American West Archives

American West

Why was the American West so fiercely contested in the years 1835-1895? An overview

Is History Review right about the ‘lurching’ US government policy towards Plains Indians?

How much can we learn from George Catlin about the Plains Indian way of life?

Were migrants pushed from the East, or pulled from the West?

Why did the Donner Party’s westward migration prove to be such a disaster?

What do the experiences of Abigail Scott Duniway reveal about life on the Great Plains?

What was the significance of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851?

What can the Henry Plummer case tell us about lawlessness in the new mining towns?

Who benefitted most from the Homestead and Pacific Railway Acts?

How effectively did settlers find solutions to the problems of life on the plains?

Was the ‘Wild West’ really the ‘Mild West?

Was the growth of the railroads the main reason for the development of the cattle industry?

What was it like to be a cowboy in the mid-19th century?

Why was Peter French murdered on his ranch – and how did his murderer evade justice?

How damaging was the westward expansion of 1851-76 for the Plains Indian way of life?