The Real West

The Law Behind the Tin Star

This episode of The Real West examines the legendary lawmen of the Wild West. Sometimes flamboyant, sometimes as deadly as the outlaws they hunted, lawmen of the Wild West are hardly recognizable as lawmen by today's standards. They were the product of their times and environment, and they were as wild as the western territories they policed.

This episode would be useful for classes on American History, Law and Justice, Civics, and Cultural Studies. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

• amateurs
• animosity
• autonomy
• avenging
• awry
• bastion
• bedlam
• braggart
• brazen
• carousing
• confidante
• desperadoes
• disputed
• entrepreneur
• escapades
• exterminator
• faction
• frequenting
• ignominious
• jurisdiction
• lethal
• logistical
• makeshift
• mercenaries
• moderating
• natty
• notoriety
• opportunists
• ordained
• pistoleer
• posse
• prodigious
• proprietor
• prototypical
• rampant
• symbolize
• tumultuous
• unorthodox
• vengeance
• vigilante

Discussion Questions

1. Sheriffs and local lawmen were the peace keepers in western 'boom towns.' What is meant by a 'boom town?' Are there any modern-day 'boom towns?'

2. It seems that acts of vengeance and violence were common occurrences in the Wild West. Why was violence so commonplace?

3. Some lawmen claimed their fame by capturing gangs of criminals, such as the James Brothers. Can you make a comparison with the gang violence of the 19th century West and modern-day urban gang violence?

4. Wild Bill Hickok was one of the West's most flamboyant lawmen. What was it about Hickok that makes him the 'embodiment of the West?'

5. What were the necessary qualifications to be a lawman in the Wild West?

6. Some lawmen of the Wild West seem to be as violent as their prisoners. What were the differences between lawmen and outlaws? What were some of their similarities?

7. How did the lawmen of the Wild West evolve into modern-day peace officers?

8. The era of the Wild West came to an end at the turn of the century. Historians claim that one of the reasons for the taming of the West was the increasing presence of women. Why would the presence of women have such an effect?

9. One of the most famous detective agencies, the Pinkerton Agency, was founded in the 19th century. Famous for its methodical record-keeping, the Pinkerton Agency has been a source of information for historians. How did this agency contribute to the modern historian's search for the past?

Extended Activities

1. Imagine that you are a resident of a boom town in the Wild West and your town needs to hire a lawman. Create a help wanted ad for your local newspaper. What qualifications would you seek for in an applicant? What would the duties of the job entail?

2. Research any of the lawmen discussed in this program and write a short biography about them and their experiences.

3. Why do people around the world find the stories of the American West so fascinating? Write a list of adjectives that describe the appeal of the Old West. Pretend you have to 'sell' the appeal of the Old West to people who have never heard of it. Create posters that illustrate the essence of this appeal.