Lecture Notes - Chapter 17 Part 2: The West after Indian Wars

The Wild West

Outlaw Gangs
- Famous gangs included Jesse James & the Younger Brothers from Missouri
- Involved in robberies, especially trains and banks
- Jesse James had to flee to Kentucky at times but continued robberies
Northfield, Minnesota Robbery
- James Gang attempted a bank robbery
- Townsfolk fought back, capturing the Younger Brothers
- Many died; displayed the risk of bank robberies in well-organized towns

Dalton Gang
- Not as organized as modern gangs
- Members often shifted around between gangs
- Western towns were less connected until the telegraph system

Post-Civil War Boom
- Texas had a surplus of cattle, driven north to meet beef demand
- Trails like Chisholm Trail were used to reach towns like Abilene, Ellsworth, Dodge City
- Cattle towns moved west as railroads expanded
Cowboy Culture
- Cultural elements borrowed from Mexican vaqueros
- Chuck wagon, chili, roping, broad-brimmed hats, chaps, spurs
- Law enforcement in cattle towns (e.g., Wyatt Earp)
  - Lawmen dealt with drunk cowboys sternly but non-lethally

Prominent Figures & Groups
- Nat Love, renowned marksman and horseman
- Units like the 9th and 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers)
- Farmers like the Exodusters, freed slaves who settled in Kansas

Prospecting
- Gold panning in riverbeds, staking claims
- Larger companies eventually bought out rich claims
- Establishment and abandonment of boom towns
Environmental Impact
- Clear-cutting of forests for mining activities
- Creation of ghost towns after resource depletion

Government Aid for Railroads
- Land grants and federal aid (checkerboard land ownership)
- Promoted settlement and farming along railroads

Government Role
- Significant federal support in land, railroads, and resource extraction
- Myth nurtured by culture and entertainment (e.g., Buffalo Bill Cody)

Buffalo Bill Cody's Influence
- His shows portrayed a dramatized version of the Wild West
- Featured famous figures like Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull
- Shaped the popular image of the American West in both the U.S. and Europe

Artists and Depictions
- Charles Russell and Frederick Remington’s paintings
- Iconic scenes like pony express riders, buffalo hunts, cowboy life

Settlement Encouragement
- Homestead Act, Timber Act, Desert Land Act
- Large mining operations (e.g., Comstock Lode, Anaconda Copper)

Continuation of Historical Practices
- Towns like Dodge City remain cattle towns
- New industries, like oil extraction from the Bakken fields in Montana

The West has historically been a land for Americans seeking new beginnings and wealth.