Heimler's History: Westward Migration After the Civil War

Overview

• Focus on the society and culture of settlers in the American West post-Civil War.
• Examines causes and effects of westward migration (1877-1898).

Causes of Westward Migration

• Desire for self-sufficiency and independence.
• Facilitated by:
  • Homestead Act: Offered free land to settlers.
  • Transcontinental Railroads: Made travel and trade more accessible.

Life on the Frontier

• Cattle Trade:

  • Railroads in Kansas boosted cattle trade to eastern markets.
  • Birth of the "cowboy" culture.
  • Decline due to homesteaders' use of barbed wire fencing.

• Homesteaders/Sodbusters:

  • Majority didn't receive land through Homestead Act.
  • Many bought land from railroad companies.
  • Agricultural mechanization led to consolidation into larger agribusinesses.

Closing of the Frontier

• 1890: U.S. Census Bureau declared the frontier settled.
• Frederick Jackson Turner's Thesis:
  • Frontier experience shaped American democracy and character.
  • Closing frontier might lead to class conflicts like in Europe.

Impact on Native American Populations

• Reservation System:

  • Attempt to "solve" the "Indian problem" via strict boundaries.
  • Native lifestyles disrupted as buffalo herds were decimated.

• Resistance and Conflicts:

  • Sioux Wars (starting 1886): Initial successes followed by treaty restrictions.
  • Indian Appropriation Act (1871): End of recognition of Indian sovereignty.
  • Dawes Act (1887): Divided reservation lands into plots for individual Indian farming; promoted assimilation.

The Ghost Dance Movement

• A spiritual movement aiming to restore Indian lands and way of life.
• Wounded Knee (1890):
  • Last significant conflict in Indian resistance.
  • Over 200 Lakota Indians killed by U.S. Army, ending major resistance efforts.

Conclusion

• Reflects on the transformation of the American West and its cultural dynamics.
• Ends with a call to action for further learning and engagement with Heimler's educational content.

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