For about how many years did the cattle drives happen from texas to kansas?

Cowboys played an important role in the settling of the west. Ranching was a big industry and cowboys helped to run the ranches. They herded cattle, repaired fences and buildings, and took care of the horses.

The Cattle Drive

Cowboys often worked on cattle drives. This was when a large herd of cattle was moved from the ranch to a market place where they could be sold. A lot of the original cattle drives went from Texas to the railroads in Kansas.

Cattle drives were tough work. Cowboys would get up early in the morning and "guide" the herd to the next stopping point for the night. The senior riders got to be at the front of the herd. The junior cowboys had to stay at the back where it was dusty from the large herd.

There were usually around a dozen cowboys for a good size herd of 3000 cattle. There was also a trail boss, camp cook, and wrangler. The wrangler was usually a junior cowboy who kept track of the extra horses.

The Roundup

Each spring and fall the cowboys would work on the "roundup". This was when the cowboys would bring in all the cattle from the open range. Cattle would roam freely much of the year and then the cowboys would need to bring them in. In order to tell what cattle belonged to their ranch, the cattle would have a special mark burned into them called a "brand".

Horse and Saddle

The most important possession of any cowboy was his horse and saddle. The saddles were often custom made and, next to his horse, was probably the most valuable item a cowboy owned. Horses were so important that horse stealing was considered a hanging offense!

Clothing

Cowboys wore special clothing that helped them with their jobs. They wore large 10-gallon hats to protect them from the sun and the rain. They wore special cowboy boots with pointed toes that helped them to slip in and out of the stirrups when riding a horse. This was especially important if they fell so they wouldn't get dragged by their horse.

Many cowboys wore chaps on the outsides of their legs to help protect from sharp bushes and cacti that their horse may rub up against. Another important piece of clothing was the bandana which could be used to protect them from the dust kicked up by cattle.

Cowboy Code

The cowboys of the Old West had an unwritten code that they lived by. The code included such rules as being courteous, always saying "howdy", don't wave at a man on a horse (you should nod), never ride another man's horse without his permission, always help someone in need, and never put on another man's hat.

Rodeo

The rodeo became a sports competition with events based around the daily jobs of a cowboy. Events include calf roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, bareback bronco riding, and barrel racing.

The Cattle Drive and Westward Expansion uses the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework's Inquiry Arc as a blueprint to lead students through an investigation of cattle drives during the 1880s. The Inquiry Arc consists of four dimensions of informed inquiry in social studies:

1. Developing questions and planning inquiries;
2. Applying disciplinary concepts and tools;
3. Evaluating sources and using evidence;
4. Communicating conclusions and taking informed action.

The four dimensions of the C3 Framework center on the use of questions to spark curiosity, guide instruction, deepen investigations, acquire rigorous content, and apply knowledge and ideas in real world settings to become active and engaged citizens in the 21st century.1 For more information about the C3 Framework, visit socialstudies.org.

Historical Context of the Cattle Drive
Cattle are not native to the United States. They were introduced by early explorers and settlers from Spain and England. Some cattle were introduced directly to the United States, but others came indirectly by way of Mexico. In 1690, the first herd of 200 longhorns were driven North from Mexico to a mission along the Sabine River, an area which is now part of Texas. Texas became independent in 1836 and the Mexicans moved South, leaving their cattle behind. Texas farmers began raising the Mexican cattle for their hides and tallow. Tallow was made from rendered animal fat and was used to make candles, soap, and other products. Although beef was consumed in the 1800s, the lack of refrigeration and preservation methods limited its consumption. Today, cattle are primarily raised for their beef.

Cattle roundup near Great Falls Montana, circa 1890. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy

The first cattle drives headed West from Texas to San Francisco to the area where gold miners could be found (1849). Cattle ranchers could sell their cattle for 5-20 times the amount they could in Texas. The cattle market in California dropped along with gold mining. When the Civil War erupted (1861), many cattle herds were left behind on the open range. Cattle ranching halted for a time; however, the longhorn population grew as they continued to graze and reproduce on the prairie. After the war (1865), large cattle herds and consumer demand in cities resulted in cattle drives to locations where the railroad had a railhead. These towns were called "cow towns." When the animals arrived they would be sold and sorted for distribution to cities for slaughter and market.

Cattle Drive Map. Source: National Agriculture in the Classroom

Cattle drives continued for about 20 years (through the late 1880s) until the railroads grew and ranchers had closer access to railheads. Rail transport not only changed the speed of delivery, but as tracks were laid and refrigerated rail cars were developed, trains could go to where the cattle were located. Thereby reducing rangeland degradation on the way to market and keep weight on the animals because they had not been moved 500-1000 miles north.

Butcher shop, circa 1890. Nebraska State Historical Society. Source: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/timeline/labor_day_1890.htm

Life on the Trail:
A typical cattle drive pooled together cattle from several ranches. Most drives consisted of a total of 1000-3000 head of cattle.  The historical era of the cattle drives took place before the wide-spread use of fencing. Cattle roamed free and owners used brands and earmarks to identify the cattle they owned. Cattle brands were registered and could only be used by the owner. When a cattle drive was organized, the trail boss kept record of the brands and earmarks in the trail herd. After accounting for each ranches herd, the cattle were branded for identification with a single trail brand for the drive.

A 12-person crew could manage most cattle drives. While most of the crews were composed of men, there were some women who drove cattle to the railhead. As discussed in the book "Texas Women on the Cattle Trails" by Sara R. Massey, like men "some [women] took to the trails by choice; others, out of necessity. Some went along to look at the stars; others, to work the cattle. Some made money and built ranching empires, but others went broke and lived hard, even desperate lives." Men, and some women, then had their own responsibilities and typically held positions that included the following:

• Trail Boss: The trail boss was the leader of the cattle drive.  He was in charge of all the men and equipment. An average trail boss would have earned around $125 per month.  The trail boss rode at the head of the herd. He collected the money when the cattle were sold and was responsible for paying the crew.
• Cook: The cook was the second most important position on the cattle drive. He traveled about a mile ahead of the cattle and crew.  He rode on the "chuckwagon" which carried the food, water, and provisions for the crew. The cook prepared each meal, found campsites nightly, and filled in for other odd jobs as needed. Cooks earned about $60 per month.
• Cowboy: Cowboys worked the cattle and were paid $20-$40 per month.  The most experienced cowboy was known as the "Segundo" and rode evenly with the trail boss.  On each side of the herd were the "Swings" followed by the "Flanks" and finally the "Drag" riders.  The drag riders had the worst position as they were behind the herd.  Not only were they stuck riding in the dust, but they were responsible for pushing the lazy and slow cattle to keep them with the herd.
• Wrangler: The Wrangler was usually the youngest in the crew.  His job was to care for the horses.  Each cowboy on the drive had three or four horses.  The wrangler fed, saddled, and cared for the entire herd of horses and was responsible to drive the horses that weren't being ridden.

There were numerous trails used.  Noted trails include the Chisolm Trail, which led from Texas to Kansas. It was named for the Indian trader Jesse Chisholm. The original trail expanded as time passed due to cattle herds making new trails.  The Chisholm Trail became obsolete in the mid-1870s after an interstate railroad came to Texas. The Goodnight-Loving Trail crossed West Texas. It was established by Charles Goodnight and later Oliver Loving.  The route was longer, but generally safer.

There were many dangers on the trail. Indian attacks were a threat in some areas along a cattle drive. Flooded rivers caused delays and drought often made it difficult to keep the cattle watered. Stampedes were a real danger. The herd could be spooked by a variety of sights, smells, and noises, but lightning was the most common. To stop a stampede the cowboys would run on horseback to the head of the herd and turn them to the right, directing the stampede into a circle. In time the cowboys made the circle smaller and smaller allowing the cattle time to calm down and stop running.

Life on the trail was long and lonely. Most drives lasted 3-5 months depending on the distance they needed to travel and delays they experienced along the way. A typical drive could cover 15-25 miles per day. Although it was important to arrive at their destination on time, the cattle needed time to rest and graze. Otherwise they would be very thin when they arrived at the markets, which decreased their value.

When was the last cattle drive from Texas to Kansas?

What cattle trail went from Texas to Kansas?

What were cattle drives from Texas to Kansas?

When did cattle drives start and end?