Cowboys

Find Out About Early Developments:• Where did American cowboys come

from?• Who became cowboys?

Answer Questions 1 – 7

Video 1 cowboys

• Slow and small scale from end of Mexican-American War until Civil War (1861-1865) ends

• War cuts off market in East• Texas Longhorns roamed freely and

numbers grew; shot as game animals

• Ex-Confederate soldiers and Ex-slaves sought jobs

• Demand for meat increased in East as economy took off

• Cattle ranchers began increasing operations

• U.S. Cavalry set up Forts (Fort Laramie, Fort Buford etc.) in West to protect settlers

• Threat of Indian attacks was reduced as reservations were established

• Cattle industry secured huge contracts to supply army with food

• By 1870 the US Army was buying between 60 and 70,000 head of cattle a year to feed the Indians and its own soldiers

• Solved problem of moving the cattle from Texas to cities of the East.

• Post-Civil War boom in railroad construction connects east and west

• Starting in 1867 cattle are loaded onto train cars in Abilene, Kansas and shipped back east…soon other towns begin to compete– Cattle worth less than $5 in Texas

might fetch $30 in Kansas

• Cattle needed to be driven in large numbers from Texas to railheads in Kansas

• Trails utilized to drive cattle herds to market

• Large scale operation required several cowboys working ‘round the clock

Answer Questions 8-11

• Find out about:– How did a trail drive operate?

• Trail Boss: Best Paid, Worked for same ranch, scouted for water and trouble, negotiated price

• Point: Veterans who rode at front and “drove” herd• Swing/Flank: Kept herd together, “cut out” sick animals• Drag: Kept stragglers moving• Wrangler: Controlled Remuda (extra horses)• Chuck Wagon: Driven by cook, carried food and supplies

Answer Questions 12-15

Find out about:• What happened in Abilene?• Why the “golden age” of cowboys

ended?

Video 4 cowboys

• 1874 Invents barbed wire• Made fences possible for

most homesteaders• Was his invention a good

thing?

Myths Reality

• Lonesome Figure• Romantic/Heroic

Savior • Gun Play

Common

• Worked in Groups• Busy Performing

Rigorous Job• Rarely Used Guns

Where do these false ideas of cowboys come from?

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Directions: Use the legend below to help identify the locations numbered 1-18. Write your answer on the space provided to the right

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Directions: Use the legend below to help identify the locations numbered 36-XC3. Write your answer on the space provided to the right

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