Cattle, Cattle Trails, and Cotton

Origin of Cattle The Spanish first brought cattle & horses to Texas By early 1800’s: nearly 1 million wild longhorns in TX Spaniards allowed their cattle to roam the plains freely & marked their cows with a brand to show ownership. Large Spanish/Mexican ranches existed in northern Mexico and Texas.

The First Cattle Ranchers in TX -First ranchers: Spanish priests and soldiers! -1820’s: Anglos entered the business & soon adopted ways of Spanish-Mexican vaqueros – riding, roping, herding, and branding. -Early ranchers faced many problems: drought, disease, theft, and finding markets for their stock

Influence of the Civil War By 1865 millions of longhorns roamed TX & worth only $3 to $4 in TX In East, sold for $30 to $40 each!! WOW! Large supply and high demand created great profits! Cattle boom helped TX recover from the war! New markets opened As population grew, demand soared! During war, cattle decreased in North & increased greatly in Texas

Spread of Ranching Thru the State Late 1870’s – land & cattle companies owned over HALF the land in West Texas! Ranchers soon enclosed their land – ending large cattle drives King Ranch Charles Goodnight’s JA Ranch XIT Ranch Sheep, goat, and mustang ranches expanded in Texas

Fence Cutting Wars Barbed wire changed Texas forever… Landless cattle owners wanted the open range again where cattle had access to water and grass - cut fences! Threatened ranchers, burned pastures Caused damages around $20 million 1884, Texas made it a felony to cut a fence! End of the decade, Rangers brought an end to fence cutting war

Myths and Realities Herd moved 10-15 miles a day Guard duty at night Most cowboys – teens to early 20’s (small build) 2 out of 3 were Anglos – rest African Americans, Tejanos, Mexicans, Indians, and few women! Trail rides were strenuous with cowboys averaging 30 to 36 hours in the saddle

Cattle Trails Northern demand for beef led to rise of cattle trails Roundup – took place in spring Cowboys drove herds north to towns with rail stations Cattle sent by rail to Northern states where they would be slaughtered for meat

Famous Trails Chisholm Trail Great Western Trail Goodnight-Loving Trail Shawnee Trail

Cotton and Cash Crops New methods of farming – dry farming, irrigation, and terraces Increase of sharecropping and tenant farming, which resulted in many people in deep debt New cash crops were grown in Texas (e.g., wheat, sorghum). Cotton and corn grown across the state Crops affect inflation

Economic Gains Expansion of the railroad Cattle ranching becomes a business, rather than a way of life Growth of large ranches