Westward Expansion: SOCIAL & CULTURAL Development [APUSH Review Unit 6 Topic 3] Period 6: 1865-1898

Westward Migration After the Civil War

Overview of Westward Expansion

• The video focuses on the societal and cultural aspects of westward migration post-Civil War, building on previous discussions about farming technology and economics.

• The central question addressed is: What were the causes and effects of the settlement of the West from 1877 to 1898?

Factors Encouraging Migration

• Post-1865, many Americans sought self-sufficiency by moving westward, a continuation of American tradition. By the late 19th century, most frontier lands were settled.

• Key incentives for migration included the Homestead Act and completion of transcontinental railroads, which facilitated access to western territories.

Life on the Frontier

• Settlers brought large herds of cattle into regions like Kansas, leading to a booming cattle trade in eastern markets. This era romanticized cowboys as iconic figures driving cattle across plains.

• The introduction of barbed wire fencing by homesteaders disrupted traditional open-range cattle drives, marking a significant change in land use practices. Homesteaders became known as "sodbusters" for their plowing techniques.

Land Acquisition and Agricultural Changes

• Only about one-fifth of settlers acquired land through government offers; many purchased land from railroad companies that had received it cheaply from the government. This created disparities in land ownership among farmers.

• Increasing mechanization led to small farms failing and consolidation into larger agribusinesses by 1890 when the U.S. Census Bureau declared that the frontier was officially settled after Oklahoma's opening for settlement.

Significance of Closing Frontier

• Fredrick Jackson Turner’s essay (1893) argued that closing the frontier was concerning because it removed a safety valve for American discontent and threatened social mobility by eliminating opportunities for fresh starts in new lands.

• Turner believed that without westward expansion, America might face class conflicts similar to those in Europe due to lack of space for growth and opportunity.

Impact on Native Populations

• The narrative often overlooks Indigenous peoples who inhabited these lands prior to settler arrival; their hardships during this period are significant yet frequently ignored.

• Following mass migration facilitated by railroads, federal policies aimed at resolving what was termed the “Indian problem” led to forced relocation onto reservations with strict boundaries—disrupting traditional lifestyles centered around buffalo hunting as populations dwindled due to overhunting by settlers and railroad workers alike.

Resistance and Conflict

• Many Indigenous groups resisted federal policies leading to violent confrontations such as those seen during the Sioux Wars starting in 1886; initial victories did not prevent further restrictions imposed by treaties limiting their lands even more significantly over time.

The Impact of Gold Discovery on Native American Lands

The Indian Appropriation Act and Its Consequences

• The discovery of gold on Native American lands led to an influx of settlers, making it impossible for Indigenous peoples to maintain their sovereignty.

• The Indian Appropriation Act of 1871 ended federal recognition of Indian nations' sovereignty and nullified previous treaties, escalating tensions.

• This legislative change resulted in wars with the Sioux and Comanche tribes, highlighting the violent resistance against encroachment.

• Despite efforts to resist, Indigenous peoples faced overwhelming pressure from settlers and the U.S. Army, compounded by the near extinction of buffalo herds.

• Ultimately, these factors forced many Native Americans to capitulate to U.S. government demands.

The Dawes Act: A Shift in Policy

• The Dawes Act of 1887 marked a significant shift as it abandoned the reservation system in favor of dividing lands into 160-acre plots for farming by Indians.

• This act allowed Native Americans to become U.S. citizens if they settled on allotted land and assimilated into American culture.

• Assimilation efforts aimed at eradicating distinct Indian cultures through education and vocational training were part of this policy shift.

• Critics highlight the irony that assimilation required abandoning millennia-old traditions while still facing second-class citizenship status within America.

The Ghost Dance Movement: A Final Resistance

• As Indigenous independence waned, the Ghost Dance Movement emerged as a significant form of resistance initiated by prophet Wavoka in the northwest.

• Participants believed that performing ritualistic dances would summon ancestral spirits to drive away white settlers from their lands.

• During this period, tensions escalated leading up to the last violent confrontation known as the Battle at Wounded Knee in South Dakota (1890).

• The U.S. Army's attempt to disarm Lakota Indians culminated in violence when an elder began performing the Ghost Dance amidst rising tensions.