1. Cattle, Cattle Trails, and Cotton

2. Origin of Cattle The Spanish first brought cattle & horses to Texas
By early 1800’s: nearly 1 million wild longhorns in TX
Spaniards allowed their cattle to roam the plains freely & marked their cows with a brand to show ownership.
Large Spanish/Mexican ranches existed in northern Mexico and Texas.

3. The First Cattle Ranchers in TX
-First ranchers: Spanish priests and soldiers!
-1820’s: Anglos entered the business & soon adopted ways of Spanish-Mexican vaqueros – riding, roping, herding, and branding.
-Early ranchers faced many problems: drought, disease, theft, and finding markets for their stock

4. Influence of the Civil War
By 1865 millions of longhorns roamed TX & worth only $3 to $4 in TX
In East, sold for $30 to $40 each!! WOW!
Large supply and high demand created great profits!
Cattle boom helped TX recover from the war!
New markets opened
As population grew, demand soared!
During war, cattle decreased in North & increased greatly in Texas

5. Spread of Ranching Thru the State
Late 1870’s – land & cattle companies owned over HALF the land in West Texas!
Ranchers soon enclosed their land – ending large cattle drives
King Ranch
Charles Goodnight’s JA Ranch
XIT Ranch
Sheep, goat, and mustang ranches expanded in Texas

6. Fence Cutting Wars Barbed wire changed Texas forever…
Landless cattle owners wanted the open range again where cattle had access to water and grass - cut fences!
Threatened ranchers, burned pastures
Caused damages around $20 million
1884, Texas made it a felony to cut a fence!
End of the decade, Rangers brought an end to fence cutting war

7. Myths and Realities Herd moved 10-15 miles a day Guard duty at night
Most cowboys – teens to early 20’s (small build)
2 out of 3 were Anglos – rest African Americans, Tejanos, Mexicans, Indians, and few women!
Trail rides were strenuous with cowboys averaging 30 to 36 hours in the saddle

8. Cattle Trails Northern demand for beef led to rise of cattle trails
Roundup – took place in spring
Cowboys drove herds north to towns with rail stations
Cattle sent by rail to Northern states where they would be slaughtered for meat

9. Famous Trails Chisholm Trail Great Western Trail
Goodnight-Loving Trail
Shawnee Trail

10. Cotton and Cash Crops
New methods of farming – dry farming, irrigation, and terraces
Increase of sharecropping and tenant farming, which resulted in many people in deep debt
New cash crops were grown in Texas (e.g., wheat, sorghum).
Cotton and corn grown across the state
Crops affect inflation

11. Economic Gains Expansion of the railroad
Cattle ranching becomes a business, rather than a way of life
Growth of large ranches