Cattle & Trails
What is a cattle drive?
Moving herds of cattle long distances to markets or railheads.
Who were the Buffalo Soldiers?
African American soldiers in the U.S. Army who helped maintain order and protect settlers on the frontier.
What is one way railroads helped Texas in the late 1800s?
Reduced travel time and costs; connected Texas to national markets.
Name ONE river that forms part of Texas’s border.
Rio Grande or Red River.
What is barbed wire used for?
To fence land and control where animals can graze.
Why did railroads reduce the need for long cattle drives?
Railroads transported cattle faster and cheaper to markets.
Name TWO ways westward expansion impacted American Indians in Texas.
Forced relocation; loss of ancestral lands; decline of the buffalo (any two).
What government agency was created to regulate railroads in Texas?
The Texas Railroad Commission.
Which TWO rivers form parts of Texas’s borders? - (Triple Jeopardy)
The Rio Grande and the Red River.
How did windmills help farmers and ranchers in West Texas?
Windmills pumped groundwater, providing water for crops and livestock.
How did cattle trails connect Texas to national markets?
Trails led cattle from Texas ranches to railheads in Kansas and other northern markets, linking Texas ranching to the national economy.
Explain one cause-and-effect relationship between frontier expansion and conflict. - (Double Jeopardy)
As settlers expanded farms and fenced land, buffalo populations declined, which harmed American Indian food sources and increased conflict.
Why did James Hogg support regulating powerful corporations like railroads?
To protect farmers and workers and prevent abuses by large corporations.
How did physical features and transportation routes shape settlement in Texas?
Rivers and railroads influenced where people settled and how goods moved, encouraging towns and farms to grow near transportation routes.
Why did barbed wire change life on the open range?
Fencing ended open grazing, caused conflicts over land and water access, and led to new laws to control violence and property disputes.