During the expansion of the West, groups of immigrants moved from Texas counties up to Oregon Territory. Now, the poor were able to afford supplies, land, transportation, and materials. The West was transformed by the daily influx of new immigrants. African Americans as well as Mexican, Chinese and Anglo-American immigrants, along with other Europeans, helped build the West.
Immigrants have played a major role in the western world. Chinese, Irish, African Americans, and others worked for the railroads. Mexicans, African Americans and others became cowboys. All ethnicities were represented in the mining community, which was a group of people who wanted to make money. Germans were among the first immigrants to settle in Kansas. They also included Scandinavians, Irish, Germans and Irish.
The West is a human geography that includes women, African Americans of all races, Asians from around the world, Europeans including the British, Mormons Hispanics. They brought diverse cultures, food, and traditions with them to the west.
Although immigrants improved the American West, they also tried to eliminate cultural traditions that were considered inferior. The Carlisle Indian School was one of the schools that used education to teach American Indians a “moral” lifestyle.
The “education” of American Indians was divided into two categories: “day” schools that were near reservations and were where students went for the entire day, then returned home. The boarding schools were designed to change the lives of children in all areas. Students were forbidden from speaking their native language and to engage in any of their tribal traditions or cultures. Day schools were designed to teach white culture and tradition in order for the students to go home and share with their parents or elders.
These schools reflected the prevailing racism of the day, and programs were designed to strip American Indians their cultural heritage. Over a period of 13 years, thousands of Indian youths attended these schools.
