The Wild West - Movement West The Great Plains-Arid absence...

Movement West
 The Great Plains
-Arid, absence of moisture, an absolute desert
 View of the Great Plains
-Manifest Destiny: The 19 th century doctrine of belief that the expansion of the IS
throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable
-View of expansion had no room for African-Americans, and Native Americans were
expected to assimilate
 Louisiana Purchase
-Purchased the land from Napoleon who needed money for his wars
-Petitioned for funds from congress to explore the west—6 months before purchase
 Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806
-French interpreter along with Sacagawea, sent a peaceful message to Native
Americans
 What They Learned
-Nothing was really there, that’s how it gained the reputation of the Great American
Desert
Great Plains Indians
The Industrial Revolution
 Transcontinental Railroad
-Multiplier Industry: An industry that has an effect on other industries. They are
connected to one another. Ex. The railroad affected the lumber, coal, and oil
industries.
 Pacific Railway Act, 1862
-Union Pacific and Central Pacific
-Union Pacific (Nebraska-West) used Irish workers; Central Pacific (California-East)
used oriental
-Took six years of very hard labor to complete this project
 Massive Immigration and Urban areas in Midwest and East
 Farming
-The moisture in the topsoil evaporated very quickly; had to use a technique known as
Dry Farming
A type of farming practiced in arid areas without irrigation by planting drought-
resistant crops and maintaining a fine surface mulch that protects the natural moisture
of the soil from evaporation
 Morrill Land Grant College Act and the Homestead Act (1862)
-Illinois State University was the first college under this Act; we failed but still yay!