Nevada’s Story

The Silver StateBattle Born

Objective #1- Ancient Nevada & GeographyI. Ancient Nevada

A. Ancient Lake Lahontan1. Large Lake, Most of Western Nevada2. Formed while Sierra Nevada Mnts. were still low

B. Dinosaurs!!!!1. Ichtyosaurus- Large Swimming Dinosaur

*Remains found in Central NevadaC. Ancient People

a. Lived in Caves around Lake Lahontan Ex. Lovelock caves (Duck Decoys & Fishing

Nets)b. Fished and Hunted

Objective #1- Ancient Nevada & GeographyII. Current Nevada Geography

A. It’s a DESERT!!!!!!!!1. WHY??– Sierra Nevada Blocks Rainfall/Snow2. Great Basin ‘Big Bowl’ (All of Nevada except

South)a.Rivers drain Inland (Not to Sea)

Ex. Truck ee, Humboldt, Walker, Carson3. Mojave Desert (Southern Nevada- Vegas)

a. Rivers drain to Colorado River to Pacific

Objective #1- Ancient Nevada & Geography

Bottom Left: Great Basin

Bottom Right: Ancient lake Lahontan

Top Right: Mojave Desert of Southern Nevada

• B. Rivers and Lakes

1. Northern Rivers all part of Great Basin

a. Small rivers that shrink in summer after snow is gone (water in reservoirs – Man made lakes)

2. Southern (Flow to Pacific Ocean)

-Colorado River, Lake Mead Reservoir

Created by Hoover (Boulder) Dam

Nevada

Mountain Ranges

Nevada

Lakes &

Rivers

Objective #2 – Native NevadansI. The Original People A. Ancient People / Pre-History (before writing)

1. Arrived from Asia 10,000-12,000 yrs. ago2. Used Stone Tools

B. Anasazi ‘The Old Ones’ (300BC-1150AD)1. Lived Near Las Vegas (under Lake Mead now)

2. Farmed, Cities, Trade3. Disappeared around 1150 (drought?)

C. Modern Native Americans1. Nomadic- Hunting & Gathering a. Follow animals and food based on

seasons(Winter-Valley /Summer-Mnts.) 2. Tribes- N. Paiute, S. Paiute, Washo,

& Shoshone3. Reservations

a. Areas Native Am. are given to break nomadic

lifestyle. b. Whites want them to farm

Objective #2– Native Nevadans

Objective #3- ExplorersI. Exploration (Gold/Furs/Travel Routes)

A. 1st Europeans to see Nevada- Spanish just look 1. Old Spanish trail goes through Southern NV

-Links New Mexico to CaliforniaB. 1st Explorers (Mountain Men Trapping Beaver)

1. Jedediah Smith (1827) a. Crosses thru South into Calf (mex. Mad) b. Crosses back through middle of NV and almost dies

(NO WATER)2. Peter Skene Ogden (1828/1829) a. 1st to see Humboldt River (60 Beaver per day!!!)3. Joseph Walker (1833-1834) a. Crosses from Salt Lake to California (Mexico Mad) b. 1st battle w/Native Am- Kills & Mutilates

‘Mnt. Man Example’4. James Beckwourth

(Af. American mountain Man) a. Found easier way over Sierras and now

Objective #3- ExplorersC. Kit Carson & John C. Fremont (Path Finders)

1. 1844 sent to explore better routes to Calif.2. 1st Mission- to South Pass3. 2nd Mission- South Pass to California

a. Mnt. Men Carson & Walker Helpb. Meets Chief Truckee @ Pyramid Lakec. Truckee helps them find route to Sierra Mountains to get to California

Objective #3- Explorers

Objective #3- ExplorersD. Routes Across Nevada

1. Spanish – Spanish Trail (1780)a. Across S. Nevada From New Mex. to Southern

Calif.) b. Now Interstate 152. Central Route (1830)

a. Across middle of Nevada, used as first mail road, stage road, telegraph, and Pony Express.b. Now Highway 50

(Loneliest road in America)c. Used by John Reese,

to get Sierras and set-up Mormon Station

d. NO WATER!!!!! Hardest Route

Objective #3- Explorers3. Northern Route (California Trail) (1830)

a. Peter Skene Ogden found Humboldt River.

*More water than Central Route.

b. Only 40mi. with no water between Lovelock and Truckee/Carson Rivers.

c. Used by most Settlers to get to California

(NO ONE WANTS TO STOP!!!)

d. Now Interstate 80 (Railroads also follow Route)

• **Settlement takes off with 1849 Gold Strike!!

CENTRAL & NORTHERN ROUTES

Objective #4- SILVER IN NEVADAI. People Just Passing through

A. Before this . .people just going to Calf.!!

B. Mormons in Nevada- Settled some farms in Washoe Valley but left in 1857 (Trouble with U.S. Gov’t)

1. Mormon Station (Genoa)- Trading Post for Wagon Trains at base of Sierra Nevada Mnts. (1st Roofed white Settlement)

II. Silver In NEVADA – (Hey people might stay!)

A. THE BIG ONE!!! – Comstock Lode (1859)

1. BLUE Mud getting in way of Little Gold

2. Mud taken to Calf.- It’s SILVER!!!!!

B. RUSH TO WASHOE!!!!! (Nevada)

1. Virginia City becomes 2nd Largest City west of Miss. River

2. San Francisco Booms with Ships & Supplies for Nevada

3. People from all over-

a. White, Black, Irish, Chinese, Spanish

Boundaries of State of Deseret, proposed by Brigham Young in 1849

Objective #4- SILVER IN NEVADAC. Life on the Comstock

1. No Rules / No Lawsa. First few years have no Lawb. Men / Money / Booze / Guns = TROUBLE

2. Big Mines are Hard Worka. Mining 2000ft below ground

-Uses huge Machines – Pumps & Elevators-Air Powered Drills – Steam Engines!!-Large Companies/Corporations own mines

b. Hot / Dangerous / Deadly3. Boom & Bust

a. Boom= Gold/Silver Huge Towns, People & $$b. Bust = No MORE!!

Ghost Towns, No $$ People Leave

Objective #5- Becoming A StateI. 1860- Taken from Utah Terr. – Now Nevada Terr.

A. Miners get U.S. to separate Nevada from Utah1. Miners do not want Mormon rules2. Had asked Calf. To annex them (Said No)

II. Battle Born- 1864 (Enabling Act)A. NV becomes state during Civil War 1. Why?

a. Lincoln needs Electoral College votes for 2nd ElectionB. Congressmen could help pass new Amendments to the

Constitution (Outlaw slavery / Punish South) 1. NOT because of silver to save the Union!** 2. Constitution sent entirely by Telegraph

a. Had to get to Washington fast so we could vote for Lincoln in 1864 election (Oct. 31, 1864- Nevada Day!)

http://www.clan.lib.nv.us/content.asp?id=1