Cattle, Cowboys, and Cattle, Cowboys, and Settling the Great PlainsSettling the Great Plains

5.1 & 5.25.1 & 5.2

Settlers Push WestwardSettlers Push Westward Great Plains area and beyondGreat Plains area and beyond

Grassland extending through west-central Grassland extending through west-central portion of U.S.portion of U.S.

Lure of gold and silverLure of gold and silver 1849 – Gold Rush in CA1849 – Gold Rush in CA 1858 – discovered in Colorado1858 – discovered in Colorado

Culture clash w/ Native AmericansCulture clash w/ Native Americans N.A. believed land could not be ownedN.A. believed land could not be owned Settlers believed rights to land were forfeited b/c Settlers believed rights to land were forfeited b/c

they hadn’t settled and “improved” the landthey hadn’t settled and “improved” the land

Dawes Dawes ActAct

Aimed to “Americanize” Aimed to “Americanize” Native AmericansNative Americans

Broke up reservationsBroke up reservations Gave some land to individual Gave some land to individual

N.A.N.A. Head of household – 160 Head of household – 160

acresacres Unmarried adult – 80 Unmarried adult – 80

acresacres Remainder sold to settlersRemainder sold to settlers

$ intended to go to N.A. for $ intended to go to N.A. for farming supplies – didn’t farming supplies – didn’t happenhappen

2/3 of N.A. land went to 2/3 of N.A. land went to whiteswhites

Destruction of BuffaloDestruction of Buffalo Buffalo = main source of food, clothing, shelter, fuel for Buffalo = main source of food, clothing, shelter, fuel for

N.A.N.A. Buffalo shot for sport by tourists, fur traders Buffalo shot for sport by tourists, fur traders 1800 – 65 million buffalo1800 – 65 million buffalo 1890 – less than 1,0001890 – less than 1,000

Hide - Buckskinmoccasin tops

cradleswinter robes

beddingbreechclouts

shirtsleggings

lance coversbelts

dressespipe bagspouches

paint bagspouches

dollscoup flag covers

quiverstipi coversgun cases

Hairheaddresses

saddle pad fillerpillowsrope

ornamentshalters

medicine balls

Tailmedicine switch

fly brushlodge exteriordecorations

whips

Hoof & Feetglue

rattles

Hornscups

fire carrierspowder horn

spoonsladles

headdressessignals

toys

Meat(every part eaten)

pemmican (converted)hump ribs-immediately

jerky (converted)

Skin Of Hind Legmoccasins or boots

Rawhidecontainers

clothingheaddress

foodmedicine bags

shieldsbuckets

moccasin solesrattlesdrums

drumstickssplints

cinchesropesbelts

bullets pouchessaddles

horse maskslance casesarmbands

quirtsbull boats

knife casesstirrupsthongs

horse ornament

INDIAN USES OF THE BUFFALOINDIAN USES OF THE BUFFALO

Wounded KneeWounded Knee Paiute prophet advised Sioux to perform ritual Paiute prophet advised Sioux to perform ritual

“Ghost Dance” to restore N.A. way of life“Ghost Dance” to restore N.A. way of life Spread among 25,000 Sioux – alarmed U.S. Spread among 25,000 Sioux – alarmed U.S.

military leadersmilitary leaders Ordered arrest of Sitting BullOrdered arrest of Sitting Bull Bodyguard, Catch-the-Bear, shot one arresting Bodyguard, Catch-the-Bear, shot one arresting

officersofficers Sitting Bull killed in returnSitting Bull killed in return Chief Big Foot led Sioux awayChief Big Foot led Sioux away 77thth Cavalry slaughtered 300 unarmed N.A. Cavalry slaughtered 300 unarmed N.A. Corpses left to freeze on the groundCorpses left to freeze on the ground Ended the era of “Indian Wars”Ended the era of “Indian Wars”

CattleCattle Great Plains opened up to cattle ranchersGreat Plains opened up to cattle ranchers Herded longhornsHerded longhorns

Sturdy, short-tempered breed from SpainSturdy, short-tempered breed from Spain Learned from MexicansLearned from Mexicans

Demand for beef grewDemand for beef grew Growing cities, railroads Growing cities, railroads transported beef to transported beef to

marketsmarkets

Chisholm TrailChisholm Trail

San Antonio, San Antonio, TX to TX to

Abilene, KSAbilene, KS ““Cow Town”Cow Town”

Cowboy VocabularyCowboy Vocabulary Mexican Mexican vaquerovaquero – Spanish rancher – Spanish rancher

who first wore spurs to control horsewho first wore spurs to control horse ChaparrerasChaparreras – leather overalls / – leather overalls /

“chaps”“chaps” CharquiCharqui – dried strips of meat / “jerky” – dried strips of meat / “jerky” BroncoBronco caballocaballo – wild “rough horse” / – wild “rough horse” /

bronc or broncobronc or bronco MestenosMestenos – mustangs – mustangs RanchoRancho – ranch – ranch CorralCorral and and rodeorodeo Mexican vaquero was the true Mexican vaquero was the true

influence of the American cowboyinfluence of the American cowboy

Cowboy LifeCowboy Life Mostly white / 25% A.A. / 12% MexicanMostly white / 25% A.A. / 12% Mexican Romantic pictureRomantic picture

riding the open range, herding cattle, fighting villainsriding the open range, herding cattle, fighting villains

Reality – nonstop workReality – nonstop work 10-14 hrs on the ranch, then 14 hrs on the trails10-14 hrs on the ranch, then 14 hrs on the trails Constant awareness of herdsConstant awareness of herds Roundup and brandingRoundup and branding

Long drive Long drive 3 months, 3 months, $100/month$100/month moving cattlemoving cattle

End of the End of the Open RangeOpen Range

OvergrazingOvergrazing Extended bad weatherExtended bad weather Invention of barbed wireInvention of barbed wire Smaller herds of higher quality meet = Smaller herds of higher quality meet =

more profitablemore profitable Barbed wire turned open range into Barbed wire turned open range into

fenced in ranchesfenced in ranches

Land Grants for RailroadsLand Grants for Railroads 170 million acres worth $500 million to lay 170 million acres worth $500 million to lay

tracktrack Union Pacific and Central PacificUnion Pacific and Central Pacific

10 miles of land for every mile of track10 miles of land for every mile of track 20 miles in territory land20 miles in territory land

Immigrants did most of grueling laborImmigrants did most of grueling labor Two companies met in Utah – 1869Two companies met in Utah – 1869

First transcontinental railroad completedFirst transcontinental railroad completed

Railroads sold some land for $10-20Railroads sold some land for $10-20

Homestead ActHomestead Act 160 Acres of free land to…160 Acres of free land to…

Any citizen or intended citizenAny citizen or intended citizen Head of householdHead of household 600,000 families from 1862-600,000 families from 1862-

19001900 Not all land of equal value – Not all land of equal value –

some less farmablesome less farmable ExodustersExodusters

African Americans who African Americans who moved from the post-moved from the post-Reconstruction South to Reconstruction South to KansasKansas

Oklahoma becomes the Oklahoma becomes the “Sooner” state“Sooner” state

Closing of the Closing of the FrontierFrontier

1872 – Yellowstone 1872 – Yellowstone National ParkNational Park

Wanted to preserve…Wanted to preserve… ““objects new in objects new in

experience…experience…possessing unlimited possessing unlimited grandeur and beauty.”grandeur and beauty.”

All land in the west All land in the west boughtbought

Uniqueness of Uniqueness of America’s “frontier” no America’s “frontier” no longer existedlonger existed

Morrill Act – 1862/1890Morrill Act – 1862/1890 Gave federal land to states to help Gave federal land to states to help

finance agricultural collegesfinance agricultural colleges

• Hatch Act – 1887•Established agricultural experiment stations– Informed farmers of new developments– Developed grains for arid soil– Dry farming techniques help land retain moisture– Enabled dry plains to flourish

Challenge of the PlainsChallenge of the Plains Droughts, floods, fires, Droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, locust plagues, blizzards, locust plagues, occasional raids by outlaws occasional raids by outlaws and Native Americansand Native Americans Homes dugout of small hillsHomes dugout of small hills

Soddy – made of soilSoddy – made of soil Women worked with husbands, but often Women worked with husbands, but often

left alone for extended periods of timeleft alone for extended periods of time Sponsored schools, made clothes, canned Sponsored schools, made clothes, canned

vegetables/fruit, skilled in doctoringvegetables/fruit, skilled in doctoring