Plains Indians & Assimilation
What animal was central to Plains Indian life?
The buffalo
What breed of cattle was brought by the Spanish to Texas?
Texas Longhorns
What act gave 160 acres of free land to settlers?
The Homestead Act
What group of African Americans moved west after Reconstruction?
Exodusters
What was the main goal of the Populist Party?
To help farmers and laborers gain political power
What 1887 law broke up tribal lands to push assimilation?
The Dawes Act
What trail did cowboys use to drive cattle from Texas to Kansas?
The Chisholm Trail
What group founded in 1867 helped educate and unite farmers?
The Grange
What type of home did many settlers build due to lack of trees?
Soddies (sod houses)
What was bimetallism?
A monetary system using both gold and silver to back currency
What religious movement sought to restore Native culture but led to the Wounded Knee Massacre?
The Ghost Dance
What invention ended the open range?
Barbed wire
What was the main problem that led to Populism?
Debt from low crop prices and high shipping costs
What were three major hardships farmers faced on the Great Plains?
Drought, tornadoes, and pests
What event in 1893 hurt the economy and farmers?
The Panic of 1893
What event marked the end of the Indian Wars in 1890?
The Battle (Massacre) of Wounded Knee
What 1848 event brought thousands to California?
The Gold Rush
Who gave the “Cross of Gold” speech in 1896?
William Jennings Bryan
What act created land-grant colleges to improve agricultural education?
The Morrill Acts (1862, 1890)
What problem were farmers trying to solve with bimetallism and other Populist reforms?
Falling crop prices and debt caused by limited money supply and high railroad rates
How did the U.S. government view land ownership differently from Native Americans?
Settlers believed in private property; Natives believed land could not be owned
What were the dangers cowboys faced during the long drive?
Stampedes, bad weather, exhaustion, predators
Name two Populist reforms that later became law.
Direct election of senators, income tax, secret ballot, 8-hour workday
What were large, single-crop farms that often failed during droughts called?
Bonanza farms
How did Populism influence the 20th century?
Many reforms later became law (income tax, direct election, etc.)