The Cattle Kingdom
Longhorns
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Brought by Spaniards in
1500’s
Horns may be 6 ft. wide
Run fast
1700’s and 1800’s:
 Herds grew
 American and Mexican
settlers began ranches in
South Texas
 Longhorns used to start
herds
Longhorn Pics
Early Texas Ranchers
King Ranch, the most famous, was founded by
Richard King in 1852. The ranch doubled in size
after his death to now be over 1 million acres,
larger than Rhode Island.
 The JA Ranch, founded by Charles Goodnight,
included more than 100,000 cattle
 The XIT Ranch was located the panhandle and
spanned over 3 million acres and consisted of
6,000 miles of fence. The Ranch was later sold
to homesteaders and ranchers.
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Rise of Cattle Business
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BEFORE CIVIL WAR
 Millions of longhorns in
Texas
 Sold for only $4 each
 Ranchers raised cattle
for leather and for
tallow, or fat, which
was used in candles
and soap
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AFTER CIVIL WAR
 Northern cities wanted
beef
 Price of longhorns rose
from $4 to $40
 Northern cities made
cattle ranchers more
money
 Cattle drives began
 One trail used was
Chisholm Trail to
Abilene, Kansas
Famous Women Ranchers
Margarita Villareal
 Florencia Bonavide
 Paula Rodriguez,
 Lizzie Johnson Williams
 Margaret Heferman
Borland
 Could own land, but
could not vote!!
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Life on the Trail
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Destination: Kansas and the
Railroad
Cattle were rounded up and
branded in early spring
Herds size: 3,000
Number of men: 11-18
Jobs: Trail Boss, Cook, Scout,
Horse Wranglers, Waddies or
Trail hands, Pointers, Flanks and
Drag.
Life on the Trail
Horses: 50 – 60 to ensure that
the horses stayed fresh.
 Distance per day: 10 -15 miles
 Length of trip: 3 months
 Possible Dangers: rainstorms,
rattlesnakes, stampedes,
drowning at river crossings,
extreme heat, Indian and
bandit attacks.
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End of the Cattle Kingdom
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The decline started when farmers began sharing the
plain and fencing their land.
Ranchers put up fencing on their land too.
Fences:
 Before 1870 - rocks or wood
 1873 - Joseph Glidden of Illinois - sold barbed wire a twisted wire with sharp points
 Led to fighting
 Made long drives harder
Drives ended when railroads were built into Texas
PowerPoint Quiz
Write the answers on a clean sheet
of paper.
PowerPoint Quiz
In what century were cattle introduced to Texas?
Name one famous Texas Ranch. (hint: larger than
Rhode Island)
What is the name for a Spanish cowboy?
PowerPoint Quiz
Why were the cattle herded to the north?
Who invented barbed wire?
What do you call the leader of the cattle drive?
PowerPoint Quiz
Before barbed wire, how did ranchers corral the
cattle?
Name one woman cattle rancher?
Could women own land?
What happened to end cattle drives?