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Signing of the Fort Laramie Treaty
The Fort Laramie Treaty was signed by the US government and a few select Indian nations. The US asked the Indians to keep to a certain amount of land and in return they would be given tools and gifts. This treaty was then broken when gold was discovered at PIkes Peak and miners rushed onto the Indian's land for the gold. The government then forced the Indians to sign a new treaty to give up the land with gold on it. This time, the Natives refused and attacked the white settlers. -
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Comstock Lode
Miners found gold in the Sierra Nevada mountains. As they went about, looking for gold, they were irked by the strange blue sand that was clogging their devices. Then they found out that this blue sand was rich with silver and that the 'Comstock Lode' was one of the richest silver mines in the world. After awhile miners moved on to other mines and other places and the Comstock Lode was forgotten. -
Kansas Becomes a State
Kansas earns statehood. -
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The Transcontinental Railway
Two companies began to build the first railway to connect the east and the west. The eastern branch started in Omaha, Nebraska, and was called the Union Pacific Railroad. The one that started in the west was the Central Pacific, which began in Sacremento, California. They both ended up meeting in Promotory Point, Utah. Building the railroads was a long and dangerous process. It ended up being worth it as it brought about a new era of history. -
The Chivington Massacre
In retaliation to the violence the breaking of the Fort Laramie Treaty caused, Colonel John Chivinginton attacked a nearby Cheyenne village with his militia. The Cheyenne surrendered but Chvinginton ignored this and ordered his men to kill every man, woman, and child and to destroy the village. Anger flared up on both sides over this. -
Nevada Becomes a State
Nevada joins the Union as a state. -
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The Cattle Kingdom
The Cattle Kingdom was the era of time in which cattle ranching was very popular. Many people would go out west to ranch cattle up the cattle trails so that they could be shipped east on trains. It was a dangerous and difficult job. The Cattle Kingdom came to an end when barbed wire was invented. -
The Invention of Barbed Wire
Barbed wire was invented in 1873 by Joseph Glidden. He was tired of cattle from the cattle trials tromping all over his fields and his property. He put up his newly invented fencing and it was very effective. Soon, many people were asking him for some. This helped to bring about the end of the cattle kingdom. -
Custer's Last Stand (or the Battle of Little Bighorn)
During the year of 1874, gold was found in the Black Hills of South Dakota, which was a Sioux reservation. Indian's fought back when miners arrived for the gold. Then, in 1876, Colonel George A. Custer lead his group of soldiers to fight back. It was 225 Americans against 2,000 Native Amercian warriors. Custer's forces were slaughtered. This was a win for the Indians, but it was their last victory in their war against the US government. -
Oklahoma Land Rush
This was an attempt by the governemt to get people to move out west. On April 22, 1889, people lined up at the OK border. They all rushed onto the land when the signal was give so that they could go claim their land. Surprisingly, it was a brutal and bloody event. Some people were trampled. There were also people called "sooners" who snuck in early so that they could claim land first.
