Chapter 14: The Western Chapter 14: The Western CrossroadsCrossroads

(1860-1910)(1860-1910)

Section 2: Western FarmersSection 2: Western Farmers

Economic Development of the Economic Development of the West West

After the southern states seceded After the southern states seceded from the Union, Republicans passed from the Union, Republicans passed a series of acts in 1862 to turn public a series of acts in 1862 to turn public lands into private property that was lands into private property that was free of slavery. free of slavery.

Land ActsLand Acts

Three Three government government acts increased acts increased non-Indian non-Indian settlement of settlement of the Great the Great Plains.Plains.

Land ActsLand Acts

The Homestead Act permitted “any The Homestead Act permitted “any citizen or intended citizen to select citizen or intended citizen to select any surveyed land up to 160 acres any surveyed land up to 160 acres and to gain title to it after five years’ and to gain title to it after five years’ residence” if the person cultivated residence” if the person cultivated the land. the land.

Eventually 400,000 families took Eventually 400,000 families took advantage of the offer.advantage of the offer.

Land ActsLand Acts

The Pacific The Pacific Railway Act gave Railway Act gave lands to railroad lands to railroad companies to companies to develop a develop a railroad line railroad line linking the East linking the East and West coasts. and West coasts.

Land ActsLand Acts

The Morrill Act granted a total of more The Morrill Act granted a total of more than 17 million acres of federal land to the than 17 million acres of federal land to the states. The act ordered the sale of this states. The act ordered the sale of this land to finance the construction of land to finance the construction of agricultural and engineering colleges.agricultural and engineering colleges.

The act led to the founding The act led to the founding of more than 70 state of more than 70 state universities (including Penn universities (including Penn State).State).

Desire for LandDesire for Land

Competition for land was fierce. Competition for land was fierce. ‘‘Runs’ for land took place throughout the Runs’ for land took place throughout the

West. West. In October 1889 a flood of prospective In October 1889 a flood of prospective

settlers responded to a government offer of settlers responded to a government offer of inexpensive homesteads in Oklahoma in the inexpensive homesteads in Oklahoma in the

Oklahoma Land Rush. People Oklahoma Land Rush. People

came on horses, bicycles, and came on horses, bicycles, and

pushing wheelbarrows.pushing wheelbarrows.

The RailroadsThe Railroads

Railroad companies also lured Railroad companies also lured settlers west. settlers west.

Between 1869 and 1883, four rail Between 1869 and 1883, four rail lines were built across the West. lines were built across the West.

10 years after passing the Pacific 10 years after passing the Pacific Railway Act the U.S. government had Railway Act the U.S. government had given railroad companies more than given railroad companies more than 125 million acres of public land. 125 million acres of public land.

The RailroadsThe Railroads

Government officials believed that Government officials believed that railroad companies would promote railroad companies would promote western settlement and economic western settlement and economic growth. growth.

Settlers benefited from the Settlers benefited from the

nearby rail lines, using them to nearby rail lines, using them to

ship their crops to distant ship their crops to distant

markets. markets.

Question 1Question 1

How did the U.S. government How did the U.S. government encourage the growth of private encourage the growth of private property ownership on the Great property ownership on the Great Plains?Plains? by passing the Homestead Act and by passing the Homestead Act and

granting 125 million acres of public land granting 125 million acres of public land to railroad companies to railroad companies

Moving West Moving West

Three main groups traveled Three main groups traveled westward after the Civil War: westward after the Civil War: white Americans from the East white Americans from the East African Americans from the South African Americans from the South immigrants from foreign countriesimmigrants from foreign countries

Some sought economic opportunity, Some sought economic opportunity, and others hoped for racial and others hoped for racial tolerance. tolerance.

White SettlersWhite Settlers

Most white settlers Most white settlers moved from the moved from the states in the states in the Mississippi Valley, Mississippi Valley, where land was where land was expensive and expensive and difficult to obtain. difficult to obtain.

African AmericansAfrican Americans

African Americans moved west to escape the African Americans moved west to escape the violence and persecution they faced following violence and persecution they faced following the withdrawal of federal troops from the the withdrawal of federal troops from the South in 1877. Many fled to Kansas, South in 1877. Many fled to Kansas, especially during the Kansas Fever in 1879. especially during the Kansas Fever in 1879.

Some 20,000 to 40,000 African Americans Some 20,000 to 40,000 African Americans fled the South, where violence had broken out fled the South, where violence had broken out during elections in 1878. Known as during elections in 1878. Known as Exodusters, they trekked west, following Exodusters, they trekked west, following leaders such as Benjamin Singleton, a 70-leaders such as Benjamin Singleton, a 70-year-old former slave. year-old former slave.

ImmigrantsImmigrants

European immigrants went west. European immigrants went west. Many helped build the railroads, and Many helped build the railroads, and Russian immigrants may have Russian immigrants may have introduced the Russian thistle – also introduced the Russian thistle – also called tumbleweed – to the West. called tumbleweed – to the West.

Many of the Chinese immigrants to the Many of the Chinese immigrants to the U.S. worked as farmers, farm laborers, U.S. worked as farmers, farm laborers, produce vendors, or sharecroppers. produce vendors, or sharecroppers.

Question 2Question 2

Why did various groups of people Why did various groups of people migrate to the West? migrate to the West?

Chapter 14: The Western Chapter 14: The Western CrossroadsCrossroads

(1860-1910)(1860-1910)

Section 2: Western FarmersSection 2: Western Farmers

Western Environments and Western Environments and Farming Farming

The Great Plains region did not The Great Plains region did not prosper immediately. Supplies were prosper immediately. Supplies were expensive, and the environment expensive, and the environment posed problems for farmers.posed problems for farmers.

Scarce Resources - Water Scarce Resources - Water

Water was in short supply throughout Water was in short supply throughout much of the West. much of the West.

Farmers had developed irrigation systems Farmers had developed irrigation systems that used canals, dams, and sloping fields that used canals, dams, and sloping fields to control water flow. to control water flow.

The Great Plains had few water sources. The Great Plains had few water sources. Digging wells was difficult. Digging wells was difficult.

Some farmers used windmills Some farmers used windmills to draw water from their wells. to draw water from their wells.

Scarce Resources - TreesScarce Resources - Trees

Trees were also scarce on the Great Trees were also scarce on the Great Plains, which meant a lack of fuel Plains, which meant a lack of fuel and building material. and building material.

Some burned dried buffalo manure. Some burned dried buffalo manure. Some built sod houses, stacking Some built sod houses, stacking chunks of the heavy topsoil like chunks of the heavy topsoil like bricks. bricks.

USDAUSDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture The U.S. Department of Agriculture (1862) helped farmers adapt. USDA (1862) helped farmers adapt. USDA experts sought out and publicized experts sought out and publicized new varieties of wheat suitable for new varieties of wheat suitable for the Great Plains. Agents also taught the Great Plains. Agents also taught dry farming – new techniques that dry farming – new techniques that conserved moisture. conserved moisture.

New Farming Equipment New Farming Equipment

James Oliver’s plow factory in South James Oliver’s plow factory in South Bend, Indiana produced thousands of Bend, Indiana produced thousands of plows with sharp, durable blades that plows with sharp, durable blades that could slice through the tough sod of could slice through the tough sod of the Plains. the Plains.

New Farming EquipmentNew Farming Equipment

““Self-binding” harvesters cut wheat Self-binding” harvesters cut wheat and also tied it into bundles. and also tied it into bundles.

Many new devices used steam-Many new devices used steam-powered engines. powered engines.

CompetitionCompetition

Purchasing this new equipment put Purchasing this new equipment put many farmers into debt when they many farmers into debt when they bought the equipment to compete bought the equipment to compete with larger landholders. with larger landholders.

Bonanza FarmsBonanza Farms

Efficient new farm machinery and Efficient new farm machinery and cheap, abundant land enabled some cheap, abundant land enabled some companies to create a new kind of companies to create a new kind of large-scale operation, the bonanza large-scale operation, the bonanza farm.farm. Most were owned by large companies Most were owned by large companies

and operated like factories. and operated like factories.

Bonanza FarmsBonanza Farms

When weather conditions were When weather conditions were favorable, bonanza farms produced favorable, bonanza farms produced large profits, but in times of severe large profits, but in times of severe drought or low wheat prices, bonanza drought or low wheat prices, bonanza farm profits fell. farm profits fell.

The era of bonanza farms soon faded The era of bonanza farms soon faded due to their inability to handle boom due to their inability to handle boom and bust cycles. and bust cycles.

Question 3Question 3

What technological innovations made What technological innovations made farming profitable on the Great farming profitable on the Great Plains? Plains?

Farm Life on the Plains Farm Life on the Plains

Farm families on the Plains faced Farm families on the Plains faced many problems for which inventors, many problems for which inventors, manufacturers, and agricultural manufacturers, and agricultural experts had no ready answers. experts had no ready answers.

Sod houses were damp and dirty, Sod houses were damp and dirty, and the roofs often leaked or and the roofs often leaked or collapsed when it rained. collapsed when it rained.

Harsh Weather and Hard Harsh Weather and Hard Work Work

Winter on the Plains often brought Winter on the Plains often brought blizzards and bone-chilling cold. blizzards and bone-chilling cold.

The summer heat was also fierce.The summer heat was also fierce. There were droughts with no relief. There were droughts with no relief.

Harsh Weather and Hard Harsh Weather and Hard WorkWork

In the 1870s farmers faced swarms In the 1870s farmers faced swarms of grasshoppers that devoured of grasshoppers that devoured everything in their path, even the everything in their path, even the wooden handles of farming tools. wooden handles of farming tools.

Raging fires sometimes Raging fires sometimes

swept across the prairies. swept across the prairies.

Harsh Weather and Hard Harsh Weather and Hard WorkWork

Farming involved hard labor. Farming involved hard labor. Men did most of the heavy labor of building Men did most of the heavy labor of building

houses, fencing the land, and farming. houses, fencing the land, and farming. Women did household and child-rearing Women did household and child-rearing

tasks, and often spent hours in the field. tasks, and often spent hours in the field. They also tended gardens, preserved fruits They also tended gardens, preserved fruits and vegetables, and cared for farm animals. and vegetables, and cared for farm animals.

Children had chores that involved fetching Children had chores that involved fetching water, tending gardens, and churning butter.water, tending gardens, and churning butter.

Storytellers of the PlainsStorytellers of the Plains

Many western writers recorded Many western writers recorded stories about life on the Plains. stories about life on the Plains.

Willa Cather traveled west with her Willa Cather traveled west with her family to Nebraska. She grew up on family to Nebraska. She grew up on the farm and put her knowledge into the farm and put her knowledge into writing her books. She published her writing her books. She published her first in 1913, called first in 1913, called O Pioneers!O Pioneers!

OptimismOptimism Though life on the Though life on the

Plains inspired some to Plains inspired some to write, it was a very write, it was a very difficult life. Many difficult life. Many farmers had to farmers had to abandon their farms. abandon their farms. Many persevered, Many persevered, however, building however, building towns and remaining towns and remaining optimistic about the optimistic about the future. future.

Question 4Question 4

Provide examples of hardships that Provide examples of hardships that farmers on the Great Plains faced. farmers on the Great Plains faced. harsh weather harsh weather insects insects prairie fires prairie fires unending work unending work