Cowboys

A detailed Summary of Cowboys

Although the main existence of the cowboy lasted only about two decades, the

mark that they made on society, then and now, is significant. The cowboy was just a

regular person that worked hard and earned little. Although his life has been embellished

by movie makers and writers, he was just a regular American looking for a way to earn a

living. We usually think of cowboys as white males, however, there were also women and

The word "cowboy" was coined in Ireland over a thousand years ago. It means a

hired rider who looks over cattle. During the years following the Civil War, the range

cattle industry developed, first in Texas, and then spread into the Southwest and the Great

Plains. And with this, the development of "cowboys" came. The most prominent time of

the cowboy lasted until about the mid 1880's. The total number of cowboys never

amounted to more than 40,000. About 2/3 of the cowboys were white, and another 1/3

were either African -American or Mexican-American.

Cowboys clothing were comfortable, yet tough. His apparel consisted of boots,

pants, chaps, and his hat. His most significant piece of clothing was his boots, at a price of

always ride huge horses that never seem to get tired. However, in real life, cowboys

the stirrup. Most of the men also carried water bottles with them, to prevent heat

The interest in cowboys today is as strong today as it has ever been. It is not that

Southwest, the hat had a tall crown and a wide brim to offer maximum protection from the

Billy the Kid, is one of them, he was a genuine cowboy-outlaw. Billy's real name was

At least one-third of cowboys were African-American. After the American Civil

However, the cowboys also brought in more gambling and prostitution. Some of these

One of the most famous female cowboys was Belle Starr. Belle had an exciting

thought they deserved some excitement. And all of their excitement came from rum, cards

cowboys were assigned to a chuckwagon. At the first light of dawn the men moved out.

Approximate Word count = 1866
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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