Migration Westward (College Board AP® US History)

Summary

During President Abraham Lincoln's administration and the end of the 19th century, the demographics of the West saw major changes as migration and immigration filled the region. This period of expansion attracted railroad workers, farmers, miners, and ranchers, all seeking opportunities. 

The Homestead Act of 1862, played a central role in shaping the American landscape by encouraging settlers to claim land and establish new communities in the Great Plains and other western territories. This migration came with challenges, from harsh environmental conditions to the demands of new agricultural and industrial practices.

Homestead Act of 1862

• The Homestead Act played a vital role in encouraging westward migration and reshaping the American landscape. It aimed to:

  • stimulate migration

  • grow the economy

  • encourage agricultural development

• The key provisions of the Act were:

  • it offered 160 acres of land at no cost to settlers, but required them to:

    • live on the land for at least five years

    • improve the land by farming or building

• The Act led to population growth in the West of approximately four million settlers

• Millions of acres of land were granted by the federal government, providing opportunities for Americans and immigrants

• Challenges were faced by settlers, making it hard to keep their land

  • Sodbusters was a term used to describe the farmers of the Great Plains because of the difficulties they faced plowing dense, compact soil

    • Plows were often broken attempting to work the soil

  • Harsh environment

    • Extreme weather, pests, and limited natural resources

    • Lack of materials for building homes

  • Economic and experience barriers

    • Lack of farming experience led many settlers to abandon their claims

Boomtowns

• The discovery of natural resources like gold and silver led to the rapid development of boomtowns

  • These towns sprang up around mining camps but often declined just as quickly once all the resources were used

• Boomtowns symbolized both the promise and the instability of the West

Ranching

• Ranching became a major industry in the West, particularly cattle driving

  • The demand for beef increased across the country

• Cowboy culture

  • Cowboys (including Mexican cowboys known as vaqueros) drove large herds of cattle from ranches to railyards

  • The romanticized image of cowboys contrasts with the harsh reality of their work, which was lonely and dangerous

• Major cattle trails included:

  • Chisholm Trail which ran from San Antonio, Texas, to Abilene, Kansas

  • The Goodnight-Loving Trail ran from Fort Belknap, Texas to Cheyenne, Wyoming

  • Western Trail which ran from San Antonio, Texas, through Oklahoma to Dodge City, Kansas

• Major rail yards became centers of the cattle trade, all located in Kansas, and became bustling hubs of commerce and culture:

  • Abilene

  • Wichita

  • Dodge City

• The cattle drives eventually came to an end because

  • barbed wire was used by farmers to mark the borders of their land which limited open grazing

  • the expansion of railroad lines eliminated the need for long cattle drives

    • Cattle could be loaded onto trains at closer points to ranches

Image: Cattle Trails of the West

Why People Moved West

• People were motivated to move West for:

  • the promise of a new start and opportunities to escape debt and poverty

  • independence through land ownership

  • the goal of self-sufficiency, often tied to farming