Cowboys in the 1890s (one-day lesson)

Overview

In this lesson, students will learn about the rise of cattle ranching in the West and the economic conditions under which cowboys worked in the 19th century. They will also learn about the economic changes that affected cowboys in the 1890s.

Learning Goals:

• Students will learn about the rise of the cattle industry in the United States.
• Students will learn about the changes that the cattle industry faced in the late 19th century.

DAY ONE

Website Materials:

• “Cattle Industry”
• “Cowboy Crime”
• “Cowboy Strike of 1883”
• “Theodore Roosevelt"

Prior to class:

Students should read “Cattle Industry” and answer questions in preparation for this lesson.

Step 1: 10 minutes: Elicit hypotheses

a) Share answers from homework. Write factors that contributed to success of cattle industry on the board.

b) Ask students to generate hypotheses to the following question:

Based on the reading “Cattle Industry,” would you guess cowboys were rich or poor? Explain the reasoning behind your hypothesis.

c) Share hypotheses.

Step 2: 20 minutes: Read document

a) Arrange students in pairs and assign one member of the pair “Cowboy Crime” and the other member “Cowboy Strike of 1883.”

b) Have students read their document and answer questions.

Step 3: 15 minutes: Pair-Share

Each pair of students summarizes their document and shares their answers with their partner. Together, the pairs answer the following questions:

• Based on the information in the readings, were cowboys rich or poor? Provide evidence from both documents.
• What happened at the end of the 19th century that made life more difficult for cowboys? Provide evidence from both documents.

Homework

Have students read “Theodore Roosevelt” and answer the questions.

In addition, students should answer following prompt: Theodore Roosevelt developed a reputation for being a cowboy. Was Roosevelt a typical cowboy?