An Overview of the History of the Great Plains (1491 to 2015)
Produced for my APUSH Students’ Year-End Review
The Great Plains stretch across a vast portion of the central United States. Given the frequent mention of the Plains in APUSH, I have produced this post. It’s designed to offer my students a comprehensive overview of this significant region, all in one convenient location.
First, a map of the Great Plains:
1491–1800:
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Great Plains were home to a variety of indigenous tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Pawnee. These tribes were primarily nomadic, relying on hunting, gathering, and fishing for their livelihoods. The arrival of Europeans in the 16th century brought diseases such as smallpox that devastated many of these tribes, with some estimates suggesting that up to 90% of the indigenous population on the Great Plains died from these diseases.
The Spanish were among the first Europeans to introduce horses to the Americas, and the introduction of horses had a significant impact on the Native American tribes living on the Great Plains. The horse allowed these tribes to become more mobile and efficient in hunting and warfare, which helped to shape the culture and traditions of the Plains tribes.
The buffalo, or American bison, was a crucial resource for the Native American tribes of the Great Plains, providing food, clothing, and shelter. The Plains tribes relied on the buffalo for their survival and developed a deep reverence for the animal.
1800-1900:
In the early 1800s, the region was largely unexplored by Americans, with the exception of a few fur trappers and traders.
However, in 1803, the United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase, which included much of the Great Plains region. This acquisition paved the way for westward expansion and the settlement of the Great Plains.
Throughout the 1800s, the Great Plains were the site of significant conflicts between Native American tribes and European settlers. The United States government signed numerous treaties with Native American tribes during this time, but many were broken or ignored as settlers continued to move westward.
One significant event during this time was the Mexican-American War of 1846–1848, which resulted in the acquisition of even more land in the western United States, including parts of the Great Plains. The war also led to increased tensions between the United States and Mexico, which would have lasting impacts on the region.
As the 1800s progressed, the Great Plains became a center for the expansion of agriculture in the United States. Farmers began to use new technologies like barbed wire and windmills to settle the land and increase productivity. The development of railroads also made it easier to transport goods and people across the region.
However, the growth of agriculture and settlement came at a significant cost to Native American tribes. The displacement of Native Americans from their traditional lands and the destruction of buffalo herds, a primary resource for many tribes, led to widespread poverty and suffering.
In addition, the arrival of European settlers in the Great Plains led to conflicts with Native American tribes. These conflicts often turned violent, with both sides suffering significant casualties. The United States government also pursued a policy of forced assimilation during this time, with the establishment of boarding schools for Native American children and the forced removal of Native American children from their families.
Overall, the 19th century was a period of significant change and conflict in the history of the Great Plains. While the expansion of agriculture and settlement brought economic growth and prosperity to the region, it also had devastating effects on Native American tribes, who were forced to adapt to new ways of life or face displacement and marginalization.
1900s-2000s
The 20th century brought about significant changes to the Great Plains, as the region continued to adapt and evolve in response to economic, political, and social changes.
One significant event during this time was the discovery of oil in the Great Plains region. The first significant discovery was made in Texas in 1901, and soon after, oil booms were seen in other parts of the Great Plains, including Oklahoma, Kansas, and North Dakota. The oil industry brought significant economic growth and prosperity to the region, but also had negative impacts on the environment and on local communities.
Another major development during this time was the Dust Bowl, a severe environmental disaster that occurred in the Great Plains during the 1930s. Drought, coupled with poor land management practices, led to massive dust storms that destroyed crops, homes, and livelihoods. The Dust Bowl had a significant impact on the people and communities of the Great Plains, leading to widespread poverty and migration to other parts of the country.
The mid-20th century saw significant changes in agriculture as well, as technological advancements and government policies led to increased productivity and efficiency. The use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other technologies revolutionized farming practices in the Great Plains, but also had negative impacts on the environment and on human health.
Throughout the 20th century, the Great Plains continued to be a site of political and social conflicts, particularly around issues of land ownership, water rights, and environmental protection. Native American tribes continued to fight for recognition of their sovereignty and land rights, and environmentalists advocated for protections of the region’s unique and fragile ecosystems.
In recent decades, the Great Plains have also been impacted by climate change, with rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events. These changes have had significant impacts on the region’s agriculture, water resources, and communities.
Despite the challenges and conflicts of the 20th century, the Great Plains remain a vital and important region of the United States, with a rich history and diverse culture. Today, the region continues to adapt and evolve in response to new challenges and opportunities, while maintaining its unique character and spirit.
2000-Present
In recent years, the Great Plains have faced a variety of challenges, including declining population, economic inequality, and environmental degradation. Climate change has led to more frequent droughts and wildfires, and the region is also facing the impacts of oil and gas extraction, including the risks of spills and contamination of groundwater. The Great Plains are also home to a number of Native American communities, who continue to face challenges related to land rights, health care, and economic opportunity.
Word, Terms, and Phrases
The American Bison
The American Bison, also known as the buffalo, once roamed the Great Plains of North America in enormous herds, numbering in the millions. The bison were essential to the lives of many Native American tribes, who depended on them for food, clothing, and shelter.
The bison were well adapted to the Great Plains environment and were able to survive harsh winters and droughts. They were also able to move great distances to find food and water, which allowed them to thrive in the grasslands.
However, in the 19th century, the bison population began to decline rapidly due to overhunting by European settlers. The settlers saw the bison as a threat to their crops and a hindrance to the expansion of their settlements, and they hunted the animals for sport as well.
By the late 1800s, the bison population had dwindled to just a few hundred animals. Fortunately, some individuals and organizations recognized the importance of the bison and worked to preserve the species.
One of the most famous conservationists was William Hornaday, who founded the American Bison Society in 1905. The society worked to establish protected areas for bison and to breed the animals in captivity to increase their numbers.
Today, the bison population has rebounded to around 500,000 animals, although most of them are raised for meat rather than living wild on the Great Plains. Nevertheless, the bison remains an important symbol of the American West and a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts.
Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion
The term Manifest Destiny refers to the notion that it is the fate of the United States to expand its territory and spread its values across the continent.
Manifest Destiny fueled the westward expansion of the United States, including the settlement of the Great Plains.
Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, the United States acquired a vast region of land from France through the Louisiana Purchase, which included much of the Great Plains. This acquisition paved the way for westward expansion and the settlement of the Great Plains.
Frontier
The concept of the “frontier” represented the vast, untamed wilderness of the American West, including the Great Plains. The idea of the frontier helped to romanticize the westward expansion of the United States and encouraged settlers to explore and settle the Great Plains.
Treaty of Fort Laramie
In 1851, the United States signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie with numerous Native American tribes in the Great Plains. The treaty recognized the sovereignty of Native American tribes and established reservations for their use.
Transcontinental Railroad
The completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 was a significant development in the history of the Great Plains. The railroad made it easier and faster for settlers and goods to travel westward, leading to a rapid expansion of settlement in the Great Plains and other western territories.
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 granted free land to settlers in the Great Plains, encouraging westward expansion and settlement of the region.
Sand Creek Massacre
In 1864, Colorado militia forces attacked and killed more than 150 Cheyenne and Arapaho people in the Sand Creek Massacre, a significant event in the history of conflict between settlers and Native Americans in the Great Plains.
Battle of Little Bighorn
In 1876, a coalition of Native American tribes defeated the United States Army at the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana. The battle was a significant event in the history of conflict between settlers and Native Americans in the Great Plains.
Dawes Act
In 1887, the United States passed the Dawes Act, which sought to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American culture by dividing reservations into individual plots of land for Native American families.
Wounded Knee Massacre
In 1890, U.S. Army forces killed more than 200 Lakota Sioux people in the Wounded Knee Massacre, a significant event in the history of conflict between settlers and Native Americans in the Great Plains.
Dust Bowl
In the 1930s, a combination of drought and poor land management practices led to massive dust storms that destroyed crops, homes, and livelihoods in the Great Plains, causing widespread poverty and migration.
Native American reservations
The United States government established reservations in the Great Plains and other parts of the West as a means of relocating and assimilating Native American tribes.
Oil industry
The discovery of oil in the Great Plains region brought significant economic growth and prosperity to the region, but also had negative impacts on the environment and on local communities.
Barbed Wire
The invention of barbed wire in the late 19th century allowed farmers to more effectively fence in their land, leading to increased conflicts over property rights in the Great Plains.
Range Wars
Conflicts over property rights and access to grazing land in the Great Plains in the late 19th century led to a series of violent confrontations known as the “range wars.”
Black Hills Gold Rush
The discovery of gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1874 brought an influx of settlers and led to the displacement of Native American tribes in the region.
The American Indian Movement
The American Indian Movement was a Native American civil rights organization that formed in the 1960s to advocate for greater recognition of Native American sovereignty and rights.
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands to Indian Territory in the Great Plains.
Indian Boarding Schools
The United States government established Indian boarding schools in the Great Plains and other parts of the West as a means of assimilating Native American children into mainstream American culture.
The Lakota Sioux
Sitting Bull was a Lakota Sioux leader who played a prominent role in the resistance against U.S. government policies and military actions in the Great Plains during the late 19th century.
Great Depression and the Rural Electrification Act
The Great Depression of the 1930s had a significant impact on the Great Plains, exacerbating the effects of the Dust Bowl and leading to widespread poverty and hardship in the region.
The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 helped to bring electric power to rural areas of the Great Plains and other parts of the country, improving the standard of living for many people in the region.
Cattle, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Cattle drives were a significant part of the economy of the Great Plains in the late 19th century, as cowboys drove cattle from ranches in Texas and elsewhere to railheads in Kansas and other northern states.
The Chisholm Trail was a major cattle drive route that ran from Texas to Kansas during the late 19th century, bringing cattle from the Great Plains to markets in the North.
Conservation Movement
The early 20th-century conservation movement sought to protect natural resources and wildlife in the Great Plains and elsewhere, leading to the establishment of national parks and other protected areas.
Ghost Dance
The Ghost Dance was a religious movement among Native American tribes in the Great Plains during the late 19th century that was suppressed by the U.S. government and military.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ended the Mexican-American War and ceded much of the Great Plains to the United States.
Populist Movement
The populist movement of the late 19th century sought to promote the interests of farmers and other working people in the Great Plains and elsewhere, advocating for policies such as the free coinage of silver and the regulation of railroads.
Farmers’ Alliance
The Farmers’ Alliance was a political movement of farmers in the Great Plains and elsewhere during the late 19th century that sought to promote the interests of farmers and rural communities through collective action.
Nebraska-Kansas Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was a controversial piece of legislation that opened up new territories in the Great Plains for settlement and allowed for the expansion of slavery, leading to increased tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in the region.
The Grange
The Grange was a farmers’ organization that formed in the late 19th century in response to economic difficulties faced by farmers in the Great Plains and elsewhere, advocating for policies such as the regulation of railroad rates and the establishment of cooperatives.
Sodbusters
Sodbusters were farmers who settled in the Great Plains during the late 19th century, using new technology and techniques to farm the region’s fertile soil and contributing to the growth of the agricultural industry in the region.
The Prairie
The Prairie is a vast grassland ecosystem that covers much of the Great Plains, and has been a significant part of the region’s history and culture, serving as a home to Native American tribes, wildlife, and settlers.
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–1806 was a significant exploration of the Great Plains and other parts of the West, contributing to the expansion of knowledge and understanding of the region.
The Pony Express
The Pony Express was a mail delivery service that operated in the Great Plains and other parts of the West during the mid-19th century, using a network of riders and horses to transport mail quickly and efficiently.
The Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a major emigrant route that brought settlers from the East to the West during the mid-19th century, including through the Great Plains.
The Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a major trade route that connected Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico through the Great Plains and other parts of the West during the 19th century.
The California Trail and the Mormon Trail
The California Trail was a major emigrant route that brought settlers from the East to California during the mid-19th century, including through the Great Plains.
The Mormon Pioneer Trail was a route used by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to travel from Illinois to Utah during the mid-19th century, including through the Great Plains.
The Transcontinental Telegraph
The Transcontinental Telegraph was a communication system that connected the East Coast to the West Coast through the Great Plains and other parts of the West during the mid-19th century, enabling faster and more efficient communication over long distances.
Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode was a major silver deposit discovered in Nevada in the mid-19th century, contributing to the growth of mining and other industries in the Great Plains and other parts of the West.
Indian Territory
Indian Territory was an area in the Great Plains and other parts of the West that was set aside by the United States government as a reservation for Native American tribes who had been displaced from their ancestral lands.
Pueblo Revolt
The Pueblo Revolt was an uprising by Native American tribes in the Great Plains and Southwest in 1680, leading to the expulsion of Spanish colonial forces from the region.
Buffalo Soldiers
The Buffalo Soldiers were African American soldiers who served in the United States Army in the Great Plains and other parts of the West during the late 19th century, including in conflicts with Native American tribes. The name “Buffalo Soldiers” was given to them by Native American tribes, and they played an important role in the history of the Great Plains and the West.
