1. Let’s learn all about it!
The Civil War is Over!
We are close to the turn
of the century!
What does “turn of
the century” mean?
Life was changing
in the United States!
Most change was good.
Let’s learn all about it!

2. Texas Texas is known for many things!
One thing that it is known for is its cattle production.
Texas

3. After the Civil War, many Texas cattle farmers
returned home to find that their cattle
herds had grown tremendously! Why?

4. This is great that our cattle population has grown so much when we were fighting in the war! We can sell all this beef. Demand is high for beef in the Eastern United States! So much beef was consumed by the Confederate and Union armies during the war.

5. Did he say, “Beef Markets?”
Not so fast, buddy! How will we get all this cattle to the East? How will we transport it? The beef markets are far away from Texas!
Did he say, “Beef Markets?”
RUUUN!!

6. I have an idea. My name is Joseph McCoy
I have an idea! My name is Joseph McCoy. I am a cattle farmer from Illinois! Let me show you how we can move this cattle from Texas to the Eastern states!

7. We can herd the cattle through Texas and Indian Territory
We can herd the cattle through Texas and Indian Territory. Then we can go to Abilene, Kansas. There, we will load the cattle onto railroad cars and take it to the East!!
Indian
Territory
herding cattle

8. We can herd the cattle through Texas and Indian Territory Then we can go to Abilene, Kansas. There we will load the cattle onto railroad cars and take it to the East!!

9. In 1867, the first cattle trail was blazed!
It was called the Chisholm Trail.
Where would
the cattle go
once they got
to Abilene?
Jesse Chisholm
The trail
was initially
a wagon
trail.
It is estimated
that 6 million cattle
made their way up the
Chisholm Trail from 1867
to the mid 1880’s! That is
a lot of beef!

10. There were also other cattle routes that
would take cattle to Nebraska and
Northern territories. One was called the
Great Western Cattle Trail.

11. Many bones of cows and
calves were found along
the path. These animals could
not keep up with the herds
and died. Even cowboys died
along the way from disease,
accidents, or even
Indian attacks.

12. Let’s Review The Civil War armies ate a
Why was there a shortage of beef in the
East?
The Civil War armies ate a
great deal of beef during the war.
What was the solution to getting cattle to the East?
The solution was to herd the cattle from Texas
up to Kansas. In Kansas, the cattle
was then put on railroad cars to be taken to
Eastern states.

13. Joseph McCoy Chisholm Trail Jesse Chisholm
This cattle owner was one of the first people to
figure out a way how to get cattle from Texas to the East.
Joseph McCoy
This was the cattle trail that led cattle herds to the
northern territories in the United States.
Great Western
Cattle Trail
This was the cattle trail that went from Texas to
Abilene, Kansas. It was the first cattle trail.
Chisholm
Trail
Who was the Chisholm Trail named after?
Jesse Chisholm
Discussion Question: How is cattle transported today?