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Comstock Lode
When two prspectors struck gold in the Sierra Nevada, Henry Comstock demanded the land was his. Comstock and his partners complained about the heavy blue sand that was mixed in with the gold, It even clogged their devices. They took the blue sand to an expert and it happened to be loaded with silver. Comstock's lode was one of the richest silver mines in the world. -
Homestead Act
The homestead act gave famers about 160 acres for 12 dollars. this really changed life in the 1800's. Farmers could get a lot of land for such a little price. If they could mantain the land well, they could make a lot of money with the act. a negitive effect i think the act had is that it could have led to the Oklahoma land rush which was a tough time for many farmers and that defeated the purpose of the homestead act. -
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The Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad
The building of the railroad was long, hard, tiring, work. Chinese men were considered to be the hardest workers. There were many challanges for the builders. They had to get through the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. There was a low pay. Workers even curved the railroad to make more money, since more work was being done that way.The two railroads the union and central pacific, both met at Promontory Point in Utah. -
Nevada becomes a state
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Chivingon Massacre
Chivington led his militia to attack against a Cheyenne village when they came to ask for protection. The Indians wanted Peace but the American militia showed no pity and killed many Indians. Much of America was furious. This event was very significant. It was really the first battle that broke out between the Indians and Americans in this time period. This battle also led to other ones. It was the start of something bad. -
Fort Laramie Treaty
The Fort Laramie treaty was the Americans saying to the Native Americans that they would guarentee them land. The Americans broke their treaty when gold was found in the black hills. Gold miners started coming in to their land to search for gold. the significance of Fort Laramie Treaty was that this treaty was kind of the start of bigger issues with the Native Americans in The united States. They lost many rights and I think the start of that was this treaty. Also the treaty led to war. -
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Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the general of the Union army who prevailed over the confederate armies and accepted the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at the Appomattox court House. He was the nominee for the republicans in his election. He easily won the election. There were many scandals while he was in office because of his corrupt admisistration members. -
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The Cattle Kingdom
The cattle kingtom grew tremendously in the 1800's, and demand for cattle was high. Cattle spread across western America. Ranchers let their cattle run wild, but were very protective over their cattle with sheep. Eventually, there was barely enough grass for the cattle, diseases, and droughts which scorched the grasslands. Barbed wire was invented and many farmers enclosed their ranch with that, ending the Cattle Kingdom. The open range began to disappear, and the prices of beef were declining. -
Invention of Barbed Wire
Barbed wire was an impotant invention. It helped farmers tame their land in the 1880's. It greatly changed the west. without fencing, their livestock grazed freely. before babred wire, the lack of fencing limited farming and ranching practices. A farmer could also fence their land with barbed wire to mark his territiory and livestock. This effected cowboys because the barely had anywhere to go. It was all blocked off. -
Colorado becomes a state
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Rutherford B. Hayes
Hayes was the governer of Ohio for two terms before being elected president. He was the republican nominee in the election of 1876. He wanted to expand education for all kids in the United States, using federal funds. He also presided over the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, where many believed his response to the strike saved countless lives. -
OKlahoma Land Rush
In the land rush free homesteads were givin to farmers for free. When Oklahoma opened to the famers they charged into Oklahoma but then found out other farmers had snuck in and took the good land, The significane of this event it effected many farmers chance to start a new life by poeple sneaking in to Oklahoma. They packed up all their things to get a free homestead and found their chance were ruined. many farmers could have fallen into poverty from the land rush.
