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Selection 3:Boss of the Plains
The Hat that Won the West
Written by Laurie Carlson
Illustrated by Holly Meade
Awards
• ALA Notable
• CBC Choices
• Horn Book Fanfare
• New York Public Library Title for Reading and Sharing
Selection Summary
As a boy, John Stetson worked in his father’s New Jersey hat factory. In 1859, on his way west looking for adventure, he invented a practical hat for his own use. The style suited Western life so well that Stetson became the manufacturer of the most popular hat in the West.
Key Vocabulary
• Adventurers
• Determined
• Frontier
• Gear
• Opportunity
• Pioneers
• Settlers
• Tanned
• Wranglers
Adventurers: travelers in search of unusual or exciting experiences
The streets were filled with adventurers heading to explore the West.
Determined: sticking to a purpose
John was determined to start a new life in St. Joseph, Missouri, and he would not give up until he succeeded.
Gear: equipment used for a specific activity
In St. Joseph, Missouri, people bought gear and supplies for their journey to the goldfields.
Opportunity: a good chance
John Stetson found the opportunity to head West when a group of travelers invited him along on their journey to Pikes Peak.
Pioneers: people who are the first to settle in a region
Pioneers settled on the lands of the West before others came out to join them.
Settlers: people who travel to a little known area and make a home
At first, settlers and travelers in the American West wore whatever hats they had worn back home.
Tanned: changed animal hide to leather by soaking it in chemicals
The settlers thought they might be able to use rabbit skins to make a tent if they could be properly tanned.
Strategy focus: Summarize
This biography tells how the Boss of the Plains hat was invented and became a success. Stop at different points in the
story to summarize key events.
Comprehension Skill Focus: Making Generalizations
You can use a chart to list details from the story and then formulate
generalizations from those details.
Generalizations are statements about the story that are generally true.
Enjoy Selection 3: Boss of the Plains
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Boss of the Plains.