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Fort Laramie Treaty
This treaty was an agreement between the federal government and the plains indians. In it promised money, domestic animals, agricultural tools, and other goods. The deal eventually fell through seven years later once gold was discovered at Pike Peaks, Colorado. The Cheyennes and the Arapahos specifically were not happy with these settlers coming onto their land. The government forced them to write a new treaty to give up the land around Pike Peaks that they were promised. -
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The Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode was a huge amount of gold and silver. A lode is a particular space with a lot of gold or silver. After further testing, they determined that they had stumbled upon one of the richest mines in the world. After the gold and silver ran out, mminers started to move to other parts of the west. -
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The Transcontinental Railroad
The government wanted to build a railroad going across the continent. The Union Pacific started building west from Omaha, Nebraska. The Central Pacific Railroad began in Sacramento, California and was being built eastward. For every mile of track they laid they got 20 sections of land in the territories along the route. By the time the railroad was finished, the companies had recieved about 45 million acres of land. Both rail lines met at Promontory Point, Utah, on May 10, 1869. -
Chivington Massacre
After the Fort Laramie treaty, many white settlers were attakced. After a while these settlers got tired of being targeted by the indians. Colonel John Chivington led the attack on the Cheyene village that had earlier asked for help. The indians raised a white flag in surrender and an American flag as well. Chivington ignored both flags and attacked. Chivington's men killed more than 200 men, women, and children. This event outraged the indians as well as many Americans. -
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The Cattle Kingdom
The Cattle Kingdom came about after the Civil War when the demand for beef increased. Texas ranchers started rounding up large amounts of cattle and making the cattle go on trips north to the railroad called cattle drives. The work was hot and grueling. Many cowboys were Mexican vaqueros. In the 1870s there was a brief boom of cattle, but quickly died out. -
Nebraska Becomes a State
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National Grange Created
In 1867, farmers founded the National Grange. Their goal was to boost farm profits and reduce the rates that railroads charged for shipping grain. These farmers set up cooperatives. These cooperatives worked together to buy seeds and tools on wholesale so it's much cheaper. They were so influential that they got most western and southern farmers to vote for people who supported their cause. Unfortuantely, grain prices rose so they sank deeper into debt. -
Colorado Becomes a State
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The Exoduster Movement
Exodusters were former slaves who moved out west to find work. They were called Exodusters because of the book in the bible, Exodus, because a big amount of them left. These people moved primarily to Kansas. They were the largest group to move out west after reconstruction ended. They moved out west because their rights were slipping away. About 40,000 to 70,000 African Americans had moved to Kansas by 1881. -
Massacre at Wounded Knee
Many white settlers were scared of the Indians performing the ghost dance, so federal officers went to make them stop. In the scuffle, Sitting Bull was accidently shot. After Sitting Bull died, many Lakotas fled the reservation. The Army followed them until Wounded Knee Creek. The Indians were going to surrender, but a shot went off causing both sides to fire. Almost 300 natives were killed.
