Introduction to Chapter 17
17
THE CONTESTED WEST
1865–1900 [[LP PHOTO: P17.01 DETAIL OF THE BATTLE OF LITTLE BIG HORN, 1889/
> What was most significant about American expansion after the Civil War? Chapter 17 explores the westward expansion of the United States in the late nineteenth century. It examines the impact of expansion on Native Americans, the role mining played in the creation of the American West, the cultural diversity of the West, and American settlement and exploitation of western lands.
> What did U.S. expansion mean for Native Americans?
> In what ways did different Indian groups defy and resist colonial rule?
> How did mining shape American expansion?
> How did the fight for land and resources in the West unfold?
> Conclusion: How did the West set the tone for the Gilded Age?
Understanding the American Promise 3ePrinted Page 468