The Cowboy Way of Life

When? Cowboys were most significant in American history during the time from the end of the American Civil War through the 1890s. They were used when other forms of transportation were scarce in the western and southwestern U.S.

Why? Cattle had to be driven to shipping points over long distances, and the cowboy needed lots of strength and endurance to complete the journeys. Because there wasn’t good law enforcement, his duties also included providing security for his ranch and its stock.

Cattle Trail Map

Cattle Ranches

The Chuck Wagon The chuck wagons would hold all of the supplies for the cowboys. Including the cooking, eating utensils, medical supplies (limited), barber scissors, shovels for burying the dead.

Chuck Wagons

The Chuck Wagon Chuck Wagons were usually hooked up to horses or oxen to steer the wagon. It often took 2 or more horses to pull the wagon because of all the weight.

Cowboys usually wore a cotton button down shirt with a leather vest over it. They also wore blue jeans with brown chaps over the pants to protect their legs when riding horses. They wore bandanas over their mouth and/or over their neck to keep it from getting sunburned. Cowboy Clothing

They wore wide rimmed hats to keep the sun out of their eyes and to also keep them from getting sunburn. On their feet they wore boots that were either pointy on the toe or round. On the shoes they wore spurs so that they can kick the horse and make them go faster.

Most cowboys wear a kerchief pulled over the lower part of his face that protects it from dust.

Cowboy Clothing Tight pants with leather chaps protect his legs from insects and brush.

Boots with high heels prevent his feet from slipping out of the stirrups. Cowboy Clothing

Cowboy Gear

Cowboy Lingo Cowboy Lingo was a special way of talking between cowboys. Many of the words were only understood by other cowboys. They usually put words together that you would never hear by other settlers. This was the most common way that cowboys talked.

Biscuit shooter: ranch cook Colorado mockingbird: a burro Dog house: the bunkhouse Flea trap: a cowboys bedroll Greasy belly: a cook Gut hooks: spurs Hay shaker: farmer

More Cowboy Lingo Maniac den: a sheep wagon or camp Kack biscuit: saddle sore Hot rock: a biscuit Tasting gravel: thrown from a horse Idaho brain storm:tornado Kack: saddle

Y’all Enjoy our next activity! WS TIME