Making a Living in Gold and Cattle

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) Westward Expansion, 1840-1900 Making a Living in Gold and Cattle While most western settlers in the later part of the nineteenth century aimed to build their fortunes fast via homestead farming, a tiny minority pursued alternative opportunities. In particular, searching for gold (and later silver and copper) drew hundreds of miners hoping to "get rich quick" before heading back east. Furthermore, ranchers used the recently opened railroad connections to their advantage to transport the longhorn steers that filled western and southern Texas. The demand for this meat in eastern markets led to the emergence of rich ranchers as well as a cowboy and cattle drive era that helped shape modern perceptions of the West. While neither ranchers nor miners meant to live in the West permanently, many eventually did, sometimes as a result of their spectacular failure and other times as a result of their risk paying off. The chase of opportunity and wealth was the primary motivation behind the westward expansion that occurred in the later part of the nineteenth century. A tiny but significant minority of settlers looked for other paths to prosperity, while the majority intended to establish themselves through homestead farming. Among these options, the draw of becoming wealthy through the mining of gold, silver, and copper proved too strong for many daring individuals. Numerous miners were drawn to the Western frontier by the prospect of "getting rich quick"; their goal was to find precious metals and then bring their newfound fortune back east. Concurrently, the growth of train networks created new economic opportunities, especially for ranchers in the vast Western regions. Ranchers in areas such as western and southern Texas took use of these networks of transportation to move their herds of longhorn steers to markets in the east of the country. These ranchers saw profitable prospects as a result of the growing demand for beef in the expanding eastern cities, which helped them rise to positions of power and prosperity. During this time, the legendary cowboy also came of age and cattle drives were popular as cowhands traveled great distances to bring their herds to markets. These cattle drives, together with the tough cowboy way of life, would come to symbolize the American West's mythology and influence how people view the area today. Many of these pioneers saw the West as a frontier to be conquered and exploited for financial gain, rather than as a place to call home. However, many decided to make the West their permanent home after being captivated to its untamed beauty and wide stretches of terrain, even if this was not their original plan. But the reality of life in the West was sometimes cruel and merciless, and many people there met with spectacular failures in their quest for wealth. While some miners fought to make ends meet in the hard conditions of frontier life, others were left penniless after failing to strike gold. However, other people's chances paid off spectacularly, resulting in success and riches beyond their wildest expectations. The nineteenth-century Westward Expansion was a complicated and multidimensional phenomena propelled by a wide range of goals and incentives. Although many were drawn to the frontier by the prospect of economic opportunity, life in the West was everything but glamorous. Nevertheless, in spite of all the difficulties they encountered, the pioneers of the American West persisted, leaving a legacy of fortitude, tenacity, and inventiveness that still influences the region's character today.