Development of the Plains, c1862–c1876 (Edexcel GCSE History)

Decrease in settlement.

Decrease in the cattle industry.

Rise in lawlessness.

Expansion of slavery.

Banking.

Agriculture.

Cattle ranching.

Mining.

Provide transportation for military forces.

Increase settlement in the West.

Build a city in Nebraska.

Reduce tensions with Indigenous peoples.

Homesteaders accused cattle ranchers of rustling their cattle.

Cattle ranchers accused homesteaders of damaging their property and using violence.

Cattle ranchers accused homesteaders of restricting access to public land.

Homesteaders accused cattle ranchers of using their power to take the best land on the Plains.

In 1851, the Dakota Sioux signed a treaty with the US government. The Dakota Sioux had to pay off $200,000 of debt to traders before they received their annuity.

The number of white settlers increased rapidly in Montana. Settlers took the fertile farming land within the Dakota Sioux's reservation.

Corrupt agents from the Bureau of Indian Affairs ran the Lakota Sioux's reservation. They gave the tribe rotten supplies.

In 1862, the government forced the Dakota Sioux to give away half of their reservation land in exchange for money to pay off their debts.

Many plots were sold to cattle ranchers and railroad companies.

Only 10% of claims were ‘proved up’.

It did not have a significant impact on the landscape of the Plains.

It was too expensive for most settlers to buy their claim.

He created barbed wire.

He developed ranching on the open range.

He created cow towns.

He promoted the use of ranch hands.

The spread of Texas fever.

Cattle rustling.

Raids on cattle ranches by Indigenous tribes.

The damage caused by stampeding cattle.

Cattle drives took longer in the open range. This meant that each cattle drive a cowboy did took months rather than weeks.

Open-range ranching was an issue in the winter for cowboys. Cowboys felt lonely and cold and had to rescue cattle from snowdrifts.

There was no difference in ranching on the open range for cowboys. Cowboys continued to lack freedom.

Working in the open range was easier. Cowboys worked together on the open range to protect the cattle.

The Peace Policy appointed new reservation agents. They allowed Indigenous people to follow their faith.

Ely Parker, a man with Indigenous ancestry, became the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. This inspired other Indigenous people to assimilate with white settlers.

The Peace Policy had negative impacts on the Indigenous tribes. They were no longer involved in negotiations and had no freedom to make their own choices.

The Peace Policy insisted that the government provided a $2 million budget to improve existing reservations. This improved conditions for many tribes.