Transcript The Days of Big Ranches

The Days of Big Ranches
Big Ranches
• Huge ranches took over
south and west Texas
• Occurred after NA were
removed and buffalo were
slaughtered
• The state of Texas offered
3 million acres to a
Chicago beef company in
order to build the capital
building in Austin
Mustangers
• Horses were valuable
to ranching during the
1870s
• Catching and training
mustangs became
profitable
• Most mustangers
were MA and AA
Sheep Industry Booms
• Settlers began
breeding European
and Mexican sheep
• Produced twice as
much wool
• Sheep ranchers began
fighting with cattle
ranchers for land
rights
Barbed Wire Ends the Open Range
• By 1880 ranchers
began fencing off land
on the open range
• Blocked other
ranchers herds from
food and water
supply
• Forced ranchers to
build windmills in
order to pump water
for animals
Ranching Declines
• Ranching declined rapidly
in late 1880s
• Large profits led ranchers
to produce too many
cattle
• Cattle consumed too
much grass which ruined
graze lands
• Over abundance also
caused beef prices to fall
• Severe blizzards and
droughts forced ranchers
to sell land as farmland
Assignment
• Copy and answer the following questions on a
sheet of note book paper:
1. In what way did ranching play a part in
building the state capitol in Austin?
2. List two reasons cattle ranching ended in
Texas.
3. How did the invention of barb wire affect the
development of Texas?
4. Copy the cause and effect chart on page 422