Background
- 1877, Capitalism and industry are in full force, and the inevitable crashes of the business cycle happen. Workers begin to strike. Wages fall, jobs are lost, and bankruptcies rise.
- meanwhile, many immigrants entering the U.S. follow Karl Marx teachings. He wrote the Communits Manifesto some 30 years pior overseas, and the ideas of an eternal class struggle between workers and capitalism emerge. This leads to unions and other socialist movement causes.
- over time, the business cycle causes more strikes and violence, and a continuing cycle of “class warfare.” After a while, some companies like Standard Oil, United States Steel, and General Electric, begin taking over all their competitors, and the first great monopolies.
- elswhere, as bison disappeared, cattle filled the vacuum. Cowboys from all over come west for opportunities. Cattle towns, banditry, and lawmen trying to keep the peace arise.
- also, Indian Wars were still unfolding. Hunger and cold forced Sitting Bull and other Sioux to surrender. Sitting Bull then toured briefly as a Show Indian in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, which was largely responsible for the modern portrayals of the “American Old West.”
- 1886, Apache Geronimo surrenders.