1. Westward Expansion

2. The Western Frontier In 1860, the Texas population was 600,000 By 1900, more than three million people lived in the state Many Texans hoped to make their fortunes in the unsettled lands After the Frontier Wars, Texans moved west in large numbers

3. The Western Frontier Used the idea of “manifest destiny” to justify forcing Indians off the land In 1870, Texas only had 583 miles of railroad track By 1900, there were 10,000 miles of railroad in Texas Railroads in Texas ended the cattle drives

4. The Western Frontier

5. Closing the Frontier In 1874, Joseph Glidden acquired a patent for a popular design of barbed wire The metal wire was light, strong, and cheap Texans bought five tons of barbed wire in 1874 Six years later, they bought 40,000 tons Barbed wire changed Texas forever!

6. Closing the Frontier

7. In the 1880s, ranchers used barbed wire across Texas to protect their cattle Some fences blocked roads and interfered with mail delivery Within the enclosures, fenced-in areas, they controlled the breeding of animals Farmers put up fences to protect crops The open range in Texas ceased to exist – it had been “fenced in”! It ended cattle drives

8. Closing the Frontier

9. Landless cattle owners resorted to cutting fences A newspaper reported in 1883 that fence cutting occurred in half of the state’s counties War erupted on the Texas range again! It was called the Fence Cutting Wars Fence cutters threatened ranchers and burned their pastures, causing up to $20 million in damage

10. Closing the Frontier

12. In 1884, Texas passed a law making it a felony to cut a fence A felony is a serious crime that usually results in a jail sentence The Texas Rangers went undercover to catch fence cutters One Ranger even set traps with dynamite – trap exploded if wire was cut The Rangers brought an end to fence cutting wars by 1900

13. Closing the Frontier “I have only one more chance with any hopes of stopping fence-cutting in this section and that is with my dynamite boom as I call it…I will have my boom set and when the fence is cut, why they will hear of it in Austin…it will scare them so bad that they will never cut another fence…Don’t be uneasy about my actions for I will use the greatest precaution with my booms and see that no innocent men gets hurt with them…however, if I get blowed up, you will know I was doing a good cause.” Ira Aten, Texas Ranger, 1888

14. Closing the Frontier Ira Aten, Texas Ranger

15. End of the Texas Frontier By the end of the 1880s, the frontier in Texas had disappeared Native Americans no longer hunted buffalo on the plains Cowboys no longer drove cattle north Railroads, telegraph wires, and fences crossed West Texas An era had ended but… The legacy of the frontier left a lasting mark on America and its culture

16. Quiz Why were enclosures so important to ranchers? A. Enclosures helped protect their crops B. Enclosures helped them get their cattle to market C. Enclosures allowed them to control the breeding of their animals D. Enclosures made sure everyone had access to water What is a felony? A. a minor crime that usually results in a fine B. a serious crime that usually results in a fine C. a serious crime that is usually dismissed by a judge D. a serious crime that usually results in a jail sentence

17. Texas Rangers

18. John Armstrong spotted John Wesley Hardin sitting in the train car. Hardin was one of the most feared gunmen in the West. He had killed more than 30 men. Seated next to Hardin were four members of his gang. Armstrong drew his Colt 45 revolver and slowly walked down the aisle. The Texas Ranger commanded Hardin and his gang to surrender. Hardin recognized Armstrong’s weapon as a favorite of the Rangers. He exclaimed, “Texas, by God” and reached for his own gun. One of his gang members fired at Armstrong, knocking off his hat. The Ranger killed him with a single shot. Hardin then kicked Armstrong. The Ranger struck Hardin over the head with his revolver, knocking him out. Armstrong then disarmed the other gang members.

19. John Armstrong Texas Ranger John Wesley Hardin

20. The Rangers’ Organization In 1823, Stephen F. Austin (SFA) raised a small force of experienced frontiersmen as Rangers Their job was to protect the settlers against Indian raids and Mexican attacks In 1835, Texas lawmakers formally organized the Texas Rangers to better protect frontier They served as a special police force and as a military unit

21. The Rangers’ Organization

22. Texas Rangers consisted of 56 men organized into 3 companies A major led each company, enlisted recruits and enforced the rules He reported to the commander of the regular Texas army Officers were paid $1.25/day – same as a dragoon in U. S. army Dragoon – mounted soldier

23. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single men

24. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single men Refused to wear standard uniforms

25. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single men Refused to wear standard uniforms Supplied their own equipment

26. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single men Refused to wear standard uniforms Supplied their own equipment Provided own horse

27. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single men Refused to wear standard uniforms Supplied their own equipment Provided own horse Supplied own gun

28. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single men Refused to wear standard uniforms Supplied their own equipment Provided own horse Supplied own gun Few family ties

29. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single men Refused to wear standard uniforms Supplied their own equipment Provided own horse Supplied own gun Few family ties Often retired by age 30

30. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single menSkilled horsemen Refused to wear standard uniforms Supplied their own equipment Provided own horse Supplied own gun Few family ties Often retired by age 30

31. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single menSkilled horsemen Refused to wear standard uniforms Developed expert marksmanship Supplied their own equipment Provided own horse Supplied own gun Few family ties Often retired by age 30

32. The Rangers’ Organization CharacteristicsSkills Young, single menSkilled horsemen Refused to wear standard uniforms Developed expert marksmanship Supplied their own equipment Developed excellent tracking skills Provided own horse Supplied own gun Few family ties Often retired by age 30

33. The Rangers’ Organization Texas Rangers

34. Rangers in Action Texas Rangers saw little action in Texas Revolution They served as scouts and messengers Under President Lamar, the Rangers played a key role in removing Native Americans from East Texas in 1839 They helped U.S. forces win against Mexican guerilla fighters in the Mexican War in 1847 Guerillas – soldiers not part of regular army

35. True Value of the Rangers Texas Rangers joined the Confederate Army during the Civil War The defense of the frontier was weakened during this time Rangers fought 21 Indian battles They transported prisoners, collected taxes and dealt with 3,000 desperados – reckless, bold outlaws In 1901, the government cut their size to only 4 companies with 20 men each

36. The Value of the Rangers

37. Quiz The purpose of the Texas Rangers was to… A. help ranchers enclose their pastures B. make baseball more popular in the late 1800s C. establish law and order in lawless areas of Texas D. demonstrate Texas pride by showing off their horse riding skills Who were the Mexicans referring to when they spoke of “los diablos Tejanos”? A. guerilla fighters B. cattle rustlers C. desperados D. Texas Rangers