The Cattle Boom
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- After the spanish brought their cattle from California and Texas, settlers mixed their breed with English cattle and created the Texas longhorn.
- These cattle had very little meat and mostly all bone, but settlers preferred raising Texas longhorns because they needed very little water and survive harsh weather.
- After the Civil War the demand for beef in the East was high, so while cattle maybe worth three or six dollars in Texas while in Kansas it might be thirty-eight dollars.
- Joseph McCoy started to built pins to keep the cattle together easier in these big towns.
- When the Kansas Pacific Railroad went through Abilene, Kansas cattle soon started to be shipped by train across the West.
- Ranching and longhorns started to expand at the same time on the Great Plains, eventually this area became known as the Cattle Kingdom. A lot of this open land that ranchers had was called the open range.
- These cattle had very little meat and mostly all bone, but settlers preferred raising Texas longhorns because they needed very little water and survive harsh weather.
- After the Civil War the demand for beef in the East was high, so while cattle maybe worth three or six dollars in Texas while in Kansas it might be thirty-eight dollars.
- Joseph McCoy started to built pins to keep the cattle together easier in these big towns.
- When the Kansas Pacific Railroad went through Abilene, Kansas cattle soon started to be shipped by train across the West.
- Ranching and longhorns started to expand at the same time on the Great Plains, eventually this area became known as the Cattle Kingdom. A lot of this open land that ranchers had was called the open range.
The Success
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- Elizabeth Collins and her husband had a lot of trouble in the mining business, so they stated raising cattle. She moved to Teton Valley of Montana and became a very famous rancher, this is how she got the name Cattle Queen of Montana.
- Another successful rancher was Charles Goodnight. He stared his ranch in Panhandle of Texas, more then 250 miles from any town or railroad. Speculators in the East put money in these ranches, as a result some of these farms were huge.
- Many ranchers focused on buying range rights or water rights. These rights let them control the scare water and the land around it. Many ranchers would stop competition such as famers and other ranchers from using the water.
- Since a lot of the ranches were in fare off locations most of the ranchers made their own rules.
- Another successful rancher was Charles Goodnight. He stared his ranch in Panhandle of Texas, more then 250 miles from any town or railroad. Speculators in the East put money in these ranches, as a result some of these farms were huge.
- Many ranchers focused on buying range rights or water rights. These rights let them control the scare water and the land around it. Many ranchers would stop competition such as famers and other ranchers from using the water.
- Since a lot of the ranches were in fare off locations most of the ranchers made their own rules.
Life on the Range
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- Workers known as cowhands or cowboys would take care of the ranchers' cattle.
-Many cowboys took on Mexican vaqueros techniques. For example the western saddle and lariat came from vaqueros.
- Like Nat Love many cowboys were Mexican American or African Americans.
- Although many cowhands were men, some women worked with the men.
- Gathering up all the cattle is known as a round up. During spring round ups, young calves would get a unique mark to prevent thieves from stealing and selling their cattle.
- Many cowhands wanted their own ranch but many didn't make enough money to start one.
- A dangerous but very important job that cowboys have are cattle drives. These are long journeys that heard cattle to the northing Plains for grazing.
- The Chisholm Trial was the most common trail traveled on cattle drives. The trail ran from San Antonio, Texas to Abilene, Kansas
- Some other trails were the Goodnight-Loving Trail and the Western Trail.
- Cattle drives were very hard. Many cowboys lived with no shelter or warm blankets for months. They usually were glad when it was over.
- Malinda Jenkins became a very successful women because of the businesses that she set up at a large cattle town such as Dodge City or Abilene.
- Many cowboys would come into these towns and want a hot bath some food and some sleep, so many hotels and bars opened. Also in these big town there was a lot of shoot outs so many law officials like Wyatt Earp became famous for keeping peace.
-Many cowboys took on Mexican vaqueros techniques. For example the western saddle and lariat came from vaqueros.
- Like Nat Love many cowboys were Mexican American or African Americans.
- Although many cowhands were men, some women worked with the men.
- Gathering up all the cattle is known as a round up. During spring round ups, young calves would get a unique mark to prevent thieves from stealing and selling their cattle.
- Many cowhands wanted their own ranch but many didn't make enough money to start one.
- A dangerous but very important job that cowboys have are cattle drives. These are long journeys that heard cattle to the northing Plains for grazing.
- The Chisholm Trial was the most common trail traveled on cattle drives. The trail ran from San Antonio, Texas to Abilene, Kansas
- Some other trails were the Goodnight-Loving Trail and the Western Trail.
- Cattle drives were very hard. Many cowboys lived with no shelter or warm blankets for months. They usually were glad when it was over.
- Malinda Jenkins became a very successful women because of the businesses that she set up at a large cattle town such as Dodge City or Abilene.
- Many cowboys would come into these towns and want a hot bath some food and some sleep, so many hotels and bars opened. Also in these big town there was a lot of shoot outs so many law officials like Wyatt Earp became famous for keeping peace.
The Cattle Bust
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- While the cattle businesses grew, the competition between ranchers did too. A lot of this competition lead to range wars between the big ranchers, small ranchers, and regular famers.
- When sheep started to come into the picture, the demand for grassland started to grow. The sheep ate so much there was nothing left for the cattle.
- During the depression the cattle prices dropped so many ranchers brought thr Eastern cattle back the the West becuase they produced more meat but many of the cattle could not adapt.
- When the huge herds of cattle started to eat all the grass that ranchers depended on for feed, the cattle started to die because of the food shortages. Many ranchers lost money and cattle towns went out of money also and thats how the Cattle Kingdom came to its end.
- When sheep started to come into the picture, the demand for grassland started to grow. The sheep ate so much there was nothing left for the cattle.
- During the depression the cattle prices dropped so many ranchers brought thr Eastern cattle back the the West becuase they produced more meat but many of the cattle could not adapt.
- When the huge herds of cattle started to eat all the grass that ranchers depended on for feed, the cattle started to die because of the food shortages. Many ranchers lost money and cattle towns went out of money also and thats how the Cattle Kingdom came to its end.