The Industrial Expansion West and Its Impact | The American Buffalo | A Film by Ken Burns | PBS

Summary

In the post-Civil War era, the bison population on the Great Plains faced unprecedented decline due to the construction of railroads and industrial expansion. The railroads, particularly the Kansas Pacific, relied on hunters like William F. Cody, or 'Buffalo Bill,' to supply meat for crews, leading to massive slaughter. Native American tribes, whose lives were intertwined with the buffalo, resisted encroachments on their land, but by 1867, the U.S. government sought to pacify the tribes through treaties promising land and supplies in exchange for peace. However, the treaties largely failed to resolve the conflicts, as both sides had different expectations about the future of the buffalo and their way of life.

Takeaways

• 😀 By the 1850s, bison had been driven out of most of the Plains, but 12-15 million remained in the interior by the mid-1860s.
• 😀 The introduction of the railroad across the Plains in the post-Civil War era intensified industrial expansion and its negative impact on the bison population.
• 😀 The arrival of railroads, including the Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific, opened vast areas of the Plains to settlers and industries, further threatening bison herds.
• 😀 William F. Cody, also known as 'Buffalo Bill,' was hired by the Kansas Pacific railroad to supply meat from 12 buffalo per day, contributing to the depletion of the species.
• 😀 Buffalo Bill killed 4,280 buffalo during his time as a hunter for the railroad, becoming a widely recognized figure associated with buffalo hunting.
• 😀 Train excursions promoted by railroads allowed passengers to shoot buffalo from the trains, contributing to the rapid decline of the bison population.
• 😀 Native American tribes, like the Kiowas, viewed the buffalo as integral to their survival, and its destruction severely impacted their way of life.
• 😀 The U.S. government attempted to end violence on the Plains by encouraging Native Americans to move onto reservations, offering supplies and schools in exchange for peaceful coexistence.
• 😀 The Kiowa chief Satanta opposed settling on reservations, preferring the freedom of roaming the prairies, while other tribes, like the Comanches, resisted the loss of buffalo hunting rights.
• 😀 In 1867, the U.S. government and Native American tribes signed treaties with promises to preserve buffalo hunting rights, but these were largely ineffective in preventing further buffalo extermination.
• 😀 In 1868, the Lakota Sioux signed a treaty with the U.S. government, which included a provision for continued buffalo hunting outside their reservation, but the government expected the species to soon be extinct due to railroad expansion.

Q & A

What was the state of the bison population by the mid-1860s?

By the mid-1860s, there were still an estimated 12 million to 15 million bison living on the interior portion of the Plains.

How did the construction of railroads impact the bison population?

The construction of railroads accelerated the destruction of the bison population, particularly with the introduction of hunters like William F. Cody, who killed large numbers of buffalo to feed railroad workers.

What role did William F. Cody play in the bison hunting industry?

William F. Cody, also known as 'Buffalo Bill,' was hired by the Kansas Pacific railroad to hunt and supply meat for the railroad crews. He killed 4,280 buffalo during his time as a hunter for the railroad.

What was the significance of the 'Iron Horse' to Native Americans?

Native Americans referred to the railroad as the 'Iron Horse,' symbolizing the rapid industrial expansion into their lands and the change that came with it.

What was the purpose of the excursion trips promoted by the Kansas Pacific railroad?

The Kansas Pacific promoted excursion trips to allow passengers to travel across the Plains, with the added attraction of hunting buffalo, which were still abundant in the region at the time.

What was the Kiowa chief Satanta's opinion on settling down on reservations?

Kiowa chief Satanta opposed settling on reservations, as he preferred the freedom of roaming the prairies. He believed that settling would lead to the demise of his people.

What treaty was signed at Medicine Lodge Creek in 1867, and what were its terms?

The treaty signed at Medicine Lodge Creek in 1867 aimed to end violence on the Southern Plains by encouraging Native American tribes to settle on reservations, while non-Indians would be prohibited from settling south of the Arkansas River. The tribes were also promised food, supplies, and schools for their children.

What was the reaction of the Kiowa and Comanche to the treaty signed at Medicine Lodge Creek?

The Kiowa and Comanche chiefs, such as Satanta and Ten Bears, were resistant to the treaty, particularly the idea of giving up their traditional way of life, which depended on hunting buffalo.

How did the Lakota Sioux respond to the treaty signed at Fort Laramie?

The Lakota Sioux signed a treaty at Fort Laramie in exchange for abandoning Army forts in Wyoming. The treaty allowed them to continue hunting outside the reservation as long as buffalo remained abundant.

How did General William Tecumseh Sherman view the future of the buffalo population?

General Sherman reluctantly agreed to allow the Lakota Sioux to continue hunting buffalo outside their reservation, but he believed that buffalo would soon become extinct, especially near the railroads.