The document discusses the history of the American West from the first European arrivals to the late 19th century. It notes that Westward expansion began with Columbus and continued as the Spanish settled parts of the modern Southwest and California. The Louisiana Purchase accelerated Westward movement as settlers moved onto newly acquired lands looking for opportunities. This brought conflicts with Native Americans who already inhabited the lands. Key events like the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Gold Rush further opened the West. The Transcontinental Railroad and end of the frontier period in 1890 marked the taming of the Western lands. Hollywood later romanticized the Wild West, though the reality was far more complex with tensions and changing landscapes.

3. What is the West?
When did it start?
Where does it start?

4. ? ? What do we generally know ? ?

5. History of the American West!
http://cdm15330.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/searchterm/X-21803
It is theforgottenAmerican history…

6. We all have these images
ingrained in us of John Wayne
and the Indians that Hollywood
has put in our heads …
BUT ? ? ?
What was it really like??

7. It started from the moment
of Christopher
Columbus…
Then went into a time
period when the
Spanish moved
throughout Mexico
up into what we know
as California, New
Mexico, Arizona and
some evidence of
evenfurther.

8. What we commonly think as the big moment of
Westward expansion is the purchase of the lands
west of the Mississippi…
What we forget is that from almost the beginning of
European influence in the colonies people were
moving west looking for more land and riches.

9. This is where we start to encounter a darker part of the
American history . . .
The issues between the white settlers and their
aggressive movements into lands possessed
by the Native Americans
This conflict would continue
from colonial times all the
way through till today..

10. The expedition of Lewis and Clark…
Sent by Thomas Jefferson,
Washington D.C., June 20, 1803
To Meriwether Lewis Esquire, Captain of the first regiment of
Infantry of the United States of America.The Object of your
mission is to explore the Missouri river & such principal stream of
it as by it's course and communication with the waters of the
Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any
other river may offer the most direct & practicable water
communication across this continent for the purpose of
commerce.
http://www.lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=3018
Explored the lands from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean
Embarked with the Presidents word to explore and
document the land and the Indians that occupy that land.

11. When they returned the men did not gain the praise
that we give them today.
But…
They opened up a whole immense landmass that
changed the American Landscape figuratively and
literally.

13. With the opening of the west people that lacked
sufficient land and possessions could now have a
piece of land to cultivate and live freely.
People started to move fast and furious throughout the
west settling in areas.
Towns popped up BIG and small. Famous and
ghostly empty.

14. All pushing forward with the idea of Manifest Destiny
behind their actions.
John Gast

15. The west was involved in monstrous capital endeavors
From the goldrush . . .
The creation of the transcontinental railroad
The forgotten trading offursfrom the earliest of
western expansion throughout the whole of the
history of the American West.

16. While all of this was going on the tensions between the
settlers and the Native Americans became more and
more elevated.
The famous men with
names like Custer,
Sitting Bulland Crazy
horse have
become synonymous with
the times and battles that
had endured.

17. In 1890 the census was taken and what came from
this was the end of a clear line of expansion of the
west.
People who were once scattered throughout this
rugged land now were coming together to create the
next great American landscape.

18. What started to develop towards the end of the
western expansion were great stories of great men.
These tall tales turned into movement where men
where idolized and glorified for their adventures in
the west, fictional or not

19. The fiction continued and resurged into Hollywood.
Larger than life men were
recreated by movies
and stories.
The west itself became
jumping point for many young
actors portraying frontier men
and cowboys.

20. Hollywood itself pushed a fair amount of knowledge
forward. . .
Most of their stories pulled
from the fantasy aspects of
the West . . .
They did create a buzz around the
history and keep popular a time
in American History that is
almost forgotten about as
being important.

21. The west itself is a place that will be changing with the
American mindset yet still having it represent this magical
place of beauty and adventure . . .

22.  What were the lands that Lewis and Clark explored?

23.  West of the Missouri
To explore a route via water to
the Pacific

24.  When did Westward movement start in
the Americas?

25.  The moment Christopher Columbus
arrived !

26. Is the American West what we all can picture from
movies and t.v. shows ?
OR
Is is a very complex and still changing to this day ?

27. COMPLEX AND CHANGING

28.  Find your answers on reliable sources.
 Please do not use quotes for the answers but actual
articles and summarize.
 Bring both your summary and the article to class.
 We will open 5-10 minutes next class to discuss
these further questions.

29.  http://www.davidrumsey.com/maps286.html
 http://dimland.blogspot.com/2011/11/dimland-radio-11-26-11.html
 http://www.lewis-clark.org
 http://www.tlaupp.com/LPTerritory.html
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:American_progress.JPG
 http://www.wikipedia.org/
 http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/westweb/
 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/codhtml/hawphome.html
 http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/