1. How lawless was the west?
Starter: Identify 3 reasons why ex-slaves fled the south after the Civil War.
Challenge: Who was Benjamin Singleton?
In this lesson, we will:
Describe what happened at the OK Corral and Johnson County War.
Assess to what extent the west was “lawless”

2. Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral (1881)
In May 1874, Wyatt Earp first got into Law enforcement. After getting arrested in Wichita, he helped the marshal restore order.
He moved on to be marshal in Dodge City until 1879, and then moved to Tombstone.
In Tombstone he was hired by rich businessmen to bring law and order to rivalries between miners and ranchers.
IN October 1881, near the OK Corral in Tombstone, Earp was involved in a shoot out. He killed Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton. Earp’s brother had intended to disarm them but things got out of hand.
In response, the cowboys shot and killed Morgan Earp in Wyatt then shot two men who he thought was responsible. Due to their violent behaviour, the Earps were forced to leave.

3. The Johnson County War (1892)
This was a series of fights between cattle barons and homesteaders.
After the winter of , big ranchers had lost a lot but small ranches did better. Cattle barons said that smaller farmers had survived by rustling their cattle.
Cattle Barons created a group called the WGSA and banned small ranches that they suspected of rustling.
Juries often felt sorry for small farmers, so would not convict them. Angered by this, the WGSA took the law into their own hands. In 1889 a group of ranchers hanged Ella Watson and Jim Averill after accusing them of rustling.
The WGSA decided to invade Johnson County and kill 70 men who were accused of rustling. They raised $100,000 to carry it out by hiring 22 Texan gunmen.
Sheriff Angus of Johnson County raised 40 men to stop the invaders. He was supported by the US Army

4. Why was this so important?
It showed that many people believed vigilante justice to be wrong – the media and people of the public joined the resistance.
It made the US government get involved at state level – they sent the 9th Cavalry in to stop the killing.
It showed that power and money could be used to stop the legal process. The WSGA used $100,000 to hire the best lawyers to convince the judge to move the trial to Cheyenne where they jury would be rich and sympathetic. They also purposely extended the trial as long as possible so the prosecutors ran out of money and the charges were dropped.

5. Evidence the west was “lawless” Evidence the west was not lawless”
Learning Task One
Evidence the west was “lawless”
Evidence the west was not lawless”
All
Create a table in your book showing:
Evidence the west was “lawless”
Evidence the west was not “lawless”

6. Evidence the west was “lawless” Evidence the west was not lawless”
Outlaws like Billy the Kid ran wild – they stole and committed murder.
Pat Garret shot and killed Billy the Kid rather than bring him to trial and prison.
Wyatt Earp and his brothers would settle crime with violence e.g. in Tombstone at OK Corral they shot and killed three men. This escalated into further violence – Virgil Earp was killed in retaliation.
To get revenge for rustling, Albert Bothwell had Ella Watson and Jim Averill hanged.
In 1892 the WSGA raised $100,000 to hire 22 gunmen to hunt down and kill 70 suspected rustlers. They were paid $50 for every kill.
At the court case after, the WSGA used their money and power to get themselves let free. They deliberately had the judge move the trial to a rich city so there would by sympathy. They kept the trial running until the prosecution ran out of money.
The people of these places did not want violent law officers like the Earps – the fact they ran them out of Tombstone proves this.
Most towns in the west were peaceful – businesses men in these areas did not want to lose money so lobbied for strict gun laws.
The people of Buffalo joined the fight against the WSGA – they did not want vigilante justice.
The US government sent in the army to protect the WSGA from being killed by an angry mob – this shows dedication to keeping the peace.

7. Homework Task
Complete Quiz 1 on this study booklet.