Frontier West

I. Introduction Ð'- Overview

a. The View of the West

i. Land of economic opportunity

ii. Bountiful natural resources

b. Impact on Others

i. Elbowed aside Indians

1. There was resistance

ii. Stereotyped Mexicans in Southwest

iii. Prejudice against Chinese immigrants

c. Federal government gave assistance

II. Indians, Hispanics, and Various Migrations

a. Overview

i. Over 360,000 lived in this area

ii. In Southwest

1. Hopis and Zunis found accommodation with conquerors and practiced agriculture and sheepherding and traded with the Mexican rancheros

2. Pueblo Indians and rancheros endured attacks by Apaches and Navajos

iii. On the Great Plains

1. Horses by Spanish (16th century) and firearms by British (18th century) gave mobility

2. Commercial and other contacts with non-Indians were important

3. But contact massively disrupted life

a. Diseases Ð'- measles, diphtheria, and especially smallpox

i. Pawnees in Nebraska

ii. Various tribes in Washington, Oregon, and Nevada

b. Physical disruption

i. Whites had no understanding of the culture

1. extended family networks

2. tasks divided by gender

3. religion centered on nature

ii. Little respect for savages

iii. No understanding of importance of buffalo

iv. Placed on reservations where they suffered also

v. Suffered the misguided efforts of reformers

b. Hispanic America

i. New Mexico