas A&M = Agriculture and Mining D. Exodusters - Black farmers leaving the South (Exodus) and moving to the Great Plains (Dust) E. Corrupt government gave the good land to railroads, farmers on the prairie had to adapt II. The Transcontinental Railroad A. Railroads increasingly ferried whites into the Midwestern plains B. The Federal Gov t subsidized railroad development 1. Central Pacific Railroad : Chinese immigrants built through the Rocky Mountains. 2. Union Pacific Railroad : Irish immigrants built from Chicago through the Indian Territory. 3. The two lines hooked up at Promontory Point, Utah on the Great Salt Lake. C. Immigrants Building the Railroad: 1. Chinese were discriminated against because looked different & different religions 2. Irish discriminated against because: different religion (Catholic) worked VERY cheap (came from poverty in Ireland) 3. African Americans discriminated against because former slaves III. Effects A. Native Americans lose land, buffalo, and culture B. Unites the Country- trip that lasted months now took a week C. Growth of towns along the railway D. Increased Trade- within 10 years, $50 million in trade via rail 1. Sears Catalog - mail order catalog that brought consumer goods to the West
Day 2: Native Americans, Indian Wars, and Assimilation 7.02 Analyze the impact of the reservation policy on Native Americans I. Rapid increase in settlers A. Plains Indians adopted a hunting buffalo society after the introduction of the horse B. Indian Removal Act of 1828 - pushed Natives to the West, conflict b/w plains and eastern Natives C. With the Western expansion, white settlers white settlers and Natives will fight again over land rights D. New Policy starting in 1850 - Reservation System - isolate these tribes onto small plots of land. II. Indian Wars A. Various tribes fight against being forced in reservations B. The Great Sioux Wars (1876-1877) - led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse 1. Cause: Gold was discovered in the Black Hills of the Dakotas 2. Buffalo Soldiers - native nickname for African American Union Soldiers. C. Battle of the Little Bighorn- Col Custer and his men were wiped out by 8000 Native Americans. D. Battle of Wounded Knee- the last of the Indian battle, massacre of elderly, women and children. III. Social Impact A. Chief Joseph I will fight no more forever - natives surrender and move to reservations, killing Horse and Buffalo culture B. Helen Hunt Jackson - A Century of Dishonor- detailed the mistreatment of the native groups. C. Dawes (Severalty) Act - 1. gave ownership of land to individual Indians. 2. Assimilate: goal for the natives to adapt to white culture. 3. Excess land was given to the government (today Oklahoma is 9% Native American) D. In 1890, the frontier was declared officially closed
Day 3: Cowboys versus Farmers 7.03 Describe the transition from the Open Range to Farm Culture in the West. I. Cowboys A. Vaqueros Mexican horse tamers, ancient cowboys B. Cattle Industry sprang up as the people moved into frontier after the Civil War; based in Texas and Kansas C. The Long Drive and Open Range 1. cowboys drove their cattle North to Railroad stops across the Open Range unfenced land 2. move their cattle east by rail to the Chicago slaughterhouses. D. Cow towns like Abilene and Dodge City become boom towns with saloons, gambling, and brothels II. Life of the Farmer A. Gaining Land- Homesteaders, railroad, and land speculators quickly spread West B. Most farms are small and produce food for for subsistence (rarely cash crop farming) C. Steel Plow, Mechanical Reaper, and other new machines aided in the productivity of farms. D. Hard life 1. Few trees - built sod houses out of bricks, dirt, and grass 2. Isolation, bugs, drought, competition (60% of homesteaders left before 5 years) 3. overproduction: farmers produced more which lead to a fall in prices 4. Debt: Borrow money to buy more land to keep their profit level III. End of the Open Range A. Barbed Wire - effectively ended the long drives and closed the open range B. Oklahoma Land Rush (1888) 1. Free land given in Oklahoma, literally raced for land 2. Cherokee are pushed away again C. Railroad 1. Refrigerated Rail Cars - enabled more beef to reach the population centers of the East Coast from the plains. 2. Rail in Texas and the West ends the need for cowboys: only lasts about 15-20 years
Day 4: Farmers and Populism 7.04 Describe how the challenges faced by Farmers created the Populist movement. I. Farmers and Debt A. The Cycle of Debt- overproduction, falling prices, debt B. Farmers hated: 1. Railroad men - they increased the price of RAIL FEES, the price of transporting crops to market. 2. Bankers - they held the mortgages on their farms. 3. The Gold Standard - currency backed by limited gold a) Gold Bugs - supporters of the gold standard b) leads to deflation (falling prices), bankers get fixed profit from loans II. Farmers Unite A. Farmer s Alliance white farmer s union 1. attempted to fix prices with a price floor - no one would sell their crops for less than the others 2. It failed because farmers would get scared and sell their crops for whatever price they could get B. Black Farmer s Alliance - black farmers did the same thing, failed for same reasons. (had over a million members!) C. The Grange ( The Order of the Patrons of Husbandry)- a national interest group that encouraged farmers banding together to promote well-being of farmers (Founded by Oliver Hudson Kelley, included women and African Americans) III. Populist Party A. first national farmer s party, appealed to the common man B. Main Ideas (The Omaha Platform ) 1. Bimetallism wanted the US currency backed by both Gold and Silver a) Silverites - supporters of more money backed by silver b) Would cause inflation= rising prices and help with loans 2. Government ownership of railroads 3. Direct election of US Senators. 4. Income tax 5. 8 hour work day C. Never won any national elections but won some congressmen and governors D. Populist platform was absorbed by the Democrats 1. William Jennings Bryan s Cross of Gold Speech - supported populism and bimetallism 2. Party collapsed after Bryan lost but many of their reforms were later passed (Progressive Era)
Day 5: Immigration and Nativism 7.05 Compare the effects of waves of immigration on American society. I. Old Immigrants : Pre Civil War A. Early immigrants: 1. Northern and Western European (German, French, English, etc. ) 2. Blended into a Melting Pot: Similar ethnicities, languages, and religions B. The Irish 1. Mass immigration starting 1840s with the potato famine (by 1890, twice as many irish in NYC than Dublin!) 2. Persecuted: Catholic, low wages, took jobs 3. Know-Nothing/American Party (1845-1860)- Anti-immigrant (esp Irish Catholic) party 4. But, they spoke English and looked just like we did and were eventually more accepted II. New Immigrants Post-Civil War A. Southern and Eastern European: Italian, Bulgarian, Polish, Russian, Romanian B. They were a multitude of languages, customs, religions and looks (Jews, Catholics, Greek Orthodox) C. Ellis Island, N.Y. 1. popular registration center for European immigrants 2. Run by the military & not a nice place D. Angel Island (San Francisco), C.A.- Registration center for Asian immigrants III. Effects A. New wave of Nativism 1. wanted to limit and assimilate immigrants: they looked and spoke different 2. Americanization Movement- gov t and citizens taught immigrants skills, language, citizenship 3. Chinese Exclusion Acts stopped all new Chinese immigration, the only group that was limited B. Ethnic Communities 1. Immigrants were attracted to overcrowded neighborhoods of their countrymen 2. Melting pot v. American quilt v. Salad Bowl metaphor 3. Cities began to get much larger to house the immigrants
Day 6: Life in the Cities 7.06 Describe the daily life for Americans in major urban centers. I. Urban Challenges A. Causes of urbanization: immigration, increased farm production, African-American migration from the South, industrialization B. Housing 1. Tenements- Overcrowded, often multiple families rooms in slums 2. Jacob Riis- How the Other Half Lives Photojournalism of Immigrant living conditions C. Health- poor water and lack of sanitation D. Crime- poor population and few official police forces (NYC created first in 1844) E. Fire- overcrowding wood buildings with kerosene heaters 1. Ex: Great Chicago Fire 1871, San Francisco Fire 1906 II. Improving Life A. Improving cities 1. Infrastructure- Creation of mass transit, sewer lines, filtration of water 2. Creation of full time police forces 3. Settlement Houses a) Led by Jane Addams and the Social Gospel movement (help the poor) b) Provided Education, safe housing, jobs, food in urban centers 4. Public Parks- Frederick Law Olmstead - designs public lands (Central Park in NYC and gardens at Biltmore Estate) 5. City planning- city grids and wider streets 6. Skyscrapers- tall buildings with elevators and steel skeletons B. Rising middle class 1. Disposable income- increased consumer spending 2. Leisure time- Reduced workweek (1860-1890 reduced from 66 to 56) 3. Leisure Activities a) Spectator Sports- Boxing and horse racing #1, Baseball a distant third b) Vaudeville Shows- variety shows with singing, dancing, comedy, etc. c) Barnum and Bailey s Circus Greatest Show on Earth featured exotic animals
Day 7: Technology and the Captains of Industry 7.07 Analyze the impacts of new technology and the Captains of Industry. I. New Technology A. Electricity- transforms machines, transportation, factories located anywhere, etc B. Typewriter- transforms office work C. Printing- faster, cheaper production decreases costs of newspapers D. Thomas Alva Edison - lightbulb, safer work after dark E. Alexander Graham Bell - telephone, improves global communication II. Captains of Industry aka the Robber Barons A. Social Darwinism- Survival of the Fittest, Men of wealth succeeded because they were naturally better at business B. Contributors to Success 1. Maxxed out profit by keeping wages down 2. Laissez Faire policies- government keeps hands off economy 3. Form monopolies a) Horizontal Integration- Buy out the competition b) Vertical Integration- Buy every company that supplies your business 4. Trust groups of like-companies get together to fix prices C. Cornelius Vanderbilt (Railroads)- first great railroad empire D. Andrew Carnegie (Steel) 1. Used the Bessemer Process to mass produce steel (1st in history) 2. Transformed cities with skyscrapers 3. Gospel of Wealth- The rich should donate (philanthropy) to build hospitals, museums,schools E. JP Morgan ( Finances)- Bought out Carnegie and many other companies with US Steel F. John Rockefeller (Oil) 1. Created Standard Oil Company, controlled 90% of world s oil supply through trusts 2. Ida Tarbell s A History of Standard Oil - Exposes Rockefeller s trust tactics 3. Philanthropy- gave away $500 million G. Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)- made trusts and monopolies illegal but not enforced
Day 8: Labor Movements & Working Conditions (Lewis Hine) 7.08 Describe impact of organized labor in the late 19th Century. I. Working Conditions A. Long hours, Unsafe conditions, Low pay, child labor B. Reasons 1. High supply of workers- immigration 2. Government was Laissez Faire 3. Captains of Industry/Robber Barons were making tons of money II. Rise of Unions A. Few Unions existed before the Civil War, not recognized by the government or businesses B. First major union was the National Labor Union (1866)- over 600,000 members but was segregated C. Knights of Labor - open to all workers (including blacks and women), sought arbitration (settling disputes with a judge) D. American Federation of Labor - craftsman union, used strikes E. American Railway Union- formed by Eugene Debs (socialist) to include skilled and unskilled labor III. Effects of the Labor Movement A. Strikes 1. Great Strike of 1877 - rail traffic stopped across the country, army ends the strike 2. Haymarket Riot - Knights of Labor demonstration that turned violent, turned the public against unions 3. Homestead Strike (Steel) and Pullman Strike (Railroads) end in violence, crushing the unions 4. Overall, strikes made some gains in increased wages but usually violently stopped B. Government Action 1. Approval of the 8-hour work day in 1868 2. Upton Sinclair The Jungle - book on the Meat packing industry, leads to the Pure Food and Drug Act 3. In 1901, Teddy Roosevelt sided with coal miner strikers leading to collective bargainingnegotiations b/w businesses and unions 4. Lewis Hine- Photographer whose pictures helped end child labor
Day 9: The Gilded Age: National and Local Politics 7.09 Analyze the impact of corruption on national and local politics in the late 19th Century. I. Federal Government Corruption A. Called the Gilded Age by Mark Twain- Pretty from a distance but cheap and worthless up close B. Spoils System still in effect- Jobs were given to political friends C. Election of 1880- focused on corruption 1. James Garfield elected a) Didn t give out jobs and was shot and killed by a disgruntled supporter b) New President Chester Arthur adopts Garfield s ideas 2. Pendleton Act ended the spoils system, created a civil service exam to test qualifications D. Mugwumps- reform Republicans that voted Democrat in congress, upset over corruption II. Local Politics A. Political machines 1. Led by the Boss who controlled elections, money, and jobs in a district 2. The machines were paid to protect local businesses and to award government contracts 3. Graft - form of corruption in which politicians using their position for illegal gain B. William Boss Tweed- 1. Tammany Hall in NYC- Most famous political machine 2. Stole millions from the city and controlled many of the politicians a) Ex: Construction Project NYC Courthouse cost 23 million instead of 3 3. Cartoonist Thomas Nast a) Used cartoons to poke fun of Tweed b) Worked better than articles because immigrants didn t read well 4. Tweed finally brought to justice after 2 years as Boss C. Lincoln Steffens The Shame of Our Cities - Government corruption
Day 10: Muckrakers 7.10 Describe the impact of individual muckrakers on the lives of Americans in the late 19th Century. I. Muckrakers- Teddy Roosevelt on Investigative journalist II. Helen Hunt Jackson - A Century of Dishonor- detailed the mistreatment of the native groups. III. IV. Upton Sinclair The Jungle A. Meat packing industry B. Pure Food and Drug Act Jacob Riis A. How the Other Half Lives B. Immigrant living conditions C. slums V. Ida Tarbell A. A History of Standard Oil B. Exposes John Rockefeller VI. Lewis Hine A. Photographer working conditions and child labor VII. Lincoln Steffens A. The Shame of Our Cities B. Government corruption VIII. IX. Thomas Nast A. Cartoonist (political) B. Tammany Hall & Boss Tweed Ida B. Wells A. Southern Horrors B. A Red Record C. statistics on lynchings of African Americans