Miners Ranchers Cowhands Growth in the West

Miners, Ranchers, & Cowhands Growth in the West 1860 -1900 Chapter 19, Section 1

Essential Questions: • Is the success or failure of a country related to that country’s geography? Will certain countries always be successful? Will certain countries always be cursed? • How did the geography of the West promote economic opportunities for settlers?

The Frontier (1860)

The Great Plains: • Area of the United States from Missouri River/Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains • Settler were NOT Attracted to the Great Plains • Rolling Plains, Dry Plateaus, Deserts

Impact of the Railroads: • Railroads Brought Natural Resources (Minerals, Timber, Crops, Cattle) from the West to Eastern Factories & Markets • Trains Brought Miners, Ranchers, and Farmers Out West

Railroads’ Impact on Native Americans?

Silver and Gold Rush: Colorado and Nevada • Over 100, 000 Miners Rushed Out to Pikes Peak, CO in Search of Gold • Miners Rushed Out to Comstock Lode, NV in Search of Silver and Gold

Boomtowns • A Town that has a Sudden Burst of Economic or Population Growth • San Francisco, Denver, (Gold Rush) • Was Valhalla a Boomtown?

More Gold Strikes!!! • 1874 – Gold Strike in Black Hills, SD • 1891 – Gold Strike at Cripple Creek, CO • 1896 – Gold Strike in Yukon Territory (Canada) • Hopeful Miners Came From All Over the World: – Europe – South America – Mexico – China

Early Miners: Panning and Sluicing • Most Miners Never Found Gold and Went Broke! • Early Miners Panned and Sluiced. Very Ineffective! • Most Miners Sold their Land to Large, Rich, Mining Companies!

Large Mining Companies • Large Mining Companies Bought Miners Lands (REAL CHEAP because they went BROKE!) • Companies Had the $$$ to Buy Drilling Equipment! • Used Water Cannons, Dynamite, Drilled Underground Shafts (Tunnels to Drill in the Mountains)

Mining: A Tough Life • Companies Owned the Mines – NOT the Workers! • Miners Had a Tough Life(Still Do Today) ): – Poor Pay – Deadly Cave Ins – Breath in Dust – Lung Problems

New States From Mining: • 3 States were Added to the Union: – Nevada – Colorado – South Dakota

Rise of the Cattle Industry • Extension of Railroad Lines into the Frontier Helped Bring Cattle to the East • Beef was VERY Expensive in the East!!! Why so?

The “Man with the Plan!” • Joseph Mc. Coy was an Illinois Livestock Dealer – Lived Outside Chicago • Realized Railroads Could Bring Beef to the East (MORE $$$) • Just Had to Get Cattle from Texas to a Town with a Railroad • Hired Cowhands and Vaqueros for the Long Drives

Joseph Mc. Coy and the Long Drives • Joseph Mc. Coy Started the Long Drives: – He bought the Cattle in Texas, Let them Feed on the Frontier (No Cost) – Hired Cowhands & Vaqueros to Take them North to Abilene, KA – Cattle was sold for 10 x More, Processed, Put on Trains, & Brought to the East • Beef/Leather/Belts/ Shoes/Jackets/Etc…

Vaqueros (Cowboys) • Vaqueros were the 1 st Ever Cowboys/ Cowhands • They Taught American Cowboys how to Rope and Ride Cattle • They brought the Cattle North on the Long Drives • 1 out of 3 Vaqueros were either Mexican or African Americans (former slaves)

The 3 Amigos!!!

The Wild, Wild West • In Your Own Words? • On the Frontier and in Developing. Towns, NO Government! No Police Officers • A lot of Drinking/ Gambling/ Stealing • Billy the Kid

Vigilantes • For Protection, Citizens Formed Vigilantes • Took the Law into Their Own Hands! • Usually Hangings or Shootings on the Spot! • What’s Wrong with this? ? ?

Reasons Why the Cattle Industry Collapsed • Too Much BEEF! Prices Dropped from $30 to $7 • Barbed Wire! Settlers Fenced in Their Lands (Nothing to Eat and Can’t Get to the Railroad Towns) • Bad Winter on the Plains (1886 -1887) Thousands of Cattle Died – Ranchers Went Out of Business

Essential Questions: • Is the success or failure of a country related to that country’s geography? Will certain countries always be successful? Will certain countries always be cursed? • How did the geography of the West promote economic opportunities for settlers?