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Discover the true story of John Stetson, the man behind the iconic western hat that shaped the frontier life. Follow his adventure from a hat factory in New Jersey to becoming the pioneer of Western headwear.
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Selection 3:Boss of the PlainsThe Hat that Won the West Written by Laurie Carlson Illustrated by Holly Meade
Awards • ALA Notable • CBC Choices • Horn Book Fanfare • New York Public Library Title for Reading and Sharing
Genre: Biography A true story of the life of a real person.
Selection Summary As a boy, John Stetson worked in his father’s New Jersey hat factory. In 1859, on his way west looking for adventure, he invented a practical hat for his own use. The style suited Western life so well that Stetson became the manufacturer of the most popular hat in the West.
Key Concept: Life in the Old West
Adventurers Determined Frontier Gear Opportunity Pioneers Settlers Tanned Wranglers Key Vocabulary
Adventurers: travelers in search of unusual or exciting experiences The streets were filled with adventurers heading to explore the West.
Determined: sticking to a purpose John was determined to start a new life in St. Joseph, Missouri, and he would not give up until he succeeded.
Frontier: unexplored land People were headed to the frontier to search for gold.
Gear: equipment used for a specific activity In St. Joseph, Missouri, people bought gear and supplies for their journey to the goldfields.
Opportunity: a good chance John Stetson found the opportunity to head West when a group of travelers invited him along on their journey to Pikes Peak.
Pioneers: people who are the first to settle in a region Pioneers settled on the lands of the West before others came out to join them.
Settlers: people who travel to a little known area and make a home At first, settlers and travelers in the American West wore whatever hats they had worn back home.
Tanned: changed animal hide to leather by soaking it in chemicals The settlers thought they might be able to use rabbit skins to make a tent if they could be properly tanned.
Wranglers: cowboys John Stetson decided to make a hat for the wranglers of the West.
Strategy focus: Summarize This biography tells how the Boss of the Plains hat was invented and became a success. Stop at different points in the story to summarize key events.
Comprehension Skill Focus: Making Generalizations You can use a chart to list details from the story and then formulate generalizations from those details. Generalizations are statements about the story that are generally true.
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