Cotton
What is a cash crop?
A crop grown for the sole purpose of making money
What was life like for cowboys on the cattle drives?
They experienced hardships and dangers for months like disease, death, stampedes, and hunger all for low pay.
How did the railroads help end the cattle drives?
The development of rail lines in Texas eliminated the need to drive cattle to rail lines in the North.
What was the name of the major oil well in Beaumont, Texas the erupted on January 10, 1901?
Spindletop
What was the lowest ranked position on the cattle drives?
Drag
What is Texas's leading cash crop, that helped its economy recover after the Civil War?
Cotton
What was the main goal of a cattle drive?
To sell cattle for a profit
How did railroads in Texas change during the late 1800s?
Texas went from having ~500 miles of railroads around the state to having over 6000 miles
Why was the discovery of oil at Spindletop so significant?
increased oil production and economic growth
How did the Civil War impact the Texas Cattle Industry?
Demand for beef increased, causing the industry to grow.
Which best explains why farmers would choose to grow only cotton?
It had the potential for a high profit
Why were cattle worth more in Kansas than they were in Texas?
There was not a large population of cattle available in Kansas
How did the development of railroads change the Texas economy?
Transporting people and goods across long distances became easier and faster.
Why did people begin looking for oil in Texas?
People knew that oil was valuable because it had many uses (high demand). However, since it was hard to find (low supply), if someone struck oil they could sell it at a high price and become wealthy.
Why was Galveston vulnerable to hurricanes?
It was on a barrier island, its highest point was 8ft above sea level, it did not have an accurate weather alert system
What labor practices replaced slavery after the Civil War?
Sharecropping and Tenant Farming
How did the invention of barbed wire impact Texas cattle ranchers?
It closed off the open range, stopping cattle ranchers ability to drive their cattle north and helped end cattle drives.
How did railroads help the development and settling of Texas?
New towns were established along rail lines due to easier access created by railroads.
How did the discovery of oil affect the towns where it was found?
It created boomtowns where there was rapid economic growth and increase of population
How did the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 change Texas's economy?
It shifted business to Houston
How did cotton help Texas grow economically?
By increasing trade with other states and countries and by creating jobs for former slaves after the Civil War
Explain the reason for the cattle drives using the terms supply and demand.
The supply of beef in the North was very low and the demand was very high, making the price of beef in the North high.
The supply of beef in the South was very high and the demand was low, making the price of beef in the South low.
What might happen to a city that is not connected to the rest of the state by railroads?
It might suffer economically because it can not sell its resources easily. It might also struggle to grow in population because it is difficult/takes longer to get to.
What are some of the negative impacts of oil production?
Oil spills/leaks pollute the land and water.
Oil production and refinement causes air pollution.
Natural Habitats were damaged or destroyed
Which boom do you think had the greatest impact?
Must choose a industry (Cotton, cattle, oil, or railroads)
Must give evidence as to how that boom had an impact
Must explain how the evidence proves that the industry had the greatest impact.