The Cattle Industry and Railroads in Texas

Grade 04 Social Studies Unit: 09 Lesson 02

Check your answers on your Reading Notes: Cattle and Railroad Industry Handout.

Your answers do NOT need to match my answers exactly.

You may add to your answers or change an answer as we go through the PowerPoint.

The Spanish brought cattle to Texas and the vaquero (cowboy) took care of them on ranches. Do any of you know someone who is a rancher or a cowboy?

 There was a demand for beef as a food source, especially in the North.  Texas had a large supply of cattle.

Texans got their cattle to market by cattle drives. Name at least two states that had railroads that got cattle to market. Two states could include Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Missouri.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

 Richard King was the founder of the largest ranch in Texas called the King Ranch.  Have any of you visited Image source: http://www.stxmaps.com/go/the- the King Ranch? king-ranch-in-1864.html

 Lizzie Johnson was the first woman in Texas to ride the Chisholm Trail and own a ranch.  How many of you would like to go on a cattle drive or own a ranch?  Is there anyone in our class who has actually worked cattle on horseback?

Image source: http://celiahayes.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/th e-anti-lily-bart-lizzie-johnson-williams/

Barbed wire is a twisted wire with sharp points that fenced in cattle. Joseph Glidden invented barbwire, which helped ranchers keep their herds safe from cattle rustlers, although ranchers first preferred their herds to roam the open range.

Windmills pumped water from under the ground, so cattle did not have to be herded to a water source. Windmills helped ranchers lose fewer head of cattle to drought. Windmills also helped ranching become more profitable.

 Settlers moved to Texas and fencedin the open range.  This left fewer acres of land for grazing cattle.  This is why ranchers and farmers were sometimes not friendly to one another in the late 1800s.

 Railroad transferred agriculture products and lumber to other parts of the United States.

 The railroad caused the growth of cities.

 People moved to the cities to start small businesses that provided goods and services.

 Turn to a neighbor.

 3 = Take turns and tell your neighbor 3 NEW Things you learned about cattle ranching in Texas.

 2 = Take turns and tell your neighbor 2 NEW Things you learned about the railroad in Texas.

 1 = Take turns and ask your neighbor 1 question you have about cattle ranching or the railroad in Texas.