270 likes | 694 Views
Western Expansion:. Cattle Industry, Barbed Wire & Closure of the Frontier. Origins of the Cattle Industry. Cattle brought to America by the Spaniards. Spaniards & Mexicans established large ranches in Northern Mexico & Texas . 1 st ‘cowboy’ was the Spanish vaquero .
E N D
Western Expansion: Cattle Industry, Barbed Wire & Closure of the Frontier
Origins of the Cattle Industry • Cattle brought to America by the Spaniards. • Spaniards & Mexicans established large ranches in Northern Mexico & Texas. • 1st ‘cowboy’ was the Spanish vaquero. • Culture taught to Anglos that settled in area.
“Cowboys” of Texas • 2/3 were African-American (ex-slaves), Tejanos, and women.
Maria del Carmen Cavillo • Born 1765 near San Antonio • Father murdered on his ranch. • María preserved title to the land through 4 different political administrations: Spain, Mexico, Republic of Texas, and the U.S. • She had 2,000 head of livestock. • Through efforts of women like María del Carmen, Spanish laws protecting women’s rights to inherit and manage property became part of Texas law.
Bose Ikard • Born a slave in1843. • Learned to farm & ranch while working on a Texas Ranch. • After the Civil War he worked for Oliver Loving & Charles Goodnight on their trail. • Reputation of being brave & a good fighter. He was loyal to his employer and trusted by others. • Fights Quanah Parker’s Comanche’s during the Indian raids.
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Johnson Williams • Born 1840 • Became a teacher in Austin. • Invested money in cattle & property. • Traveled & bought expensive jewels & became known as the ‘cattle queen’ • 1st woman to ride the Chisholm Trail.
Daniel Webster “80 John” Wallace • Born September 15, 1860 in Victoria County. • Ran away at 17 to work with cattle. • Doesn’t learn to read & write until he is 25. • Gets nickname from branding ‘80’ so fast into cattle. • Saves money & buys cattle & property. • Dies March 1939 with an estate of more than a $1 million.
Think, Pair, Share • According to the biographies above, what did the cattle industry do to improve their lives?
King Ranch • Established by Richard King in 1853. • 1 million acres of land (size of Rhode Island) • 1869-1884 sent 100,000+cattle on trails
Own unique type of cattle- Santa Gertrudis - mixed Indian Brahman with British Shorthorns = Santa Gertrudis
XIT Ranch • Largestranch in TX. • Located in the Panhandle. • 3 million acres of land. • Almost the size of Connecticut. • Land given for building the state capitol in Austin.
Chisholm Trail • Named after Jesse Chisholm. • Trail went through Indian Territory to Abilene, Kansas. • Ideal route for cattle drive = far away from farms
Goodnight - Loving Trail • Started by Charles Goodnight & Oliver Loving • Trail went into NM & into Colorado & WY. • Became the most traveled route in Southwest.
Barbed Wire • Invented by Joseph Glidden. • Inexpensive to make & inexpensive to buy = everyone is going to use it. • By 1880 Texas ranchers were closing off their property- ending the open range of the Texas Plains
Longhorns • Very important breed of cattle in TX. • Could survive on little water. • Resistant to cattle disease called Texas Fever.
*Texas Fever • An infectious disease of cattle first identified in Texas, characterized by high fever, anemia, and emaciation and caused by a parasitic protozoan (Babesiabigemina) that is transmitted by cattle ticks.
What was the need for all the ranches, trails, & cattle drives? • Cattle supply had gone down since the Civil War. Northerners wanted beef. • Cattle selling $3-6.00 in TX were selling for $30-40.00in Kansas $80.00 in NY
The Cattle Industry starts doing poorly. How & Why?
Sheep Ranching • Ranchers found that they could make more money $$$ raising sheep. • Wool from sheep could be shaved off & replaced when it grows back. • Cattle once they’re sold- sent to their death never to return.
Windmills • Invented to pump water from underground to irrigate (water) crops that are not near rivers or lakes. • This invention allowed the expansion of farming on the plains. • Many ranches were sold off as farmland
More Railroads • Railroads began to use refrigerated cars. • This meant that beef no longer had to be shipped alive.
Overgrazing • Large numbers of cattle were being raised with limited amounts of grass. • Cattle overgrazed the land eliminates the grass and destroys the soil.
1. What trail would you use to take cattle directly to Abilene, Kansas? • 2. What trail goes through New Mexico & into Colorado? • 3. What trail would you use to take cattle directly to Dodge City, Kansas? • 4. What was the purpose of these cattle trails being established in Texas?