The Real West
Cattle Barons Discussion Questions
- What were some of the threats to frontier life in the 1800's?
- Why did King believe the Desert of the Dead could sustain life? Why didn't anyone believe him?
- How did the Civil War effect King and his ranch? What was the importance of Texas in the Civil War?
- How did the railroads affect the cattle business? What were the risks involved in delivering cattle to market?
- What market did Goodknight exploit? What was the Goodknight-Loving trail? Why was it dangerous?
- What businesses was Goodknight involved in? How did the Panic of 1873 affect Goodknight?
- Who was John Adaire? How did Goodknight rebuild his cattle business? How was the JA ranch different from others in the West? Describe the controversy between the cowboys and the aristocrats at the JA Ranch.
- What was the ranchers' code of conduct and code of honor? How did the introduction of women change the ranches? What was the purpose of Cattlemen's Associations?
- What was the significance of water rights in settling the West? What was the importance of the brand in cattle ranching?
- What was the importance of fencing land? How did barbed wire change the American frontier? What were some of the conflicts that arose because of fencing?
- What is vigilante justice? What was the Johnson County War? What happened to Cattle Kate?Why did this happen? How did the American public perceive the cattle barons after this "War"?
- Why did the Marquis make so many enemies? Why was Theodore Roosevelt accepted by the locals? In what ways were Roosevelt and the Marquis different from the original cattle barons?
- How did the winter of 1886 affect the cattle industry?
