TX - 6.2 - Cattle Kingdoms

What invention brought an end to the cattle drive era and helped increase the ability to farm in West Texas?

• the automobile
• barbed wire
• the telephone
• the steam engine

Which of these questions can be answered using ONLY this map of the Texas Cattle Trails?

• Which cattle trail went through New Mexico and Colorado?
• How much money could cattle drovers make on a cattle drive?
• Why were cattle moved out of Texas and into other states?
• How long would cowboys have to wait at river crossings?

Which of these terms describes "public land that could be used by anyone, usually for raising cattle"?

• federal system
• state tribute
• open range
• landform reservation

What was the purpose of the "cattle drives"?

• to make money; people all over the U.S. were willing to pay a lot for beef from cattle
• to remove diseased cattle from Texas before the diseases could spread
• to reduce the number of cattle in Texas, since there were far too many to manage
• to spread the Texas cattle into neighboring states like Oklahoma and New Mexico

Myth - it was an exciting life filled with adventure and beautiful scenery
Reality - it was a job that provided little pay and was often boring, physically difficult, and dirty
Who is being described?

• Buffalo Soldiers
• Cattle Rustlers
• Texas Rangers
• Cowboys

Which of these dates cover the main years of the Texas cattle drives?  [Hint:  it begins just after the Civil War ends]

• 1836-1850
• 1865-1885
• 1880-1920
• 1905-1910

Which of these factors directly led to the development of the cattle industry?

• a huge increase in the population of cattle after the Civil War
• mixing Texas cattle with French cattle to create the "short horn" variety
• the price of cattle was very high, allowing ranchers to purchase just a few of them
• cattle diseases had wiped out entire herds of cattle

How did windmills help turn thousands of desolate acres into productive land for cattle, farms, and towns in the 1800's?

• windmills provided electricity for hundreds of farms and ranches
• windmills showed settlers how hard the wind was blowing on certain days
• windmills were historical sites that brought thousands of tourists every year
• windmills pumped water from underground sources for animals and crops