The cattle ranching boom

The Cattle Boom Reasons : The construction of the trans-continental railroad allowed for goods to be shipped across the country from city to city, east to west, north to south – However, a system needed to be established to get food to the railroad workers so this monumental task could be completed. The farming frontier endured hardships due to the west/mid-west climate. So the simple solution was to have “COWBOYS” deliver cattle to the railroad workers at “Cow –Towns”

Texas Longhorns Why this Breed??? ►Could travel great distances with little water and fed on grass ►Maintained there weight throughout the trip

The OPEN RANGE:  Vast area of grassland on which longhorn cattle grazed freely on their trips throughout the West

Who were these so-called Cowboys Ex – Confederate Soldiers African Americans (1 in 7) Mexicans ( 1 in 5) –Had the biggest influence African Americans who migrated from the South to the West in the years following the Civil War = Exodusters

TOOLS OF THE TRADE Lariat CHAPS Spurs Samuel Colt’s – 6 Shooter

The Cowboys Journey… 2-4 months to reach destination cowboys for every 3,000 cattle $40 / month 18 hour days

Problems Encountered: Dangers Did not want cattle to lose weight during trip, so had to move slowly Keeping the herd organized – prevent stampede

READINGS:  Tales of the Roundup: Earnest Cook H.P. Cook Jacob Bennett Rowdy Buell J.H. “Jake” Byler

The End of the Open Range: Bad weather – Blizzards (severe winters) Farmers – established private property now cattle could not graze openly

End of Open Range Ultimately, the trans-continental railroad took the place of the Cowboy

In 1867, Oliver H. Kelley, an employee in the Department of Agriculture, founded the Patrons of Husbandry. This organization was also known as the Grange. The Grange's purpose was to provide farmers with an organization that could assist them with any difficulties that arose. During the late 1860s and 1870s, farmers faced numerous problems, including swarms of grasshoppers, extravagant railroad fares to ship crops, expensive farming machinery, high interest and mortgage rates, and falling prices. Farmers in the Great Plains and the South quickly rallied to the Grange, although this organization also gained members in other parts of the United States. Print illustrating a granger's procession and mass meeting, in "History of the Grange Movement" (National Publishing Co., 1874). The Grange, also known as the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized in 1867 to assist farmers with purchasing machinery, building grain elevators, lobbying for government regulation of railroad shipping fees and providing a support network for farm families. By the early 1870's there were more than one million members. The farming boom

The rapid growth in homesteading of the west developed a new type of American home; the soddie. The sodden homes were built from prairie soil. The average home contained one room, one door and one small window. THE HOMESTEAD ACT MAY 20, 1862 One of 3 government land acts to encourage settlement of the Great Plains Adult citizen who headed a family & had not fought against the Union Pay a small registration fee & promise to cultivate the land Receive up to 160 acres and gain title to it after 5 years. Approx. 400,000 families took advantage

THE PACIFIC RAILWAY ACT

THE MORRILL ACT July 2, 1862 Granted states more than 17 million acres of land to raise revenue for the establishment of colleges. Gave tracts of land to each state that remained in the Union during the Civil War. The land was to be sold and the profits used to create colleges for agriculture and the mechanical arts. (business & agriculture) Also called the Land-Grant Act of 1862 Established over 70 colleges and universities  University of California  Michigan State University In 1890 a second Morrill Act awarded similar land grants to southern states

Economic Development of the West Homstead Act permitted any citizen or intended citizen to select any surveyed land up to 160 acres Pacific Railroad Act: gave lands to railroad companies to develop a railroad line linking the east and west coasts Morrill Act: granted more than 17 mil. Acres of federal land to the states The homesteaders use the railroads to ship their crops Railroad companies advertised in the east to encourage settlement along the rail routes.