Chapter 18 - Cowboys
Creating a Cattle Kingdom
•After the Civil War, the demand for beef increased.
•Texas rangers set up cattle drives to have cattle travel to railroads. Texas
longhorn cattle were the most popular because they were low maintenance.
•One of the most famous drives was called the Chisholm Trail
The Life of a Cowhand
•Mexican and Spanish vaqueros taught American cowhands a lot about their
trade in tending and driving cattle herds to market.
•Cattle drives were hot, dirty, and boring. They worked 18 hour days and
encountered a lot of danger. Stampedes (runaway herds) were among their
worst fears.
•Cowhands worked for ranch owners and were lucky to earn $1 a day for
their hard work.
The Cow Towns
•Cow Towns developed near railroad lines at the end of cattle drive trails.
•These areas were generally profitable and attractive to settlers although
cowboys could make things rough and rowdy. There were rarely shoot outs,
but often disorderly behavior. Officials like Wyatt Earp became famous for
keeping the peace.
The Cattle Boom
•Cattle roamed free in the open range. They would be branded with their
ranches symbol to identify them.
•Sheep herders were often driven out since cattle ranchers felt they ruined
the grazing land.
The End of the Cattle Kingdom
•As farmers began to settle in the open range and railroads developed, the
cattle kingdom began to end. Once barbed wire was invented in 1874
westerners could fence off large areas of land cheaply. Loss of grazing land
and harsh winters also played a role.
Chapter 18 - Cowboys
Creating a Cattle Kingdom
•After the Civil War, the demand for ____________ increased.
•Texas rangers set up ____________________ to have cattle travel to
railroads. Texas longhorn cattle were the most popular because they were
low maintenance.
•One of the most famous drives was called the _________________ Trail
The Life of a Cowhand
•Mexican and Spanish _________________ taught American cowhands a
lot about their trade in tending and driving cattle herds to market.
•Cattle drives were hot, dirty, and boring. They worked 18 hour days and
encountered a lot of danger. ___________________ (runaway herds) were
among their worst fears.
•Cowhands worked for ranch owners and were lucky to earn $_____ a day
for their hard work.
The Cow Towns
•Cow Towns developed near __________________ lines at the end of cattle
drive trails.
•These areas were generally profitable and attractive to settlers although
cowboys could make things rough and rowdy. There were rarely shoot outs,
but often disorderly behavior. Officials like ________________ became
famous for keeping the peace.
The Cattle Boom
•Cattle roamed free in the open range. They would be ________________
with their ranches symbol to identify them.
•________________________ herders were often driven out since cattle
ranchers felt they ruined the grazing land.
The End of the Cattle Kingdom
•As farmers began to settle in the _______________ and railroads
developed, the cattle kingdom began to end. Once _______________ was
invented in 1874 westerners could fence off large areas of land cheaply.
Loss of grazing land and harsh winters also played a role .