History

Background Information

 Cattle had been first introduced to America by European invaders

 By 1850s Southern Texas was the major centre of cattle ranching

 Texas Longhorn was the traditional breed of cattle that were very hardy

 In the 1850s beef became a popular food

 Cattle were driven by cowboys to the markets where they were sold

 As they did so they came into conflict with Homesteaders

Beef’s popularity – in the 1850’s beef became a popular and demand for it increased in the eastern USA.

The effect of the American Civil War – Texan cattle ranchers returned from fighting in the Civil War to find

that their herds had grown dramatically.

New markets – The US Army in the West, the Indians on reservations, miners and railroad builders

provided a good market for cattle.

Railroads – their development meant that beef could quickly…