Option P3: Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 2 Conflict and tension — Edexcel GCSE History
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Option P3: Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 2 Conflict and tension explained
Law enforcement relied on federal US Marshals and local county sheriffs, but vast territories and underfunding made policing difficult.
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This allowed outlaws like Billy the Kid to thrive. Billy became infamous during the Lincoln County War, highlighting the weakness of local justice and the influence of corrupt cattle barons. Wyatt Earp represented the blurred lines between lawmen and criminals. While his brother Virgil was the Deputy US Marshal and City Marshal in Tombstone, Wyatt assisted him. The Earp brothers clashed with the Clanton-McLaury gang at the OK Corral in 1881. This shootout demonstrated how personal vendettas and economic rivalries drove conflict, showing that formal law enforcement was frequently ineffective or compromised in the late 19th-century West.
The range wars, including the Johnson County War of 1892.
Range wars erupted as competition for land and water intensified between large cattle barons and smaller settlers. The Johnson County War of 1892 in Wyoming is a prime example. Wealthy cattlemen in the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) accused small ranchers of rustling. The WSGA hired Texan mercenaries to invade Johnson County and assassinate suspected rustlers, including Nate Champion. Local sheriff Red Angus raised a citizen posse that besieged the invaders until the US Cavalry intervened to save the WSGA force. This conflict highlights the tension between powerful monopolies and ordinary settlers, demonstrating how wealthy cattle barons often manipulated the justice system to protect their interests.
Conflict on the Plains: the Battle of the Little Big Horn (1876) and its impact; the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890).
The Battle of the Little Big Horn (1876) occurred after the Sioux refused to sell the Black Hills following a gold rush. General Custer attacked a massive Sioux and Cheyenne encampment, resulting in the annihilation of his immediate command. Though a Native American victory, the impact was disastrous: a shocked US public demanded harsh retaliation, leading to the forced surrender of the Sioux. By 1890, desperation on reservations sparked the Ghost Dance movement. Fearing an uprising, the US army attempted to disarm a Lakota band at Wounded Knee. A scuffle led to troops opening fire, massacring over 250 men, women, and children. This tragedy effectively ended Plains Indian resistance and finalised their subjugation.
Your focus
- Differentiate between the roles and limitations of sheriffs and marshals in the West.
- Assess the significance of Billy the Kid in demonstrating the problems of law enforcement.
- Analyse the causes and consequences of the 1881 gunfight at the OK Corral involving Wyatt Earp.
Show all 9 objectives
- Explain the economic and environmental factors that led to range wars in the West.
- Describe the key events and individuals involved in the 1892 Johnson County War.
- Evaluate the significance of the Johnson County War in the context of law, order, and the decline of the cattle barons.
- Analyse the causes, events, and disastrous long-term impact of the 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn.
- Explain the significance of the Ghost Dance movement in the context of reservation life.
- Explain the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre and evaluate its role in ending Plains Indian resistance.
Option P3: Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 2 Conflict and tension exam tips
Marking Points
- Distinguish between the roles of US Marshals (federal) and sheriffs (county) in maintaining law and order.
- Explain how Billy the Kid's involvement in the Lincoln County War demonstrated the power of rival factions over formal law.
- Explain the events leading to the gunfight at the OK Corral in 1881, including the rivalry between the Earps and the Cowboys.
- Analyse the significance of Wyatt Earp as an example of lawmen who used their positions for personal or factional gain.
- Evaluate the overall effectiveness of law enforcement in the West during this period.
- Identify the underlying causes of range wars, specifically the competition for resources between large cattle ranchers and small settlers.
- Explain the role of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) in attempting to monopolise the cattle industry.
- Describe the events of the Johnson County War, including the hiring of Texan mercenaries and the murder of Nate Champion.
- Analyse the response of the local citizens and Sheriff Red Angus in resisting the WSGA invasion.
- Evaluate the outcome of the Johnson County War, noting that the cattle barons escaped justice but ultimately lost their absolute power in Wyoming.
- Explain the causes of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, including the Black Hills gold rush and the breaking of the Fort Laramie Treaty.
- Detail the tactical failures of General Custer and the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Native American forces.
- Analyse the impact of the battle, specifically how it shifted US government policy towards total subjugation and forced assimilation of the Plains Indians.
- Explain the origins of the Ghost Dance movement as a spiritual response to the dire conditions on the reservations.
- Detail the events of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 and its significance as the final major violent encounter between the US army and Plains Indians.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Use the OK Corral shootout to illustrate the broader theme of conflict between different economic groups.
- 💡When evaluating law and order, mention the geographical and financial limitations that hindered sheriffs and marshals.
- 💡Billy the Kid is an excellent example to use when explaining why outlaws gained sympathy from local populations who resented wealthy cattle barons.
- 💡Use the Johnson County War as a detailed case study when asked about the causes of conflict between different groups of settlers.
- 💡Highlight the role of the WSGA to demonstrate how wealthy groups could corrupt state politics and law enforcement.
- 💡Remember to mention Nate Champion as a specific individual whose death escalated the conflict and united the small settlers.
- 💡When discussing the impact of Little Big Horn, focus on the change in public opinion and government policy.
- 💡Use Wounded Knee to illustrate the tragic culmination of the reservation policy and the destruction of the Plains Indians' traditional way of life.
- 💡Link the discovery of gold in the Black Hills directly to the failure of the reservation system and the outbreak of the Great Sioux War.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming Wyatt Earp was a flawless hero; correct by explaining his controversial methods and personal rivalries, showing the blurred line between lawman and outlaw.
- Believing Billy the Kid was just a random bank robber; correct by linking him to the Lincoln County War and the struggle between rival business factions.
- Stating Wyatt Earp was the Deputy US Marshal at the OK Corral; correct by noting his brother Virgil held this federal position, while Wyatt assisted him.
- Thinking the Johnson County War was fought against Native Americans; correct by specifying it was a conflict between wealthy white cattle barons and smaller white settlers.
- Assuming the cattle barons won the Johnson County War; correct by explaining that while they avoided prison, the local resistance effectively ended their unchecked dominance.
- Confusing rustling with legal land claims; correct by noting that while rustling occurred, cattle barons often used the accusation as an excuse to eliminate legitimate small competitors.
- Viewing Little Big Horn as a long-term victory for the Plains Indians; correct by explaining that it provoked a massive US military response that destroyed their independence.
- Confusing the Battle of the Little Big Horn with the Wounded Knee Massacre; correct by distinguishing the 1876 military battle from the 1890 massacre of mostly unarmed Ghost Dancers.
- Stating Custer was ambushed; correct by noting Custer initiated the attack but severely underestimated the size of the Native American camp.