Native Americans

Native Americans are members of the original indigenous people who originally lived in North America. Over time, settlers began to take over, and they forced the Natives to give up their land.

Lifestyle

Native Americans lived how many did in history, with men doing the hunting, and women doing the work at home like cooking, sewing, and taking care of the children. The main source of food for the Native Americans was buffalo. Not only was bufallo used for food, it was also used as material to build tipis, make clothes, shields, ropes, fuel, and tools. The tribal decisions were made by chiefs, and the elders would come to a consensus on the decision.

Wounded Knee

Wounded Knee was a massacre of Native Americans from various tribes which occurred on December 29, 1890. The massacre started because of a gun accidentally going off. At the end of the battle, over three hundred Native Americans were slaughtered by soldiers. This tragic event left a great scar on the American landscape, and it became a signific part of history for the United States.

Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull was a Native American born in 1831. He became very active in politics and war, and ultimately joined his first war party when he was only fourteen years old. He later went on to become the Chief of the Lakota tribe and led forces against the United States in the Battle of Little Bighorn. He died in 1890 during the massacre of Wounded Knee.

American Westward Expansion and Railroads

The United States began pushing towards the west of the country in the 1810s, and they had "Manifest Destiny" backing their actions against Natives, saying that it was their God-given duty.

Railroads were being built as early as the 1830s in the United States, but the country dramatically increased its building of them in the 1870s. The first transcontinental railroad was set up in 1869 and was a major contribution to transportation in the country.

American Settlers and Cowboy Lifestyle

Cowboys and vaqueros were a significant part of the westward expansion because of their work from herding cattle, taking care of horses, and even helping build ranches. 

Due to the federal land policy and the transcontinental railroad lines, rapid settlement began with a race to obtain land.

Railroad Problems

The time of railroads being one of the greatest ideas in US history at the time were slowly becoming a problem. The railroads were costing too much to produce and maintain, and secret agreements with grain brokers and merchants began taking place. In 1873, the stock market crashed, which led investors to rapidly sell investments they had, particularly on railroads.