The Cattle Industry Flashcards
How did railroads help to grow the cattle industry?
They provided a way to move cattle to the north where they were worth much more
What was the first cow town?
Abilene
Who created the first cow town?
Joseph McCoy
Who created the Goodnight Loving trail?
Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving
What did the Goodnight Loving trail allow people to do?
It allowed cattle to be sold for very high prices to the Navajo Indians (gov didn’t get them enough supplies)
What did John Iliff create?
the first open range
What did John Iliff do?
Bought a herd of cattle for cheap and fattened them up on the plains, they then sold for much more money
What dangers did cowboys face on the trails?
Stampeding cattle
wild animals
rustlers
hostile Indians
Extreme weather
What were the dangers for cowboys on ranches?
Rustlers
Wild animals
Indian attacks
(However less dangerous than trails)
What was a cowboys job on the trails?
Rounding up cattle
Branding cattle
Driving cattle
What was a cowboys job on the ranches?
Rounding up cattle
Branding cattle
Jobs around the ranch —> eg. mending fences
How did ranchers block homesteaders from claiming their land?
Filing claims themselves
Buying and fencing land to block access to other plots
Taking homesteaders to court over rights to the land
Why was there disagreement between farmers and ranchers?
Farmers believed ranchers should fence cows to protect crops, but ranchers believed the cattle had a right to roam
How did the civil war impact the cattle industry?
Many farmers had to leave their cattle to fight. As they were left unattended, cattle bred and became overpopulated and worthless
How did barbed wire help the cattle industry grow?
Barbed wire prevented cattle from escaping and minimized the chance of rustling.
More cows meant cattlemen could make more money
