Ranchers And Cowboys Essay

In the 13th century, Spanish settlers brought long horned Iberian cattle to the Antilles Islands. These cattle are now known as Texas longhorns. As the settlers moved north along the coasts they took their cattle with them. By the early 1700’s longhorn cattle populated both east and west coast as well as Texas. (Casey, Mike) While ranching occurred in various parts of the United States, a large portion was done in the Southern United States, specifically Texas, due to the availability of open range. These ranches were ran by Mexican cowboys called vaqueros. In 1836 Texas became independent from Mexico, causing Mexican ranchers to be ran out of the territory and leave their cattle behind. Due to the lack of beef consumption, the cattle were used for their hide and tallow in northern markets as well as in England. By 1850 the consumption of beef had

Therefore the southern ranchers moved their cattle towards larger markets in the North. In 1867 Joseph McCoy allowed ranchers in the South to expand their markets by helping transport their cattle to Chicago. By building stockyards, a hotel, bank, and office in Abilene, Kansas, McCoy made the long drives more profitable for the ranchers and cowboys. This was the creation of the first cow towns. Abilene was used as a compromise between the ranchers and the settlers because of the conflict with the settlers. These conflicts include the spreading of Texas fever and the destroying of the crops by the cattle during the cattle drives. If the ranchers drove their cattle to Abilene they would not be presented by the conflicts with the hostile settlers. (American West- The Cattle Industry) On occasion the settlers would kill any cattle that entered their land and would terrorize the cowboys and ranchers so that they would avoid the area. (Texas Cattle