Unit II – A Growing America Chapter 18 Section 1 – Americans Move West Miners, Ranchers, Cowboys and the Railroad Lecture Station

Miners, Ranchers, and Railroads The Big Idea As more settlers moved West, mining, ranching, and railroads soon transformed the western landscape. Main Ideas A mining boom brought growth to the West. The demand for cattle created a short-lived Cattle Kingdom on the Great Plains. East and West were connected by the transcontinental railroad.

Main Idea 1: A mining boom brought growth to the West. Americans continued to move west during the 1800s. The American frontier. Settlers built. Railroads Mining companies

Mining in the West Comstock Lode in Nevada. Miners Boomtowns Mining was dangerous.

Gold Fever Sam Brannan- a San Francisco merchant

No expression characterized the California gold rush more than the words "seeing the elephant."

Entrepreneurs Sam Brannan- Levi Straus- Phillip Armour- John Sudebaker- Wells and Fargo

Main Idea 2: The demand for cattle created a short-lived Cattle Kingdom on the Great Plains. The increasing demand for beef Cattle ranchers in Texas drove herds Cattle Kingdom -Texas to Canada. open range. Competition, barbed wire, and the loss of prairie grass.

Ranching on the Plains Cowboys The Chisholm Trail Ranching Culture Cattle Drives Ranching as Big Business The invention of barbed wire. Between 1882 and 1886

Cowboys vaqueros, who were Mexican ranch hands. cattle drive. –The Chisholm Trail. Life in cattle towns was often rough and violent. Cowboys

Cowboys Life on the Range

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 1) The Cowboy Life was Glamorous. Myth or Truth? Myth- 18 hour days and the long trail drive were boring

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 2) Most cowboys had small or medium frames Myth or Truth? Truth- large men were to heavy to ride the mustangs

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 3) The Cowboy would ride his favorite horse all day. Myth or Truth? Myth- Cowboys would ride a string of horses depending the task at hand. Mild horses at night, and quick horses for daylight roping and driving.

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 4) Many Cowboys were Mexican or African American. Myth or Truth? Truth- 1/6th of cowboys were Mexican and many were African/American, Former Confederates and even Native American.

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 5) Most Cowboys were older experienced wranglers. Myth or Truth? Myth- Most were young men who learned on the job.

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 6) Women could not be cowboys. Myth or Truth? Myth- Several women owned cattle ranches and ran their own cattle drives.

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 7) Cowboys often had to fight off native Americans. Myth or Truth? Myth- Cowboys rarely if ever fought with Native Americans

Cowboys- Myths or Truth 8) The word “Cowboy” was invented in Texas. Myth or Truth? Myth- The word Cowboy comes from the Spanish word “Vaquero”

Cowboys The word cowboy is actually a Spanish word, "vaquero." The name “Cowpoke” comes from the end of the cattle drive when the cowboys had to push the cattle onto the trains with a stick or prod.The word cowboy is actually a Spanish word, "vaquero." The name “Cowpoke” comes from the end of the cattle drive when the cowboys had to push the cattle onto the trains with a stick or prod.

Long Horns

Cattle Raising "the open range" - public land open to anyone who used it for cattle grazing - periodic roundups to brand and gather cattle for slaughter or market."the open range" - public land open to anyone who used it for cattle grazing - periodic roundups to brand and gather cattle for slaughter or market. A less known aspect of "cowboying" was mustanging.A less known aspect of "cowboying" was mustanging.

Cattle Drives A Steer worth $4 in Texas sold for $40 in the East. Need to drive a herd to a railroad town Major trails- Chisholm, Goodnight Loving, Western and Sedalia. Drive lasted 3 months miles per day. 2/3 of cowboys were teenagers between the ages of Conflict over the open range.

Cattle Drives

Branding

Saddle and Ropes

Clothing - Cowboy Hat and Boots

Cowboy Life 1/3 of the cowboys were former slaves and most of the others were former confederate soldiers. M usic. A cowboy worked 15 hours a day for $.80 a day. A cowboy worked 15 hours a day for $.80 a day. Son of a Gun stew was the favorite meal Cowboys didn’t actually kiss their horses,

Cowboys in the Movies

Main Idea 3: East and West were connected by the transcontinental railroad. The growth of the West created a need for communication across the country. –The Pony Express –Telegraph lines Demand for a transcontinental railroad grew. –Congress passed the Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864, –The railroads agreed to carry mail and troops at a lower cost.

Pony Express

Riders: Between 80 and 100Riders: Between 80 and 100 Salary: $100 per monthSalary: $100 per month Qualifications: Age ranged from 11 to mid 40s. Riders had to weigh less than 125 lbs. One of the most famous was Buffalo Bill CodyQualifications: Age ranged from 11 to mid 40s. Riders had to weigh less than 125 lbs. One of the most famous was Buffalo Bill Cody Youngest Rider: Legend has it that Bronco Charlie Miller was eleven years old when he rode for the Pony Express.Youngest Rider: Legend has it that Bronco Charlie Miller was eleven years old when he rode for the Pony Express. Riders Changed: 75 to 100 miles.Riders Changed: 75 to 100 miles. Horses Changed: 10 to 15 miles.Horses Changed: 10 to 15 miles. Speed of Rider: Average 10 miles per hour.Speed of Rider: Average 10 miles per hour. Horses: About 400 Mustangs and MorgansHorses: About 400 Mustangs and Morgans Stations: Estimated between 150 and 190 of them. Located every miles.Stations: Estimated between 150 and 190 of them. Located every miles. Mochila: Saddlebag designed especially to carry mail on the eastern end were made by Israel Landis.Mochila: Saddlebag designed especially to carry mail on the eastern end were made by Israel Landis. Route: 1966 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. Crossed Missouri River by Ferry boat, at the foot of Francis Street. Time: 10 days.Route: 1966 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. Crossed Missouri River by Ferry boat, at the foot of Francis Street. Time: 10 days. Quickest Run: 7 days and 17 hours. The riders were carrying President Lincoln's Inaugural Address.Quickest Run: 7 days and 17 hours. The riders were carrying President Lincoln's Inaugural Address. Total Miles Covered: Approximately 650,000 miles.Total Miles Covered: Approximately 650,000 miles. Longest Ride: Pony Bob Haslam. rode 370 miles -- Friday Station to Smith Creek Station and back again.Longest Ride: Pony Bob Haslam. rode 370 miles -- Friday Station to Smith Creek Station and back again. Cost of Mail: $5 per 1/2 ounce at first. Later, the price was $1 per 1/2 ounce.Cost of Mail: $5 per 1/2 ounce at first. Later, the price was $1 per 1/2 ounce.

Transcontinental Railroad Union Pacific and Central Pacific.Union Pacific and Central Pacific. 6 1/2 years to complete6 1/2 years to complete Union Pacific from Omaha, Neb.Union Pacific from Omaha, Neb. Central Pacific from Sacramento, California.Central Pacific from Sacramento, California. May 10, Promontory Point, Utah east and west linked. Trade, jobs, and settlement.May 10, Promontory Point, Utah east and west linked. Trade, jobs, and settlement.

Railroads expand and gird the nation Land grantsLand grants Two miles on either side of track. The railroad got every other square mile to sell and use for building.Two miles on either side of track. The railroad got every other square mile to sell and use for building.

Standard Time TimeTime –Each town had its own time according to the sun. –Using local time caused confusion between cities. –Being on time could stop fatal collisions. –Decided to have railroad time be “Standard Time”- 4 time zones across the nation and marked on maps –Adopted in 1918

Standard Gauge GaugeGauge – different railroad companies and 30,000 miles of track. –No national network- many railroad had different gauge (distance from one rail to the other.) –11 different gauges –This caused a lot of changing of railroad cars. –1869 transcontinental railroad used 4feet 8 1/2 inches –This became the standard gauge.

Growth Panic of 1873 Economic growth and population in the West increased. Railroads provided better transportation for people and goods They also encouraged people to move west. Railroads became one of the country’s biggest industries. Railroad speculation increased. The collapse of railroad owner Jay Cooke’s banking firm helped start the Panic of Many small western railroads were deeply in debt by the 1880s. Results of the Railroad