The Cattle Trails

In order to get cattle from Texas to the eastern part of the U.S., ranchers hired cowboys to herd the cattle on the Great Western Trail and the ____________ Trail.

• Great Plains

• Northwest

• Chisholm

• Central Railroad

What caused the need for cattle trails?

• the transcontinental railroad needing beef for passengers

• an oversupply of beef in the eastern U.S.

• cowboys needing jobs

• a scarcity of beef in the eastern parts of the U.S.

If the supply of a good is high, but the demand is low what happens to the cost of the good?

• The cost of the good increases.

• The cost of the good decreases.

True or False.

The life of a cowboy on a cattle drive was an easy job.

• True

• False

Why did former enslaved people, called the 'Black Cowboys of Texas' join the cattle drives after slavery was abolished?

• That is the only job they could find.

• They enjoyed being on the cattle drive for long periods of time.

• They were treated better and earned good money.

Why did the cowboys travel north to Kansas instead of east to take the cattle?

• The cowboys wanted to get the cattle to the railroad so the trains could transport them to the east.

• The cowboys wanted to get the cattle to cooler places during the summer.

• The cowboys wanted to take the cattle on longer trips so they could earn more money.

After the Civil War, Texas ranchers came home and found that their cattle herds had grown tremendously.

What does tremendously mean?

• the number increased a lot

• the number decreased a lot

• the number increased a little

• the number decreased a little

How long were cowboys away from their families during a cattle drive?

• 8-9 months

• 6-7 months

• 3-4 months

• 12 months

Why did the cowboys become upset with the settlers when they put up fences?

• The cowboys were upset that the settlers wanted to become cowboys.

• The cowboys were upset because they could not allow the cattle to roam freely as they moved the herd to Kansas.

• The cowboys were upset that the settlers wanted to keep the cattle on their farms.

How did price incentives motivate Texas ranchers to drive their cattle to places like Kansas?

• The ranchers were charged for using the Great Western Cattle Trails, so they had to charge higher prices for their cattle.

• The ranchers were not charged for using the Great Western Cattle Trails, so they could charge lower prices for their cattle.

• Ranchers could not charge more money for cattle that were transported by railroad from Kansas to the East Coast.

• Ranchers could charge higher prices for their cattle if they were transported by railroad from Kansas to the East Coast.