Unit 8 Cotton, Cattle and Railroads

The Range wars of the late 1800s in Texas were caused by-

• Sharecroppers claiming public lands

• Farmers fencing in land with barbed wire

• Immigrants moving onto lands in West Texas

• Railroad companies building on American Indian lands

How did the end of the Civil War affect the cattle industry?

• Much of the land used for grazing was destroyed in the war.

• Farmers had to move west and take land needed for grazing.

• The demand for beef in the East and North brought rapid growth to the industry.

• The loss in the Confederacy brought many cowboys to the cattle industry.

All of the following characteristics define the era of cotton, cattle and railroads EXCEPT_______________.

• conflicts with Native Americans

• the removal of all cattle in Texas

• westward expansion as the railroad grows

• the introduction of barbed wire

One way that Governor James Hogg worked to protect Texans from unfair business practice was by —

• prosecuting corrupt leaders in the oil industry

• working to bring an end to the range wars in West Texas

• supporting the creation of the Texas Railroad Commission

• signing legislation that established the Attorney General’s office

What is the most important factor that led to the closing of the Texas frontier?

• Natives moving to reservations after the Civil War

• Mexican Vaqueros using railroads to leave Texas

• Railroads help transport people to new regions and products to new markets

• Cotton farming took up all remaining private land in Texas