Oklahoma History Chapter 6


 

Written Indian Languages:

Indian Languages were oral (spoken)

  • History
  • Traditions
  • All passed on by stories, not written down Indians were impressed by white mans ability to have written records
George Guess (Sequoyah) - Cherokee - first Indian to develop written Indian language.
  • Had been crippled in hunting accident and could not work outdoors
  • Received help from Samuel Worcester, missionary
  • Developed from 1800 - 1820
  • Took time to be accepted by the Indians
More whites began to move west:
  • Wanted new land
  • Start new life, way to make $$$
  • Running from law
  • By 1840, 400,000 settlers had moved into Missouri - edge of civilization at that time
Americans began to believe in Manifest Destiny - Right to extend the boundary of the U.S.A. to the Pacific Ocean.
  • By 1840 - U.S. would own all the land west of the Mississippi River.
  • Described area of Oklahoma that would known as the Great American Desert
  • This is why Oklahoma was chosen to place Indians
Crossing the Great Plains:

Most whites headed to California and the West Coast

  • 1848 - gold was discovered in Sutter's Mill (Sacramento), California.
  • 1st roads
  • Land to Southwest of Oklahoma was controlled by Spain until 1821.
  • U.S. traders first allowed in 1821, traders headed to Santa Fe.
Three groups headed for Santa Fe:
  1. William Becknell and 4 men left Independence, Missouri Sept 1, 1821 and reached Santa Fe. Nov. 6 - Cut across panhandle, Santa Fe Trail
  2. John McKnight and Thomas James - came across central Oklahoma, near today's Tulsa, Guthrie, and thru Texas Panhandle arrived in Santa Fe Dec 1st
  3. The third group did not make it to Santa Fe, got to Taos and turned back.
The Santa Fe Trail was long and hard but had high profits.
  • Example: Traders took $30,000 goods. Returned with $180,000 cash. $10,000 in furs + livestock
First Trails Usually came from:
  • St. Louis
  • St. Joseph
  • Independence
  • Ft. Smith
In 1840s these were the ends of civilization.

People going to Indian Territory, Texas, or Santa Fe took the Texas Road - Vinita, Pryor, McAlester

Navigating Rivers

1820s - Keelboats were the most popular:

  • Strong piece of metal or wood on bottom
  • Used to ship supplies and people
  • Most had cannon to ward off trouble
Few steamboats came into Oklahoma - Too dangerous: shallow rivers & winding rivers
Pack Trains
  • Line of animals loaded with supplies
  • Often used by traders
  • Usually a dozen horses or mules
    • Mules - carry more weight
    • Horses - easier to control
  • would travel 10 - 15 miles a day
California Road - Marcy's Trail
  • Built by military from Ft. Smith to Santa Fe
  • Crossed through the middle of Indian Territory
  • Travelers often bought supplies from Choctaw that lived near Ft. Smith
  • Would be major route across the plains for the next 50 years
  • Developed by Captain Randolph B. Marcy
Stagecoach
  • 1st system of public transportation
  • Traveled west from 1850s - 70s
  • Could carry 9 people
  • From St. Louis to San Francisco - 24 days

Transcontinental Railroad
  • Railroad connecting east and west coast
  • Planners looked at building through Indian Territory but chose to build across the north part of U.S.

Indian Territory in the 1850s:

1854 - U.S. Congress created the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska - preparing them for statehood

Senator Robert Johnson - Arkansas - suggested that Indian Territory be divided into 3 parts

  1. Cherokee
  2. Muskogee
  3. Chata
Give Indian allotments and open the rest of the lands to whites - Indians opposed this plan

Johnson's plan did not pass Congress - but ideas had been planted

Harsh environment:

  • Indians - with no slaves
  • Military
  • Missionaries
    • Struggled in Indian Territory
  • Drought - long period with no rain
  • Floods
  • 1850s plague of grasshoppers destroyed the crops
  • Famine - shortage of food