Effects of Settlement on the West

1
Effects of Settlement on the West

• 5-2.2 Illustrate the effects of settlement on the
  environment of the West, including changes in the
  physical and human systems.

2
Who Affected the West

• The environment was influenced by the men and
  women who settled the region.
• The Great Plains, the bread basket of our
  country, were plowed and irrigated to grow crops.
• Railroads also crossed the plains affecting both
  physical and human systems.
• Movement of people to the West also influenced
  the culture of the Native Americans.

3
Railroad

• After rail lines were laid, the great herds of
  bison who freely wandered the plains began to
  mangle the tracks.
• Railroad owners hired riflemen to shoot the
  bison.
• Soon whole herds of bison were decimated, which
  impacted the Native Americans who depended on
  them.

4
Human Movement

• As more migrants settled the West, they infringed
  on the land that had long been the domain of
  Native American tribes.
• Indian Wars-Native Americans resisted moving. As
  a result, they were forced onto reservations.

5
Human Movement

• US government tried to make the Native Americans
  become farmers.
• The reservations were divided into parcels of
  farm land.
• However, the Native Americans did not want to
  give up their traditional way of life so many
  lost their land to settlers.

6
Lets Review

• Who influenced change in the environment of the
  West?
• How were the bison impacted?
• How were the Native Americans impacted?