Expansion of Trail Driving (1865-1890) Reason for Cattle Drives 1.After the Civil War, demand for...
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Transcript of Expansion of Trail Driving (1865-1890) Reason for Cattle Drives 1.After the Civil War, demand for...
Expansion of Trail Driving (1865-1890)
Reason for Cattle Drives
1. After the Civil War, demand for beef grew.
2. Texas had an abundance of cattle.
3. Prices for cattle were highest in the Northeast.
4. Ranchers needed to get Texas cattle to railroad towns to ship them east and north.
Why Drives Were Profitable
1. Cattle sold for a higher price in the Northeast than in Texas.
2. It was cheaper to drive them than to ship by railroad.
Problems on the Cattle Trail
1. Disease
2. Lack of water
3. Lack of market in railroad towns
4. Stampede
5. Snakes
6. Flooded Rivers
7. Indian Attacks
Problems on the Cattle Trail
8. Angry farmers (didn’t want cattle crossing their lands)
9. Rustlers (thieves)
Texas Cattle Trails
1. Goodnight-Loving
2. Chisholm (most popular out of Texas)
3. Western
4. Sedalia
Texas Cattle Trail Map
Shawnee Trail
Chisholm Trail
Western Trail
Goodnight-Loving Trail
St. Louis
Brownsville
Abilene
Dodge City
Denver
Kansas City
Sedalia
San Antonio
Dallas
Life on the Cattle Trails
1. Started at sun-up, ended at sun set
2. Brief meal at noon
3. Meals were usually beans, bacon & coffee
4. Usually traveled 10-12 miles per day
5. Herd of 2,000-3,000 were common
6. Usually 8-12 cowboys plus cook, trail boss, & wrangler
Cowboy Clothing
1. Hat – protected eyes from sun, wide brim provided rain protection
2. Long sleeves protected from sun
3. Bandana covered eyes and mouth in dust storm
4. Chap protected legs from brush, animal bites, and chaffing
Cowboy Clothing
5. Boots had a heel to keep foot from sliding through stirrup
6. Spurs – noise soothed cattle; was a familiar sound regardless of location