Chapter 17: Settlement of the West

Wild West and Reconstruction

• Wild West: More myth than reality, popularized by movies.
• Era: Post-Reconstruction, Civil War memory transitioning.
  • Originally seen as a fight to restore the Union and later to free slaves.
  • Shift to Southern narrative of states' rights, minimizing slavery.
  • Veneration of Confederate leaders (e.g., Robert E. Lee).
  • Erasure of African American contributions.

Republican Party Shift

• Pre-Reconstruction: Anti-slavery reform-focused.
• Post-Reconstruction: Shift to pro-business, economic growth, expansion.

Diversity of Western Settlers

• Stereotype: Cowboys and Indians.
• Reality: Farmers, miners, sheep herders, cosmopolitan San Francisco (financial hub).
• Economy: Beyond agriculture—commercial activities, corporations in mining, railroads, and ranching.

Chinese Immigration

• Initial Phase: Starting with the Gold Rush, facing prejudice and violence.
• Railroad Construction: Significant impact working on the Central Pacific Railroad.
• Treaty of Burlingame (1868): Increased Chinese immigration.
• Post-Railroad (1869): Seen as job threats.
• Legislation: California constitution (1879) disenfranchised Chinese, Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) halted immigration.

Native American Tribes and Conflicts

• Relocation: Eastern tribes moved to the West (e.g., Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, Seminoles, etc.).
• Civil War Era: Ongoing conflicts in the West, e.g., Santee Sioux in Minnesota during the Civil War.
• Navajo Long Walk: Forced relocation to Fort Sumner (1863-68).
• Comanche Conflicts: Multiple campaigns against settlers.
• Red Cloud's War: Successful native conflict against the U.S. military.
• Mackenzie's Raid: U.S. cavalry incursion into Mexico.
• Battle of Little Bighorn: Custer's Last Stand, significant Native American victory.

Reasons for Native American Defeats

• Low Birth Rates: Unable to replenish warriors quickly.
• Winter Warfare: Whites could campaign in winter; natives couldn't.
• Buffalo Extermination: Loss of primary resource disrupted native life.
• Tribal Disunity: Lack of unity among tribes, used as scouts against each other.

Dawes Act (1887)

• Purpose: Assimilation of Native Americans into Western culture by allotting land for farming/ranching.
• Outcome: By 1930s, much land sold off cheaply to whites, many natives impoverished.