The conquering of the American West produced both winners and losers. The lawless and greedy atmosphere was a magnet for crime and atrocities. Individuals on both sides of the law endeavored to either establish order or make gain from the lack of it. The rugged era experienced Western-style showdowns and shootouts, disasters, massacres and much more.
America's indigenous inhabitants seeing their land and lifestyle diminish and disappear, fought back but to no avail. While the nation was being ravaged by bloody civil war, Native Americans were being ruthlessly slaughtered in the West. In the end, as a result of robust immigration, technology, and "Manifest Destiny," the Old, Wild West was tamed and won.
Numerous photographs, additional illustrations, chronologies, bibliographies, and an index to full names and places enhance the value of this work.