Westward expansion
dry, flat, treeless land in the central United States
The Great Plains
land set aside for Native Americans by the U.S. government
reservation
to use something in a new or different way to better deal with the environment
Adaptation
U.S. general who lost the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
George custer
the process of becoming part of another culture; to blend in
Assimilation
the massacre by U.S. soldiers of 300 unarmed Native Americans
wounded knee
invention that made ranching and farming easier, but prevented carefree travel and hunting across the plains
barbed wire
Leader of the Sioux/Lakota tribe who was blamed for the Ghost Dance ceremony, which was seen as a war dance. Successfully led his tribe against U.S. General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
sitting bull
the belief that it is America’s destiny & right to expand its territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean
Manifest Destiny
roaming from place to place according to the seasons in search of food, water, and grazing land; no permanent home
nomadic
because there was a lack of timber on the Great Plains, settlers adapted to the environment and used buffalo grass (sod) and its roots to build their houses
sod house
Leader of the Apache tribe who opposed westward expansion into Native American lands. Fought against the U.S. government several times to stop their occupation of western territories.
geronimo
law passed in 1862 to encourage people to move West and settle. Farmers received 160 acres of land for a small fee if they would settle the land for at least 5 years.
homestead act
law passed in 1887 that tried, but failed to encourage Indians to become farmers
dawes act
the first completed railroad to cross the U.S. It stretched from Sacramento, California to Omaha, Nebraska
transcontinental railroad
the name for the 40,000- 70,000 African Americans who moved to Kansas seeking land to homestead and a better life than they had in the South after Reconstruction
exodusters
the time in U.S. history when thousands migrated to the West in search of mining fortunes
gold rush
the last major Indian victory; lead by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse against General Custer
Battle of Little Big Horn
in 1863 this is where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroad lines met to create the first transcontinental railroad
promontory point utah
Leader of the Nez Perce Indians; U.S. Army prevented them from escaping to Canada; he said, “I will fight no more forever.”
chief joseph