cowboys

• what were the jobs of cowboys?

  • riding horses
  • heading cattle
  • branding cattle
  • used cattle for meat and leather
• life of a cowboy:

  • dealing with wild animals
  • lassoing cattle
  • long drives
  • drinking in saloons
  • cattle rustling
• Texas cowboys had more work in spring and less work in winter
• Great Plains cowboys has more work in winter and less work in spring
• texas cowboys:

  • further from railroads meaning journeys took ages to transport cattle
  • during winter they would repair equipment and ride out to see if cattle were in trouble
  • work begin in early spring
  • went to town and spent all of their money earned from the long drives
• great Plains cowboys:

  • closer to railroads making journeys days
  • during winter they would make paths for snow, break ice, find sheltered spots to ensure cattle could eat the grass under snow
  • worked all year round
  • spent winter alone and worked alone
• who were Great Plains cowboys influenced by?

  John iliff
• what did the end of the open range mean for cowboys?

  less demand for cowboys and those that remained helped on the ranch