The Cattle Industry and the Range Wars Flashcards

Why did the cattle industry grow after the American Civil War?

Texas had millions of longhorns, beef prices were high in the East, and railways spread.

What was the open range?

Unfenced public grassland where ranchers let cattle graze freely.

What is a cattle drive and why was it used?

A long herd move to a rail town so cattle could be sold for more money.

Who set up Abilene as a cow town, and when?

Joseph McCoy in 1867.

What was the Chisholm Trail?

A cattle trail from Texas to Abilene that led to the railway.

How did railways change the cattle industry?

They linked ranches to markets, created cow towns, and reduced long drives.

Who was John Iliff and why was he important?

A rancher who kept large herds on the Plains in the 1860s and 1870s and sold beef to towns and the railway.

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How did barbed wire and wind pumps change ranching?

Barbed wire fenced land. Wind pumps brought water. Ranches became smaller and fixed.

What was the Great Die-Up in 1886–87?

A harsh winter that killed many cattle and ruined ranchers. It helped end the open range.

What were range wars?

Fights over land, water, fences, and cattle between big ranchers, small ranchers, and farmers.

What was the Johnson County War (1892) about?

In Wyoming, big ranchers attacked small ranchers they called rustlers. It ended after the US Army stepped in.

How did the cattle industry change after the 1880s?

Fewer open-range herds. More fenced ranches, winter feed, and careful breeding for better beef.

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