2.2 American West

Question 1

What did Joseph McCoy do?

Answer 1

Developed first cow town

In (1867) He bought 450 acres in Kansas by Kansas’s pacific railiroad, in albiline, then built large stockyards/pens for cattle

Question 2

Why was Joseph McCoy successful?

Answer 2

-He saw the potential to transport cattle west through the railway cars.

-Texas was overpopulated with 5m cattle, so he extended the Chisholm trail(Texas to Kansas , had grassland) to Abiline, where cattle could be exported to east, and sold for lots of money

-made cattle traveling a lot easier

Question 3

What was the Texan cattle industry before the civil war?

Answer 3

-Used tradition of vaqueros.
-had long drives to north via cattle trails through Missouri

-Texas cows opposed Kansas cows, as if Kansas cow ate Texas grass. They could catch Texas fever (1855 quarantine law prevent I’ll cows entering Missuori

Question 4

What was cattle industry after civil war?

Answer 4

-1865 great demand for beef. Cows were worth $40 in Chicago. Whilst in Texas was $5
-Texas cows hugely increased to 5 mil cows.
(But still prevents crossing Kansas via Texas fever)

Question 5

What did Charles goodnight and Oliver loving do?

Answer 5

They established a trail through the Navajo Indians near fort summer(were starving).

Where they were able to drive 2000 cattle through the territory. And sold them for four times the amount in Texas($12,000)

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Question 6

How successful was the goodnight-loving trail?

Answer 6

• in 1867 after loving death. Goodnight drove cattle to booming mining towns of Colorado

-1868 trail was extended to fort Laramie. On the union pacific railroad

-1876 good nights ranch expanded to one million acres. Cause development of Wyoming cattle industry

Question 7

What did John Iliff do?

Answer 7

In 1861 Bought cheap cattle herd worth $500 from long drive . Who were to thin to sell for money.

Then he realized gold was discovered in Colorado. Meaning high meat demand. so flatten herd on grass to increase quality of beef

so 1866 bought land near Denver Colorado(homestead act use for more claims) . By 1870 he Built huge herd of 26,000 cattle. With a ranch over 16000 acres

Question 8

How successful was John iliff?

Answer 8

-he John Iliff became Denver’s first millionaire
-(1872) had contract to provide beef to Sioux Indians reservations(7000 Indian)
-developed/ introduced ranching on the Great Plains

Question 9

Who were cattle barons?

Answer 9

-men backed by rich investors
-controlled local politics and land in Colorado, Wyoming
-defended against cattle rustling.
-large ranches very profitable

Question 10

What was life on the long drive for cowboys?

Answer 10

• trails such as Chisholm trail & goodnight loving trail we’re long.
  They were:
  • hard as cattle easily spooked
  •cattle got injured/ killed
  • cattle got lost
  • cattle lost weight.
  Which made them lose value

-also had to defend from Indians. Deal with snakes and wild animals across river

Question 11

What did long cattle drives require?

Answer 11

12 cowboys for 3000 cattle
- regular changing horses to prevent sweat
-payment of $25
-sleeping in open
-sell cattle in stockyard and move them onto box cars

Question 12

What did cowboys do at the end of a long drive?

Answer 12

Get drunk
-buy fancy new clothes
-gamble and fight
Spending all money in town. Causing them to borrow money.

Question 13

What was life like on the ranch?

Answer 13

-in winter cowboys were not employed. (Not needed) cattle roamed freely

-in spring cowboys from different ranches rounded up under round up boss command to search for cows( some in dense bushes). Then separated them according to ownership were branded

-cowboys lived in bunkhouse. There were strict rules in winter like gamboling ban.
-hard work for anyone over age of 20

Question 14

What changes were there too the cattle industry in 1870?

Answer 14

Closer to railroads meant traveling here was shorter (went from
Months to days)

-heavy snow in winter caused cattle to not eat grass. So cowboys rode during blizzards to find herds path. So had ti stay in Lonely sod houses around ranch in the winter.

Question 15

Why was there rivalry between the ranches and the homesteaders?

Answer 15

Ranchers need a lot of land . At least 2000 acres(or more). Had to use public land as they couldn’t buy all land. Federal gov accepted pasture livestock on public land.

-the homesteaders filed claims of 160 acres of land in public area. So brought competition and threats to ranches

Question 16

What tactics did ranches use against the homesteaders? (7):)

Answer 16

-filed claims with water holes. So it would make neighboring land unattractive as there was no water

-family members file claims and handover ownership to ranch owner

-bought railroad land from companies if rich enough. Land mixed with public land like chessboard. So ranch fenced of their section. Making it impossible for homesteaders access to public land

-took homesteaders to court and payed lawyer to force them to give up claim

• accused homesteaders of cow rustling.

-threat and then with violence to leave

-rangers said cows had legal right to roam in ranges not fenced. Made homesteaders angry. Causing range wars.

(This added strain in local law causing range wars)

Question 17

What was the conflict between cattleman and sheepherders?

Answer 17

-they were both competing for public land for grazing.

-cattleman claimed sheep ate grass to the root.

Started in 1870s in cattle herding places west. Ranchers would fence land off. But sheep herder cut of fences. So cattleman sued t sheep herders