Final answer:
Settlers in the West faced tough challenges such as conflictual relations with Native Americans, harsh environmental conditions like droughts, hot summers, cold winters, prairie fires, and insect infestations that threatened their livelihoods.
Step-by-step explanation:
Living in the West during the late 1800s presented several challenges. Relations with Native Americans were often tense, with conflicts stemming from land disputes and competing resources, a consequence of treaties that promoted Anglo expansion at the expense of indigenous lands. The environment also posed severe difficulties, including droughts that imperiled crops, hot summers that could be relentless, and cold winters that were extreme. In addition, settlers contended with natural disasters like prairie fires, which threatened homesteads and livelihoods, as well as insect infestations that could decimate entire harvests, adding to the struggle of pioneering life.