Vaqueros: America's First Cowboys

Which of the following arrived with Cortes's fleet in 1518

• twenty-five wild horses that had not yet been broken

• ten small ponies pulling five fully stocked supply wagons

• a dozen of the finest Arabian horses, which had be retired from racing

• sixteen horses strong enough to carry a man in full armor

For a time it was against the law in New Spain for any native person to ------.

• ride a horse

• own land

• carry a weapon

• raise cattle

During a rodeo, the vaqueros would -------.

• tame wild horses so they could be used on a roundup

• ride their horses while hunting buffalo

• use a hot iron to brand a mark into the livestock

• surround a cattle herd so it could be moved to the hacienda

What did a vaquero do with chaparreras?

• He slept on them and also used them as saddle blankets.

• He attached them to his boots to help control his horse.

• He tied them around his next to soak up sweat.

• He wore them over trousers to protect his legs.

The decline of the vaquero began with the ------.

• opening of the Chisholm Trail

• discovery of gold in the West

• invention of barbed wire

• expansion of the railroad