1. Chisholm Trail: A major cattle route from San Antonio, Texas to Abilene, Kansas.

Joseph McCoy approached Abilene about building a shipping yard there. When the town agreed he built cattle pens and a three story motel. 35,000 heads to cattle were shipped out of Abilene in its first year. It doubled the following year and ranches were hiring cowboys to drive their cattle to this location from Texas.

What do you think happened to the cattle after they left Abilene?

Read “Vaqueros and Cowboys” on page 208

Why was a vaquero so important to our history?What words or terms did cowboy adopt from them?

1. The real-life cowboy: About 55,000 worked on the plains between 1866 and 1885. About 25% of them were African Americans and 12% were Mexican.

Bill Pickett: African-American Cowboy

Native-American Cowboy

Read “A Day’s Work” on page 210

2. All in a day’s work: They worked 10-14 hour days and 14 or more on the trail. Never could relax on the trail, they always had to be alert for things that might spook the herd.

3. Facts:

Age:

As young as 15 yrs old. Many

broken down by the time they were 40 years

old.

Their possessions:

He might own

his own saddle. Gun: Used to

protect the herd from wild or

diseased animals.

Facts:

         

Facts:On lend for the boss:

Usually the trail horse. These horses were well trained and

expensive.

Facts:

Talents:

Expert RiderExpert Roper

Good Shot w/pistol and rifle

Click to Watch me

4. The Roundup: Cowboys would herd up all the longhorns they could find and take off the open range and into a corral. They would starve them so the cattle would graze and not run away while the cowboys would sort threw them. They would separate them by herd according to their mark and brand any new cattle. The trail boss would then choose a crew for the long drive.

5. The Long Drive: The overland transport of animals usually lasted about three months. One Cowboy to every 250-300 heads of cattle. They also brought a cook who drove a chuck wagon and a wrangler who cared for the extra horses. The trail boss earned $100 a month for supervising and negotiating with settlers and natives. Cowboy in the saddle from dusk till dawn. He slept on the ground and bathed in the river.

6. Dangers:

A. River Crossings: Cattle hesitated and were swept away.B. Lighting: Slept in open fields. They piled spurs, buckles, and

other medal objects and the edge of camp.C. Stampedes: The herd would wildly take off out of control,

caused by anything from thunder to a sneeze.

7. Reasons for the end of the Open Range:

A. Overgrazing of the land

B. Extended bad weather: 1883-1887 alternating dry summers and harsh winters wiped out whole herds.

C.  Barbed Wire: Ranchers fenced in their land for smaller herds that yielded more meat with barbed wire. Created a series of fenced

in ranches, not open plains. Barbed wire was cheap and easy to use.

D. Most beef production went into the hands of “bonanza” farms- those run by big business