Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Development of the Cattle Industry in the American West (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
What was the Cattle Industry Like Before the American Civil War? - Timeline & Summary
After the US war with Mexico, Texans took over the Mexican cattle industry. They adopted the skills of the Mexican vaquero to develop cowboys. Texan cowboys herded cattle on drives across the southern states to New Orleans or Missouri. From here, cowboys could transport cattle to the industrial cities in the north.
Texas fever was a disease transmitted by ticks that affected cattle. The disease thrived in warm and humid climates like those found in the southern states. The spread of Texas fever limited the movement of cattle. Infected animals could transmit the disease to healthy cattle through tick bites. This posed challenges for Texan cattle ranchers wanting to drive their herds to markets in other states. The movement of infected cattle could lead to outbreaks of the disease in new areas. Many homesteaders opposed Texas cattle travelling through their land. This opposition was so great that, by 1859, Kansas and Missouri passed quarantine laws to prevent Texan cattle from entering the state.
Texas cattle ranchers began to investigate alternate routes when the American Civil War began. The conflict put the Texan cattle industry on pause.
Why did the American Civil War Cause Growth in the Cattle Industry?
By 1865, in the North, there was a high demand for cows
A cow was worth $40
The North had meat-packing industries
By 1865, in the South, there was a low demand for cows
The Longhorn cattle had been left unmanaged during the American Civil War
There were five million cows by 1865
Due to the poor economy, a cow was worth only $5
To profit from the price difference, Texans attempted cattle drives to the North to sell their cattle
In 1866, a large cattle drive attempted to get to Sedalia, Missouri
From 1855, Kansas had quarantine laws preventing Texas cattle from entering the state due to Texas fever
The 1866 drive ended when Kansas farmers refused them entry into the state
The Significance of John Iliff on the Cattle Industry
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Students often struggle to spell 'Iliff.' Keep practising the spelling of these words until you feel more confident. You could also create a mnemonic for words that you find difficult in this topic. This will help you to remember the order of the letters in each word.
The Significance of the Goodnight-Loving Trail on the Cattle Industry
The Significance of Joseph McCoy on the Cattle Industry
The Impact of Cow Towns
Abilene did not remain the only cow town
Towns further west and south of Kansas got train connections
McCoy developed the cow town of Wichita
By the end of the 1870s, Dodge City became Kansas' main cow town
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question could ask you to write a narrative account of the growth of cattle ranching in the years 1861-1872. A common misconception that students have is that a narrative account is a story. A narrative account answer should follow CHRONOLINK:
Put the sequence of events in chronological order
Link each section of the narrative to the next event that occurred. You should use linkage terms such as: 'as a consequence', 'this led to' or 'because'
You should have three sections to your narrative. Each section should include specific knowledge about the events in the narrative. Your answer should include process words such as 'affected', 'increased' and 'worsened'. This allows you to move through the narrative and explain how key themes like the development of the West progressed through the chosen event.
The 'Beef Bonanza' and Cattle Barons
The 1870s saw a 'Beef Bonanza’ in the West
People saw ranching on the open range as a guaranteed profit
The costs of food, land and transport were low
Demand for beef was still high
Investors placed money into the cattle industry
This allowed people to buy a large amount of land and cattle to maximise profits
This phase saw the emergence of cattle barons
A small number of people dominated the industry and became incredibly wealthy
In new territories like Wyoming, cattle barons controlled local politics
Cattle barons used their wealth and influence to defend their interests, especially against cattle rustling
Worked Example
Explain one consequence of the 'Beef Bonanza' on the development of the Plains
4 marks
Answer:
One consequence of the 'Beef Bonanza' was how it changed local politics in new settlements. The 'Beef Bonanza' created cattle barons who had enormous wealth and political power. This developed the Plains because cattle barons became important people in local politics. They used their wealth and power to protect their own interests. As a result, they had a growing influence over law enforcement for crimes such as cattle rustling. Therefore, the 'Beef Bonanza' created a powerful class of people in newer settlements like Wyoming.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This question has previously asked you to explain two consequences. In the American West exam paper for 2025, this question will ask you to explain one consequence. However, there will be two different "Explain one consequence of" questions each, worth four marks.
The "Explain one consequence" question tests how you can explain your wider knowledge of the period. Once you have studied more of the course, you may be able to add more specific evidence to your answer. An example could be the conflict between homesteaders and cattle barons or, more specifically, the Johnson County War.
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