Terms
What is a cash crop?
A crop grown not for its own use but to be sold for cash.
What were diseases introduced by settlers?
Diseases that severely affected Native American populations.
What happened at Sand Creek?
A U.S.-led attack on a camp of unarmed Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, killing up to 500 Native Americans.
Why did the U.S. government want to remove Native Americans from western lands?
To make space for white settlers and expand agriculture and development.
What is a reservation?
A specific area set aside by the U.S. government for the use of Indians.
What caused conflict among groups in the West?
Ethnic and economic tensions.
What was the Red River War?
A series of conflicts between Comanche and Kiowa Indians and white settlers in Texas, ending with the opening of the Texas panhandle to white settlers.
What strategies did the government use?
Forced treaties, military action, and the establishment of reservations.
What is the Homestead Act?
Legislation that provided farm plots for people willing to live on and develop the land for five years.
What threatened Southern farmers' livelihoods?
The boll weevil.
What occurred at Little Bighorn?
A clash between Lakota Sioux and U.S. troops led by Custer, resulting in the deaths of Custer and all of his men.
What impact did the transcontinental railroad have?
It facilitated westward expansion and economic growth but also led to increased conflicts with Native Americans.
What is a vigilante?
A self-appointed enforcer of the law.
Why was the Farmers' Alliance formed?
To negotiate lower prices for supplies.
What was the significance of Wounded Knee?
The site where over 100 fleeing Indians were killed by U.S. troops.
How did assimilation affect Native American cultures?
It led to the loss of traditional practices and languages as Native Americans were encouraged to adopt European-American ways of life.
What is the open range?
A system by which branded cattle were allowed to graze freely on unfenced property.
How did railroads help cattle ranchers?
Provided a way to transport meat to eastern markets.
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1875 do?
Legislation that gave Black citizens the right to ride trains and use other public facilities.
What were the long-term effects of these conflicts?
Displacement of Native American tribes, loss of culture, and ongoing struggles for rights and recognition.