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The Famous Chisholm Cattle Drive Trail

admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The American cowboy’s story begins on the Chisholm Trail. The men of Texas served in the Confederate Army and left behind their small herds of longhorns. The unattended cattle grazed and multiplied. The men who were fortunate enough to return home after the war saw themselves now “cattle-poor” with too many cows and no where to sell them. Salt pork had been the main meat of soldiers and in the East, only small numbers of beef cows could be raised due to the landscape of the region.Didn’t catch that? This explains it. Jesse Chisholm had begin a trading post in Oklahoma and used a trail to bring in goods for sale.

Texas cattlemen decided that shipping their cows from Kansas to the East would be profitable and they began to use Chisholm’s trail from Texas to Kansas through The Native People’s lands. After the Civil War many former Confederates had lost their farms and livelihoods. Former Union soldiers sought new lives and adventures in the postwar economy. They went West and signed on with ranchers and cattlemen and learned the trade of cows. Riding rank horses, learning to dally and rope, brand and move the herd became their classroom. The Chisholm Trail was an adventure, a lifestyle and a legend all in one.

Homesteading And Pioneering In The Wild West

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

In the 19th century, the American wild western frontier was a dangerous place to live. Cowboys, guns, cattle, horses, and gunfights consumed the wild terrain. However, the Wild West would also be a home to stalwart pioneers and homesteaders taking advantage of the Homestead Act signed into law in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln.

The provisions of the Homestead Act permitted any family to claim land and farm the land for 5 years before the family could legally own the land. Thousands of European immigrants traveled west using Conestoga wagons to begin a new life on the wild western land. After the abolition of slavery, some newly freed men also sought prairie land to farm and later claim as their own. On January 1, 1863, a farmer named Daniel Freeman was the first to submit a land claim near Beatrice, Nebraska.

After surviving a difficult journey out west, many pioneering families faced other challenges. The new homesteaders learned through trial and error how to produce food by farming the rugged terrain, build a house, protect themselves, and how to build a new life in a wild country. The homesteaders often competed with ranch owners who had previously established cattle ranches.The information party rocks on: Brazil farming revolution may slow Amazon demise

Role Of The Native American’s In The Wild West

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The role of the native American in the wild west is problematical due to the influence of Hollywood. We see the native American Indian in many roles. He is shown as being the wild savage, attacking the settlers wagons. Close ups of native American Indians show a wild face painted and eyes glaring in rage. Then, again, we see the native American Indian as a charming buffoon sitting outside of bars and smoking a pipe. He looks harmless and subdued. Occasionally, we see the native American Indian talking peace with the cavalry that was sent out west to push them further and further away from lands that settlers want. In all of these roles, the American Indian is seen as not being as clever as the Europeans who have come to his country and taken it by cunning and force, both of which he lacks although, occasionally, he makes an effort. Of course, these are European stereotypes and indicative of the European mindset. In Europe, invading peoples were killed or assimilated into the general population. In the United States, the Indian was set apart in reservations. The role of the Indian in The United States is that of an outsider in their own country.

Awful Things About Being a Cowboy

admin — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Being a cowboy was the bestyou didn’t have to worry about picking up the kids or whether or not you set the home security alarm. But before you get all wrapped up in the romanticism of it you’ve got to remember some of the awful parts of living in the Wild West
The Clothes – Have you ever noticed how cowboys always have on full leather when it appears to be 100 degrees outside? The women’s clothes didn’t make much difference, either, and if you’ve never tried chaps on your probably don’t realize how heavy they are.
The Diseases – The common cold did more than set you back a couple of days back in the times of the west, it killed you. If you had the flu or pneumonia? You were a gonner before the town “doctor” even got to you.
The Food – You think cowboy suppers sound nice? Try game meat mixed in with various dirt and stocks then simmering for hours until tough as leather. Mmm, sounds less than awesome, right? We thought so.

Wyoming: How It Became The Cowboy State

admin — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The accrual of horses in Wyoming began in the mid-1600s when local tribes gathered them not only for conveyance and hunting purposes, but as a sign of how wealthy the tribe was in comparison to other local tribes. The plains of Wyoming are ideal for cattle herding and when the Union Railroad arrived in 1867, it promoted the raising of cattle in those areas. But it wasn’t just the railroad. The Homestead Act, further endorsed ranching in the area, and was what continued to contribute to Wyoming’s already growing population of cattle ranchers. It also became a popular settling spot for those who had set off on the Oregon Trail. Around this time, Wyoming accumulated a vast amount of livestock and other farm animals due in part to the construction of efficient irrigation methods in the Wyoming territory. The amount of livestock caused overgrazing and tension continued to grow among fellow ranchers. The Johnson County War of 1892, which pitted local cattle ranchers against each other for control of the market. This view of the “Wild West” became firmly affixed to Wyoming’s reputation. On the Wyoming quarter, a cowboy is seen bucking a bronco. This symbol was adopted by the state in 2006. Their official state sport, rodeo, was established the same year.

Wild West Folk Lore: Myths And Fats

admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Brave lone horsemen riding fearlessly into the wide open prairies to seek out and fight the evil Red men who were also hunting them. This is the stuff of legend about the American Old West: it is also just so much horse droppings. The fact is that the Indians who lived in the Old West were no more blood thirsty than the settlers who were just looking for a place to live. Both sides came into the Western areas with expectations and prejudices that did not help them to live peacefully together.

On the Indian side was the fact that their very languages generally made it clear that anyone who was not of the tribe was not a human being and therefore did not count in the cosmic scheme of things. On the Whiteman side there was the feeling that they were the owners of all they surveyed if no one else was clearly present to contest that ownership. A farm or ranch that was built while the indigenous folk were somewhere else was home to the builder and a pesthole to the returning natives.

The conflict between the cowboys and Indians was based on misconceptions on both sides. Unfortunately, these mistakes continued even into the modern era.

Did Cowboys And Indians Really Battle Each Other

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

One of the most prominent images of the Old American West is that of the fearsome rivalry between Cowboys and Indians. It is a Hollywood favorite, and many American film legends have played the rough cowboy role. However, history tells a slightly less dramatic story.

Most scuffles between Native Americans and other parties occurred against U.S. military forces. Fighting between cowboys and American Indians mostly took place during the occasional raid in which the American Indians would attempt to gather some resources from the cowboys’ camps. Most of these conflicts ended with little violence.

The romanticized film role of the gun-slinging cowboy is a fictitious one. A traditional cowboy was simply a laborer who spent too much time working with livestock to consider battling any American Indians. Also, many of the traditional cowboys of the Old West were actually American Indians. This was especially the case from the mid-1800s on because the U.S. government started encouraging assimilation of American Indian populations into the rest of the residents of the American West.

Clearly, the film industry has taken some liberties with historical relationships. While the occasional scuffle between cowboys and American Indians did occur, the conflict was brief and usually ended with the cowboy simply showing that he was armed.

Famous Cowboys From The Wild West Era

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Famous cowboys from the wild west era roamed the expansive western American lands on horseback. Some were outlaws, robbers and murderers. Some were entertainers that put on “wild west” shows. The lawmen chased and tried to catch the outlaws but the ironic thing was that some of the lawmen were outlaws in other states at the time.

Cowboys such as Jesse James committed twenty-one murders before being killed by a member of his own gang. Buffalo Bill was well-known for his “wild west” shows, showcasing shooting, parades and staged races. He traveled taking his shows about the American Wild West to Europe. Annie Oakley, known for traveling with Buffalo Bill was a famous cowgirl and was an excellent sharp shooter. Butch Cassidy was a famous robber and cowboy and member of the Wild Bunch Gang. He committed suicide when surrounded and trapped for capture. There were so many famous cowboys during this era and they all made a name for themselves that have carried on in history for years.

The American west was a time for exploration, expansion and a period of hard work and danger for all the cowboys. They spent most of their lives riding tall in the saddle and living off the land. All the people of the wild west era built the frontier and left lasting legacies.