The Changing Role of the Cowboy (Edexcel GCSE History)

What did Cowboys do in the American West? - Summary

The main role of a cowboy was to transport cattle from one location to another. This process, known as a cattle drive, involved herding cattle on horseback. Cowboys guided the cattle along established trails to reach markets or railheads. From here, the cattle were sold or transported by rail to other locations.

During cattle drives, cowboys faced numerous challenges. These included unpredictable weather conditions and difficult terrain, including rivers and mountains. There was also a threat of stampedes or attacks by predators. Cowboys had to be skilled horsemen. Cowboys managed their cattle by using equipment such as lassos.

Beyond their duties with cattle, cowboys often lived a nomadic lifestyle. They spent long periods outdoors and travelling to different locations as needed.

The role of cowboys changed on ranches. Cowboys constructed and maintained infrastructure such as fences, water sources and holding pens. Cowboys branded cattle rounded them up for vaccination and provided basic medical care. They worked closely with ranchers and collaborated with other cowboys.

Cowboys and the Long Drive

• Herding cattle from the southern states to the North was very challenging

  • Using the Chisolm Trail took two to three months

  • Using the Goodnight-Loving Trail could take up to six months

  • Texan Longhorn cattle could stampede when scared

    • Stampeding cattle could become injured, reducing their price

    • In addition, cowboys could lose cattle, decreasing profits for the cattle owner

  • The long drive was dangerous for cattle and cowboys

    • Cowboys had to navigate cattle through water

    • Snakes and other wild animals could attack the cattle

    • Cowboys may pass through land occupied by Indigenous tribes, risking attack

    • Outlaws attempted to steal cattle and could attack cowboys

• Herding up to 3,000 cattle required a clear organisational system:

• After transporting the cattle to cow towns, cowboys:

  • Cleaned up and bought new clothes

  • Drunk alcohol, gambled, fought and visited prostitutes

  • Often spent all their money in cow towns

  • Borrowed money to get back to Texas to find more work

Cowboys and Ranching

• In the winter, cattle in Texas lived on ranches and roamed freely

  • Ranchers did not employ many cowboys

  • During this time, cowboys either:

    • Found other work, for example, bartending

    • Travelled from ranch to ranch to earn money

• Employed cowboys on ranches

  • Repaired equipment

  • Helped cattle on the open range

  • Planned the next long drive

• In the early spring, cowboys began the round-up

  • A round-up boss managed cowboys from multiple ranches

  • The cowboys worked their way back to a central area, collecting cattle

    • Some cattle were challenging to find or became stuck in marshes or quicksand

  • Cowboys spotted the branding on each cow to collect them into the correct group

• Working on ranches was difficult work

  • Older cowboys tended to establish their own ranches

  • Most cowboys on ranches were in their early 20s

    • Cowboys on smaller ranches would live with the ranch owner

    • Most cowboys lived communally in bunkhouses

    • Bunkhouses were more comfortable than sleeping outside on the open range but were cold in the winter

• Cowboys on ranches had little fun

  • Ranchers often had strict rules for cowboys

  • Dances occurred in towns only once or twice a year

How did Ranching on the Open Range Change the Cowboys' Way of Life?

• Cattle drives took days rather than months

  • Ranches on the Plains were closer to the railheads

• Open-range ranching was an issue in the winter

  • Cattle struggled to feed on grass under snow and ice

  • The cowboys had to rescue cattle from snowdrifts and find them sheltered spots to graze

    • Sometimes cowboys lived in sod houses in the winter to protect the cattle. This was very lonely and cold