Chapter 17: The New West: Empire Within a Nation

--America as a nation with a built-in empire to conquer.

Subordination of the Indians

The Great Plains Environment: Once a barrier to further movement west, a permanent "gift" to the Indians. Strange environment, unsuitable for traditional farming methods.

The Plains Indians: Mostly nomadic and nonagricultural. Fierce, skillful, implacable warriors. Horses brought on the height of their civilization, their greatest dependence on the buffalo. Great brutality on both sides.

White Supremacy in the West: In 1851, USA tried to further restrict Indians within the Great Plains. But officials of Indian Bureau further embittered Indians by cheating them of their land. War broke out in Colorado at about the same time of the Civi l War. Sioux war started soon after, prompted USA to sign peace treaties and replace policy of concentration with that of "small reservations." On reservations, usu. land too bad to settle, Indians would = segregated and taught western culture. Again, Ind ians resisted. But Americans had already decimated the huge buffalo herds that = the foundation of Indian culture. Whites relentlessly tried to exterminate Indian culture, and even Indians themselves.

The Era of the Bonanzas

--Primary windfalls: easy pickings, like minerals, furs.

--Secondary windfalls: timber, agriculture.

The Miner's Bonanza: In 60s, 70s, 49er-type rushes = repeated for pay dirt. Richer gold, lying in quartz veins, would have to wait for machinery. Most fortune hunters failed. But huge Comstock Lode = found. Mines attracted wide group of people, and wi th government far away, people had to decide for themselves whether or not to establish law and order.

The Cattleman's Bonanza: Cows = allowed to roam over free grass of the prairies. Open ranches. When ready, cattle = herded over to cow towns on the way to Chicago, etc, on hoof. Cowboys, rustlers. But this method of raising = wasteful and prone to vio lence. Demise = accelerated by railroads and settlers' claims, and the barbed-wire fence. Cattle barons resorted to land fraud, monopoly, and ruthless violence to protect themselves. Cattle tended to overgraze. Beef prices started to tumble, and combinati on of bad winters and poor grass growth brought industry to its knees.

The Farmer Moves West

American Land Policy: Most of vast lands granted went to large holders who sold to settlers. Various land deals mostly failed, since Eastern legislators did not realize special needs of Western agriculture, and could not enforce their laws. Railroad b arons by far held the most land.

The Advance of Settlement: Railroad companies advertised in Europe, prompted mass immigrations. Railroads also provided special rates and agricultural guidance. Oklahoma = soon gobbled up, despite promises to Indians. Frontier disappeared by 1890s, pr ompting F. Jackson Turner to write.New Farms and New Methods: Extremes of weather, harsh animals, Indians, claim jumpers. At first, lived in sod houses. But eventually, things got better. Water = pumped up from ground, and Westerners developed "dry farmin g." Increased mechanization. New wheat strains. But still, Western experience = far different from what it = made out to be. A truly humbling and harsh experience, in contrast to idealization it received in East and in Europe.