The Rise and Fall of the Cattle
Industry
Goodnight Loving and Iliff were important because they
tried a new trail and found new markets. Iliff sold his
beef to the cattle industry to the rail companies where
as Goodnight sold his cattle to the US government.
Joseph Mc Coy was important because started the beef
bonanza. He wanted to make Chicago the centre of the
meat trade
The Railway was important because cattlemen realised
that they could get their cattle to railways then they
could reach markets in the North. Ranchers rounded up
cowboys to take them to the long trail to the railhead.
Civil War 1861-65 helped cattle trade grow
because many cattle ranchers had left and their
cattle had run wild. When they returned their cattle
had survived and multiplied.
The Rise and Fall of the
Cattle Industry
1880s Too many Longhorns grazing caused the
grass would not grow. There was not enough grass
to feed the cattle.
Falling demand for the beef meant that fewer people
wanted beef. So the price fell.
The weather helped to end the boom because cattle
and cowboys died in the freezing temperatures
End of the open range because with this came
smaller fenced ranches. There were no long drives
because many ranches were on the Plains and were
nearer the railway. Cowboys became part of the
legend of the past