Explain how the following influenced the development of the last West from 1850 - 1900: miners, cattlemen, and

Explain how the following influenced the development of the last West from 1850 - 1900: miners, cattlemen, and farmers
Explain how the following influenced the development of the last West from 1850 - 1900: miners, cattlemen, and
The government sold land cheaply, which attracted people interested in farming. Some were Americans, but many were European immigrants.





Miners settled most in the mountainous regions. There was an important migration to California following the discovery of gold in 1848, but there were important discoveries elsewhere as well.





Cattlemen were usually the last to migrate west, and they occupied the Great Plains, where it was too dry to grow crops but which were flat and did not have many precious metals. Sometimes they got into conflicts with farmers, for large expanses of land were required for grazing cattle, but farmers wanted to fence their property to protect it.





Settlement generally followed the railroads, for this land was the most accessible. It was also desirable because it meant that farmers and herders were relatively close to their markets.