The Cattle Kingdom

Guided Reading Activity Answers

The Open RangeUnfenced land on the plains of Texas and the Southwest fed thousands of head of cattle. Yet for years these herds, descendents of runaway Spanish cattle, were left alone. Without railroads to transport the animals to Eastern markets, there was no reason to round them up. Ranchers took what they needed, but generally left them be.

The Cattle DriveThe Cattle Drive was the organized herding of longhorn steer to Western markets – cowtowns - in the Middle West, and from there, to the slaughterhouses of the East. Cowboys, horses, and dogs moved the cattle along well marked trails over thousands of miles to railroad towns. The cattle drives often lasted for two to three months, and the dangers faced along the way were substantial.

Major Cattle Trails of the 19th Century West

Dangers on the Long DriveSTAMPEDE!! River Crossings

Dangers on the Long DriveNatural disaster Rustlers

NO!Cowboys were never paid exceptionally well for their hard work. Most loved the job, though, despite the lack of profits.

The Vaquero TraditionAmerican Cowboys borrowed virtually all of their traditions from the Spanish and Mexican vaqueros of the Southwest. Men learned new techniques to ride, rope, and brand cattle – and they borrowed many of the clothes and tools of the Spanish tradition as well.

Vaquero, otra ves

Buckaroo!

/Va-que-ro/

CowtownsCowtowns were settlements at the end of the Cattle Trails throughout the Middle West. The principal feature of each cow town was a railroad track, where the cattle would be loaded aboard and sent on the “trip with an unhappy ending….” The trains’ final stop was invariably the slaughterhouses of the East. But Cowtowns themselves, like Abilene, KS, were rough and tumble, exciting cities which catered to the interests of men who had been on the road for months at a time.

Major Cowtowns of the 19th Century

Which cities are cowtowns on this map of the Middle West?

Remember, the places where the cattle trails meet the railroads are cattle towns. There are at least seven (7) cowtowns labeled on this map!

Cowtowns

1. Cheyenne, WY

2. Denver, CO

3. Pueblo, CO

4. Dodge City, KS

5. Ellsworth, KS

6. Abilene, KS

7. Sedalia, MO

The Cattle KingdomThe Cattle Kingdom was the region in the Southwest, the high plains, and Texas dominated by the cattle industry between the 1860s and the late 1880s. When cattle were cheap in the West and demand for beef was high in the East, enormous profits were made – but a combination weather, bad luck, and big industry competition ruined the Cattle Kingdom for most ranchers by the early 1890s.

The End of the Cattle KingdomOvergrazing the Land Drought, Hard Winters

The end of the cattle kingdomDecreased Demand for Beef in the East

Increased Competition and Feed Prices

GO VEGGIE!