US History 10 Ch. 16 - Miners, Ranchers, and Farming the Plains

Henry Comstock Identification: Discovered pure silver ore; Comstock, Nevada 1859

• Led to the silver rush and economic growth in Nevada.

• Started the California Gold Rush in 1849.

• Founded the city of Las Vegas in 1865.

Hydraulic Mining

• Identification: A method of mining that uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment. Significance: Caused environmental damage and was eventually regulated due to its destructive impact.

• Identification: A method of farming that uses crop rotation to increase yield. Significance: Led to the development of modern agriculture.

• Identification: A process of extracting oil from underground reserves. Significance: Sparked the oil boom in the 19th century.

Open Range

• Identification: Vast areas of grassland owned by the federal government where ranchers could graze their herds for free. Significance: Enabled the cattle industry to flourish before the introduction of barbed wire and private property laws.

• Identification: A type of fencing used to divide farmland in the Midwest. Significance: Helped prevent cattle from escaping and led to the decline of the cattle industry.

• Identification: A government program that provided free land to settlers in the West. Significance: Encouraged westward expansion and the settlement of new territories.

Long Drive

• Identification: The overland transport of cattle by cowboys to railheads for shipment to market. Significance: Helped establish the cattle industry and contributed to the growth of towns along the railroads.

• Identification: The migration of settlers to California in search of gold. Significance: Led to the rapid population growth of the West.

• Identification: The construction of the transcontinental railroad. Significance: Connected the East and West coasts, facilitating trade and migration.

Hacienda

• Identification: Large estates or plantations in Spanish-speaking regions, often used for farming or ranching. Significance: Represented the social and economic structure of the Southwest and influenced land use patterns.

• Identification: Small urban dwellings in Spanish cities. Significance: Served as centers for political gatherings and urban development.

• Identification: Military forts built along the frontier. Significance: Provided defense against foreign invasions and native uprisings.

Barrios

• Identification: Urban neighborhoods in Spanish-speaking communities, often with a distinct cultural identity. Significance: Provided support networks for immigrants and preserved cultural traditions.

• Identification: Rural farming communities in Eastern Europe. Significance: Centers of agricultural innovation in the 19th century.

• Identification: Political factions in ancient Rome. Significance: Influenced the development of the Roman Republic.

Boomtown

• Identification: Towns that grew rapidly due to sudden economic growth, often near mining sites. Significance: Reflected the rapid development and decline associated with resource-based economies.

• Identification: Small rural villages that remained unchanged for centuries. Significance: Demonstrated the stability of agricultural societies.

• Identification: Towns that declined due to lack of resources. Significance: Showed the negative impact of overpopulation on urban areas.

Homestead

• Identification: Land given to settlers by the government under the Homestead Act to encourage westward expansion. Significance: Helped populate the West and promoted agricultural development.

• Identification: A type of Native American dwelling. Significance: Symbolized traditional indigenous lifestyles.

• Identification: A gold mining technique. Significance: Led to the California Gold Rush.

Dry Farming

• Identification: A method of farming in dry areas without irrigation by using moisture-conserving techniques. Significance: Allowed agriculture to expand into arid regions of the West.

• Identification: A system of farming that relies on heavy rainfall and frequent flooding. Significance: Helped prevent droughts in the Midwest.

• Identification: A technique of farming that depends on slash-and-burn methods. Significance: Led to rapid deforestation in the West.

Settlers moved west because of push and pull factors such as economic opportunities, land availability, and the search for a better life.

• Settlers moved west because of push and pull factors such as economic opportunities, land availability, and the search for a better life.

• Settlers moved west only to escape from cities with no other reasons.

• Settlers moved west solely to find gold and nothing else.