CATTLE RANCHERS

EQ: How did the development of the western cattle industry in the years

following the Civil War reflect changes in America?

SS5H3 a. Describe the roles of the

cattle trails in the late 19 century;

including the Black Cowboys of Texas,

the Great Western Cattle Trail,

and the Chisholm Trail

Texas Cattle

In the 1800’s, ranchers in Texas raised and sold longhorn cattle.

Longhorns were tough, strong animals that were brought to North American by Spanish settlers.

Texas became apart of the United States in 1845 and the Mexicans in Texas

became U.S. citizens. They faced prejudice from other Americans.

Prejudice-preconceived judgment or opinion

Cattle Market

Texas had a LOT of cattle; however, it was not a good market to sell cattle. A market is a situation in which people buy

and sell goods. In a market, producers find buyers for their goods, and consumers find goods to buy.

The cattle in Texas sold for ONLY $4 dollars EACH!!!

In other places, line in the eastern and northern United States, cattle sold for $40 dollars each.

Supply and Demand

The price of cattle was set by supply and demand. Demand is the amount of something that

people want to buy at certain prices. When the price of something is low, people

usually want to buy more of it. Supply is the amount of something that

people want to sell at certain prices. When the price of something is high, people

want to produce and sell more of it.

Cattle Drives

Cattle Drive is the process of moving a herd of cattle from one place to another, usually moved and herded by cowboys on horses.

Supply and demand affected the price of cattle.

Texas ranchers wanted to sell their cattle where they could get their highest price.

They would ship their cattle to cites in the east and the north. The would do this because they could sell their cattle for a higher price.

Cattle Drives

To get these cattle to the cities, they cattle had to be led to railheads.

Railhead-a town where railroad tracks begin or end. This is where the cattle were loaded onto the train.

Cattle drives took weeks or month to finish.

They followed trails that took the cattle near water and grass to keep them nourished.

Cattle Trails

Great Western Cattle Trail

http://www.greatwesterncattletrail.com/ The Great Western Cattle Trail was used in the

1800s for movement of cattle to markets in the East. It ran west of and roughly parallel to the Chisholm Trail. The Great Western Trail began at Bandera, Texas and ended in Dodge City, Kansas. The trail was also known as the Western Trail, the Dodge City Trail and the Old Texas Trail.

Map of the Cattle Trail http://www.greatwesterncattletrail.com/map_gwct_a/map_gwct.html

Chisholm Trail

http://www.onthechisholmtrail.com/trail-info/

Black Cowboys of Texas

In the early days of Texas, the work of the cowhand was essential to the newly arrived settlers. African-American cowhands worked side-by-side with the cowboys.

The end of Cattle Drives

Cattle drives lasted for about 20 years. They began in the 1860’s and ended in the 1820’s.

They ended for 4 reasons: 1. The invention of Barbed Wire-a twisted wire

with a sharp barb, or point, every few inches. 2. The growth of railroads-built in 1870 in Texas 3. Too many cattle grazed on crowded ranges-

there was not enough grass for all the cattle 4. Cold Temperatures during 1886-1887-

freezing weather killed thousands of cattle