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Unit 2: Chapter 7- Looking to the West (1680-1900): Terms: America Pathways to the Present 2005

Key Concepts:

Terms in this set (35)

Push pull factors
Events & Conditions that either force (push) people to move elsewhere or strongly attract (pull) them to do so - reasons for major migrations -
Pacific Railway Acts
Granted every alternate section of public land to the amount of five alternate sections per mile on each side of the RR - gov gave large land grants to the Union Pacific and Central Pacific RR - received
Morrill Land- Grant Act
Gave state gov millions of acres of western lands, which could raise money for colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts - congress passed it in 1862
Land Speculators
People who bought up large areas of land in the hope of selling it later for prophet
Homestead Act
Signed by President Lincoln, 1862 - it was that the settlers could have 160 acres of land for a small fee if : were older then 21 or head of family, american citizen , built house a certain size , lived in it for at least 6 months a year and farmed land.
Exodusters
African American settlers who followed reconstruction - 50000 of them migrated west - Benjamin Pap Singleton was leader
Great Plains
vast grassland between the Mississippi river and rocky mountains - changed NA lives - buffalo was huge part on plains : gave food , clothing and shelter - horses were brought from Mexico in 1700s
Nomads
Native American people who traveled from place to place following food sources instead of living in 1 location - used horses
Reservations
federal lands set aside - Native Americans were restricted to them
Battle of Little Bighorn
June 1876, battle between George Custer and Siox - Siox won with 2,000 warriors killing 200 per hour - took place in Montana - Custer was demolished
Ghost Dance
Ritual where people joined hands and whirled around in a circle - was promised by prophet - popular with Teton Sioux - responded with violence (difference in culture)
Massacre at Wounded Knee
Last major episode of violence in the Indian wars - officer killed sitting Bull - 120 men , 230 women and children surrendered at creek, someone fired which lead soldiers to open fire killing 200.
Assimilation
Process by which one society becomes part of another, more dominant society by adopting its culture
Dawes act
Divided reservation land into individual plots - each NA received a plot - 160 acres - land holders were granted US citizenship subject to local state and federal laws
Boomers
Settlers who staked claims on about 2 million acres
Sooners
People who had seaked past the gov officials earlier to mark their claim
Placer mining
Technique using a shallow pan in which a miner scooped dirt and water, then swished it around - lighter particles washed away while the gold was left behind
Long drive
Herding of thousands of cattle to railway centers across the plains - cowboys used it
Homesteader
Those who farmed claims under the Homestead act - first order was to build a home - built a dugout or soddie
Soddie
Person living in a Sod Home structure with walls and roof made from blocks of sod - strips of grass with the thick roots and earth attached - cost less then 10 $
Dry Farming
Water Conversation Technique : including planting crops that do not need so much water- keeping fields with no weeds and digging furrows so water can reach the plants root
Bonanza farms
operations controlled by large business, managed by pros and raising massive quantities of single cash crops.
Turner thesis
Theory that was made by Historian Frederick Jackson Turner - 1893- claimed that the frontier had played a key role in forming the American character
Stereotype
Exaggerated or over simplified descriptions of reality
money supply
the amount of money in the national economy
Deflation
a sustained drop in the price level
monetary policy
The management of the money supply and interest rates
bimetallic standard
currency that consisted of gold or silver coins or the united states treasury notes that could be traded in for gold or silver.
free-silver
unlimited coining of silver dollars to increase the money supply
Bland-Allison Act
1878 act required the federal government to purchase coin more silver, increasing the money supply and causing inflation
Sherman Silver Purchase Act
1890 , increased the amount of silver the government was required to purchase every month
the Grange
Established in 1867, organization helped farmers for cooperatives and pressured state legislators to regulate business on which farmers depended
Interstate Commerce Act
1887 law passes to regulate railroad and other interstate business
Populist
follower of the Peoples party. Formed in 1891 to advocate a larger money supply and other economic reforms
Cross of Gold Speech
William Jennings Bryan's 1896 address at the Democratic Convention; one of the most famous speeches in American History
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