Chapter 18 Lesson 4 – Ranching & Farming Objectives: Identify the Cattle Kingdom. Explain why the cattle boom ended. Identify the Exodusters. Identify the hardships that farmers faced on the Plains.

Driving Cattle to Market Longhorns – large herds of wild cattle Spanish & Mexicans set up cattle ranches in the Southwest. Railroads enabled ranchers to get these cattle to markets. Demand for beef increased, couldn’t depend on buffalo.

Cattle Drives Texas ranchers began rounding up cattle in 1860s. Drove them west to KS & MO in spring. Chisholm Trail – made by Jesse Chisholm

The Cowhand’s Life Vaqueros – skilled riders/cowboys who tended cattle on ranches (Spanish) Lariat – leather rope Sombrero – wide-rimmed hats Chaps – leather leggings Chaparral – thorny bush Dangers? –Stampedes, hot & tiring, crossing rivers

The Cattle Boom Grew up in the west, 1870s. Stretched from TX – MT Cattle roamed freely; rounded up twice a year to brand new calves. Farmers began arriving – began fencing their land to keep cattle out –Open range disappeared. –Harsh winters of ’85, ’86 –9 of 10 cattle frozen to death.

Farmers on the Plains Homestead Act – gov. gave 160 acres of land to anyone who would farm it for 5 years. (1862) –Big land-owning companies took large areas of land illegally. Sold it to farmers for high prices. Exodusters – African Americans who moved to KS –South tried to prevent them from leaving Stopped their boats on the MS river. 40,000-70,000 made it to KS by 1881.

Sodhouses Dry summers (fires & grasshoppers) Bitterly cold winters

New Farm Tools Sodbusters – Plains farmers James Oliver – plow Seed drills, reapers, threshing machines, binders, windmills

Women on the Plains Women made clothing, quilts, soap, candles, etc. by hand. Educated children, treated the sick/injured, helped with planting/harvesting. Lived miles apart.

End of the Frontier Last major land rush – OK, 1889 Indians have been moved there, but gov. bought the land back in “Sooners” snuck into OK and staked out the best land.