Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Changes in the Cattle Industry, c1876-c1895 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Was the Cattle Industry on the Plains Doomed to Fail? - Timeline & Summary
The cattle industry grew rapidly in the 1870s. This is because of the open range and the growing demand for beef in northern markets. Cattle barons established large ranches and herds. The development of refrigerated railroad cars enabled ranchers to access distant markets.
However, several factors posed significant challenges to the cattle industry. Natural disasters such as harsh winters resulted in the deaths of thousands of cattle. It caused many cattle ranchers to struggle financially. The cattle industry had to change. There was less of a need for long drives. Ranches reduced in size and no longer used the open range. The role of cowboys changed forever.
Despite these challenges, the cattle industry adapted. Ranchers implemented breeding programmes to develop hardier cattle breeds. The cattle industry changed its focus from quantity to quality. Ranchers improved livestock management. They also improved ranches by creating water wells, and windmills and maintaining barbed wire fencing.
Therefore, the cattle industry was not doomed to fail. It had to adapt to the changing environmental conditions of the Plains.
Changes to the Cattle Industry
By the 1870s, the cattle industry in the American West was very profitable
Cattle barons earned millions of dollars from open-range ranching
New developments, like refrigerated railroad cars, made cattle ranchers even more profit
Ranchers could export beef to more and further away markets
They could sell to markets that had more demand for beef
Towards the end of the 1870s, the cattle industry became overstocked
The Issues with the Cattle Industry in the 1880s
By the 1880s, the overstocking of the cattle industry caused:
A fall in demand
With so much beef, prices fell in stores to sell their stock
By 1882, profits from cattle ranching fell
Cattle ranchers began to hold onto cattle, hoping that prices would rise
A loss of pasture
More cattle grazing destroyed the soil. It prevented grass from growing
A drought in 1883 further reduced the available grass
The drought caused the prairie to catch fire, destroying even more grass
Weakened cattle
There was less grass for cattle to graze on
A poor diet made low-quality beef. This reduced the price of beef even more
The 'Great Die Up'
The winter of 1886-1887 saw temperatures fall to -55°C
The weak cattle could not feed through the deep snow
Thousands of cattle died (around 15% of all open-range cattle)
Many cattle ranchers went bankrupt
Small ranches relied on bank loans to survive
After 1887, small ranches became the model for the cattle industry
Smaller herds of cattle were:
Easier to find in the winter
Required less water in times of drought
Easier to guard from cattle rustlers
Of higher quality because many smaller cattle ranchers brought pure-blood breeds. Keeping this pure breeding required fencing off ranches with barbed wire
Profitable because high-quality meat could be sold for more
Examiner Tips and Tricks
A question could ask you to write a narrative account of the changes to the cattle industry in the years c1876–c1890. 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'
An understanding of the 'Great Die Up' is significant for this narrative. This would come towards the end of the narrative as it happened in 1886-1887. Consider what events you would place before this that caused this event to occur.
How were Cowboys Impacted in the 1880s?
The 'Great Die Up' caused a decrease in the demand for cowboys
Cowboys became ranch hands
How Different was a Ranch Hand to a Cowboy on the Open Range?
Similarities | Differences |
|---|---|
Cared for horses and cattle | After 1887, ranch hands monitored the boundary between ranches by 'Riding the line' and mending barbed wire fences |
Participated in the yearly 'round-ups' to find cattle and bring them back to the correct owner | After 1887, ranch hands harvested hay to feed the horses and inspected the grass for the cattle |
Branded cattle to ensure that the cattle did not get mixed up with other herds | After 1887, ranch hands became more permanent members of staff on the ranch. They had a strict schedule to follow |
Worked Example
Explain one consequence of the winter of 1886-1887 for the cattle industry
4 marks
Answer:
One consequence of the winter of 1886-1887 was how it changed the role of cowboys. Before the 'Great Die Up', cowboys worked on the open range. The Great Die Up caused a lack of demand for cowboys. As a result, cowboys became ranch hands on much smaller ranches. They took on jobs such as fixing barbed wire fences and inspecting grass. This changed the cattle industry because cowboys no longer had adventure or freedom. They only worked on the ranch and had a strict schedule to stick to. Therefore the winter of 1886-1887 meant that the role of cowboys would never be the same again.
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.
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