SECTION 1 The Beginning of the Cattle Kingdom

The early Texas cattle industry grew in a diamond-shaped area bordered by the Rio Grande, the Gulf of Mexico, the Nueces River on the northeast, and an imaginary line on the northwest. Cattle ranching flourished after the buffalo had been killed off and Native Americans moved unto reservations. Spanish influence helped settlers become ranchers THE CATTLE INDUSTRY

Cattle owners use a generally accepted set of symbols to create their brands. Some brands include a bar above or below a letter. The letter M with a bar above it would be known as “Bar M.” A curved line below the letter makes it “rocking.” Small slanted lines at the top or bottom of the letter make it “flying” or “walking.” Some brands include shapes such as stars and triangles. The goal of cattle owners is to create designs that will be difficult for cattle thieves to change. BRAND- A mark burned on the hide of cattle or other livestock to show ownership.

 LONGHORNS  The Spaniards brought cattle when they began to settle Texas  These cattle roamed wild in Texas and multiplied. Over time, the different breeds mixed to produce a new breed, the Texas longhorn.  The longhorns’ most distinctive characteristics were :  huge horns, used as protection from enemies.  Their ability to adapt to almost any environment.  Survive on little water and food and in extreme hot and cold temperatures.

  Cattle raising increased after Mexico gained control of Texas in Settlers in Texas could receive more than 4,400 acres if they raised cattle.  Ranchers who moved to Texas from the United States used a method of raising cattle with English origins.  Cowhands in Texas blended both Spanish and English methods to develop a style of their own.  James Taylor White, who owned a ranch in Liberty County, was considered Texas’s first cattle baron. EARLY RANCHERS

  By the 1850s cattle could be herded, or “driven,” to Missouri for shipment by rail to Eastern markets.  The route to Missouri crossed settled areas of East Texas and Arkansas.  The trailing herds trampled crops and grazed on grass needed to feed the farmers’ livestock.  Some of the herds carried a disease known as Texas fever.  Ranchers learned to “dip” cattle in chemicals to kill the ticks carrying Texas Fever.  Ranchers raised cattle for other markets. Cattle were taken to the coast and killed for their hides, made into leather goods.  The meat was boiled to separate out the tallow, or fat, which was used to make products such as soap and candles. EARLY RANCHERS

 Texas Herds During the Civil War  1863, the Union controlled the Mississippi River. As a result, Texas cattle could not cross the river to reach hungry soldiers in the East.  The cattle industry declined in Texas during the Civil War.  Many herds of cattle roamed the state, and their numbers increased greatly.  Texas ranchers would soon realize that the railroad lines held the key to their fortunes. Each year Brownsville, together with the Mexican city of Matamoros, holds a Charro Days celebration. People wear traditional dress and demonstrate charro techniques for handling cattle.

SECTION 2 The Cattle Trails

  STOCKYARD- a pen where livestock is kept before being butchered or shipped to market.  PACKING HOUSE- A warehouse where beef is prepared before shipment.  COW TOWN- A town that serves a market or shipping point for cattle. VOCABULARY

  After the Civil War demand for beef increased.  Joseph G. McCoy built first cow-town in Abilene KS.  Abilene was located at southern end of the Union Pacific Railroad.  Abilene also had holding pens along rail road tracks, wide streets, entertainment for cowhands.  Cherokee trader Jesse Chisholm opened the Chisholm trail in 1867, it become the first great cattle trail. A MARKET FOR BEEF

 JESSE CHISHOLM  The Chisholm Trail, started in 1867 was named after Jesse Chisholm. Jesse had developed a trading system with the Cherokees that aided in the development of a “safer” cattle trail that would reach the railroads in the North.

Pg. 367 On the Chisholm Trail 35,000 head of cattle reach Abilene in ,00 head of cattle by Dodge City trails develops and is most popular by Extended from San Antonio to Dodge City Goodnight-Loving Trail went up along the Pecos River into New Mexico and later into Wyoming. DEVELOPMENT OF THE CATTLE TRAILS

  ROUNDUP- The process of herding together cattle that are scattered.  WRANGLER- A ranch hand who cares for saddle horses.  RUSTLER- a cattle thief  CHUCK WAGON- A wagon that carries cooking equipment and food for cowhands. VOCABULARY

  All Cattle drives started with round up, branding and then cowhands separated the large herd into smaller herds.  Scouts rode ahead of the herds to search for food, water, Bad weather, hostile Native Americans and outlaws.  Trail Bosses had complete control over all cowhands and employees of the trail.  Pointers_ rode at the side of the lead cattle to direct the herd  Flankers – rode beside the herd to keep cattle from straying  Drag Position- Rode behind the herd to keep cattle from straying behind.  Wranglers- Took care of the extra horses for the herdsman.  Cook- made breakfast and then rode ahead of herd to prepare dinner for the herdsman LIFE ON THE TRAIL

SECTION 3 The End of the Open Range

 Charles Goodnight  With friend Oliver Loving, Charles Goodnight created the Goodnight-Loving Trail, a new route for getting cattle from Texas ranches to beef markets in Wyoming. On his JA Ranch, Goodnight made advances in irrigation and bred cattle to improve the herds. He also cross bred buffalo and cattle, resulting in the “cattalo.” Goodnight was honored for his contributions to cattle ranching by being named one of the five original members of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame

  King Ranch founded in 1852 by Richard King, and is now over a million acres. (larger than Rhode Island)  JA Ranch was founded by Charles Goodnight and James Adair. Ranch had over a million acres and had 100,000 head of cattle, located in Palo Duro Canyon.  Investors AM Britton & HH Campbell founded the Matador Ranch and eventually bought land in several states and Canada.  XIT Ranch covered 3 million acres and eventually was sold to private citizens. THE GREAT SPREADS Pg.373

  Sheep brought by Spanish  1850 George W. Kendall, sheep rancher in Borne raised sheep for wool, instead of mutton.  1880 over a million head of sheep were raised in Texas  Charles Schreiner promoted mohair, a type of yarn made from an Angora goat. Goat raising was mainly in the Edward’s Plateau area, and today is still the leader in mohair production. SHEEP & GOAT RANCHING

 BARBED WIRE  Open-range ranching was used due to lack of materials  Barbed wire was inexpensive and could hold in longhorns.  1783 Joseph Glidden invented “winner” barbed wire  XIT Ranch had 6,000 miles of Barbed wire  legislature passed laws against fence cutting. Joseph F. Glidden designed the popular ”Winner” barbed wire consisting of S- shaped barbs wrapped around a single wire

 WINDMILLS  Introduction of windmills encouraged ranchers to fence.  Provided water so cattle didn’t have to roam  West Texas was dry and ranchers could pump water for cattle WATER WIND

 LIFE of a COWHAND MYTHREALITY

 NAT LOVE  Nat Love and many other African American cowhands became well known on the Texas range

 RANGE OF CULTURES  Anglo-Americans, African-Americans, Tejanos, Europeans, and many other nationalities.  “80 John” Wallace, a former slave served as a trail boss, and eventually owned his own ranch.  Bose Ikard, Matthew “Bones”Hooks, and Nat Love.  Vaqueros, Tejanos, 1out of 10 cowhand  Maria Del Carmen Cavillo, Rosa Hinojosa de Balli, Margaret Borland, and Lizzie Williams were all women ranchers.

 Elizabeth Johnson Williams  In1871 she purchased a small ranch near Austin and a herd of cattle, and then registered her own brand. A “hands-on” owner, Williams personally drove her cattle up the Chisholm Trail and is thought to be the first woman to have done so. Before her death in 1924, Williams owned property in several counties and was worth almost a quarter of a million dollars. Her success as a rancher earned her the title  “Cattle Queen of Texas.”