Native Americans
Animals Native Americans lived off of on the Great Plains.
Buffalo
This type of farming required different equipment and methods for growing crops on the Great Plains
Dry-farming
Shipping stations on the railroads that moved cattle back East.
railheads
People got this when they thought they could get rich by finding gold out West?
Gold Fever
Another nickname that was given to the Great Plains during this time period?
The Great American Desert
The great land rush in this state in 1889 was one of the last great injustices to the Native Americans.
Oklahoma
Due to increasing prices of farm equipment farming was taking over by these?
Big Business/Bonanza Farms
Important invention on the plains that allowed farmers to protect land, cattle, crops, and water rights.
barbed-wire
This was an abundant natural resource in the Upper Northwest
timber, trees
How long did cattle drives last?
15 years
The American government Indian policy of absorbing Indians into white culture
assimilation
This Act of 1862 encouraged settlement West by giving 160 acres of free land if settlers stay 5 years.
Homestead Act of 1862
This was a series of books (eventually tv shows) showing the life of settlers on the Great Plains
Little House on the Prairie
What was Alaska's most important natural resource it offered?
oil
Alaska turned out to be a bargain for the US because why?
Had an abundance of natural resources
Indian battle that occurred because American soldiers feared "Ghost Dancers" who believed their vests were bullet proof.
Battle of Wounded Knee
This government act gave another 160 acres of land if settlers agreed to plant trees on 40 acres of it.
Timber Culture Act
Blacks that moved west out of the south to farm or be cowboys on cattle drives
Exodusters
After a while mining required lots of equipment to search for precious metals and was taken over by these?
Big companies, Big business
Short fiction novels portraying the life in the West as adventurous that many people read.
dime novels
What was the downside to the Dawes Act (1887)?
- 80 acres of land to one person
- 160 acres to a family
Gave extra reservation land to white settlers. (millions of acres)
Government act that gave 640 acres of land at $1.25 an acre if they irrigated it.
Desert Land Act
This government act gave land for states to sell and fund universities educating in the fields of mechanical and agricultural work (A&M)
Morrill Act
This group arrived out west and ended up making lots of money off of running saloons, grocery stores, laundromats, etc.
Chinese immigrants
What year did the Frontier officially close?
- 2 people per square mile in the US now
1890