Describe the transformation of the United States from 1877 to 1900.

Include information on
the settling of the west, the rise of big business, labor unions, immigration, the rise of the
city, and political issues such as the tariff and money.


After the civil war ended, two companies were given the contract to build a railway
system from the east to the west coast. The meeting point for the companies was Utah. Later
other railroad companies build horizontal railway system connecting the North and South to the
main line. Railroad towns that were being built were constantly under attack from the Indians.
Since the railroad companies were government owned, the government had to provide
protection. Military personnel were sent out protect these areas. The Battle of the little big horn
resulted in many individuals within the army being killed including General Custer. The final
battle that the Indians fought was the battle of the wounded knee. Apart from the constant fights
with the army, buffalo hunters also deprived the Indians from their means of survival. Before the
buffalo hunters came along there were approximately 170 million buffalos, which later was
reduced to less than 100 by the 1980s. Buffalos were killed for their hide which was shipped to
Russia and the tongue was a delicacy during this time. Miners worked hard mining for the
number one ore, copper, which was used for the conduction of electricity.
The open cattle drivers were reduced due to the invention of the barb wire. With the
invention of the Refrigerated railway carts, ranchers were able to slaughter their cattle at home
and sell them for the maximum weight. Farming was not very common in the west during this
time. Farmers back east convinced their spouses to move west to start a new life. They didnt
know what to expect, but life in the west was much better with the Homestead Act. This act
allowed for an individual to claim 160 acres of land, live on the land for 5 years under the
condition that they never raised arms against the US and they had to build a 10x12 structure with
doors and window. The Timber Culture act allowed for an additional 160 acres of land to be
claimed if of the land was planted with trees. The timber and stone act allowed for 160 acres
of dry land to be purchased for $1.75 - $2.25 per acre. This money would be used to construct
dams, reservoirs, canals, and irrigation systems which would provide water to all the land owners
within the area. All the land acquired through these acts could not be sold to lumber or mining
companies, only to other individuals who wanted to build a home. Dry farming was also
practiced during this time. The Texas A&M school came up with the idea of adding a layer of
dust over the moist soil preventing wind erosion from occurring. The inventions of machinery
led to large scale farming.
Massive immigration was taking place within the developed cities. Scottish, Irish,
Germans, Italian, and Greeks to name a few came in thousands daily to America. The average
pay during this time was approximately $0.50 /day for a 12 hour shift. Rooms were rented for
$10 a month with a salary of about $12. In order to survive, tenant rooms were made up of 10
individuals, each paying a $1 a month. The conditions within the tenement were very unhealthy.
Overcrowding was very common. In order to deal with the increase waste, and growing crime
rates, cities implemented many positive changes. Paved roads, sewer systems, and garbage
collection which were burnt in dump sites, made the place more appealing to look at. Police
officers, and fire departments were also established to reduce crime related events. With the
congestion of the city, transportation were provided. New York build the first suspension Bridge,
Boston installed a subway system, Chicago had overhead railway, while San Francisco had a
Cable car system.