GCSE Edexcel History: The American West Study Notes

Plains Indians and Their Nomadic Lifestyle

The Plains Indians weren't just one group - they were actually a collection of many different tribes that formed nations, with some tribes having sub-tribes and bands of 20-1000 people working together for survival.

Horses completely transformed how Plains Indians lived. These prized animals gave them the ability to live a nomadic lifestyle, moving around as hunter-gatherers rather than staying in one place. They'd relocate when horses needed new pasture or food became scarce.

This constant movement across untamed land gave Plains Indians a sense of living on an endless landscape with no concept of land ownership. Horses became much more than transport - they were a measure of wealth, power and status within tribes.

Key Point: Horses enabled Plains Indians to follow buffalo herds and live sustainably on the Great Plains for generations.

The Buffalo: A Complete Life Source

You might think the buffalo was just food, but it was actually the foundation of Plains Indian society. Every single part of the buffalo was used - nothing went to waste.

For food, Plains Indians used fat for cooking and hair grease, ate tongue as a raw delicacy, and consumed liver for its nutritional value. Crafting materials came from everywhere: tanned hide became tipi covers and bedding, bones were shaped into tools and jewellery, and sinews provided bowstrings and thread.

The religious and cultural significance was equally important. Buffalo skulls featured in sacred ceremonies, dung was burned in special rituals, and the heart was left on the ground to give new life to the herd - showing how Plains Indians saw buffalo as sacred beings giving their lives so people could live.

Buffalo hunts weren't just about survival - they were social events where bands joined together, boys became men, and buffalo dances celebrated the connection between people and animals. Care was always taken to leave enough buffalo behind for future generations.

Remember: The buffalo provided everything Plains Indians needed - food, shelter, tools, and spiritual connection.

Early Pioneer Movement West

From the 1830s onwards, thousands of Americans began crossing the Great Plains heading west, creating one of history's largest mass migrations. The Oregon Trail, opened in 1836, became the main route for this westward movement.

Push factors drove people from the East: the 1837 economic depression closed banks and destroyed savings, cereal crop prices crashed, and unemployment soared. Meanwhile, pull factors attracted them west: fertile farmland in Oregon, California's sunny weather perfect for fruit farming, and the 1842 Pre-emption Act allowing settlers to claim 160 acres for just $1.25 per acre.

The concept of Manifest Destiny convinced Americans they had a God-given right to spread 'civilisation' across the continent. Mountain men (fur trappers) became the first to cross the Plains, later serving as expert guides for wagon trains.

This 2,000-mile journey was incredibly challenging. Pioneers faced crowded trails with 500,000 people travelling, had to carve paths over rocks for delicate wagons, and often threw possessions overboard to lighten their load.

Did You Know?: The journey took months, with wagon trains covering only 12-15 miles per day while mostly walking alongside their wagons.

The Mormons and Religious Migration

The Mormons represented a unique type of westward migration - they weren't seeking gold or farmland, but religious freedom. Founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s, this new Christian movement created the Book of Mormon and grew from 1,000 members in 1831 to thousands more.

However, Mormons faced persecution everywhere they settled. In Ohio, they were blamed for banking failures during the 1837 depression. In Missouri, their anti-slavery stance made them unpopular in a slave state. In Illinois, news of polygamy outraged non-Mormons, leading to Joseph Smith's arrest and murder by a mob in 1844.

After Smith's death, Brigham Young led the Mormons to the Great Salt Lake in 1847. This isolated, inhospitable area wasn't part of the US and seemed perfect for avoiding further persecution.

Despite facing a saltier-than-ocean lake and harsh farming conditions, the Mormons succeeded through cooperative systems. The church assigned farmland based on need, created irrigation systems, established industries, and built a grid-pattern city that became Salt Lake City.

Success Story: Mormon cooperation and planning turned an empty, hostile environment into a thriving community that attracted converts from Europe and South America.

The California Gold Rush and Its Impact

In 1848, James Marshall's discovery of gold near Sierra Nevada triggered one of America's most dramatic population booms. When President Polk confirmed the discovery in December 1848, the news spread like wildfire across America and the world.

The results were staggering: 300,000 people journeyed to California between 1849-1855, and San Francisco exploded from 1,000 residents in 1848 to 60,000 by 1855. People came from across America, China, and other countries, all seeking instant wealth.

However, the Gold Rush created serious problems. Mining towns had no organised law enforcement, leading to claim jumping (stealing someone's mining claim) and constant disputes. When gold became scarce, racial tensions escalated as white miners blamed immigrants for taking 'their' gold.

The rapid development of California was undeniable though. Cities sprang up almost overnight, businesses flourished supplying miners, and California's population growth helped it achieve statehood much faster than expected.

Reality Check: Most miners didn't get rich - the real money was made by those selling supplies, tools, and services to hopeful prospectors.

Government Control and the Fort Laramie Treaty

As white migration increased dramatically during the Gold Rush, conflicts with Plains Indians became inevitable. The 1851 Indian Appropriations Act provided money to place Plains Indians on reservations, marking a major shift in government policy.

The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 emerged from growing tensions. Wagon trains disturbed buffalo herds and livestock consumed food on the Plains, putting pressure on resources that Plains Indian tribes depended on. This increased the likelihood of conflict between tribes competing for limited resources.

White settlers' fear of attacks grew, often based on misunderstanding tribal violence as threats directed at them specifically. Demands for government protection led to calls for forts along the Oregon Trail to safeguard migrants.

The treaty attempted to solve these problems by creating defined territories for different tribes and establishing safe passage for white settlers. However, this marked the beginning of the end for the traditional Plains Indian way of life, as the government increasingly controlled and restricted their movements.

Turning Point: The Fort Laramie Treaty represented the start of systematic government control over Plains Indians, forever changing life on the Great Plains.