Man or Myth: The American Cowboy
No point in American History has been given more examples of myth than that of the “Wild West.” Settled between the years of 1870 and 1890, the previously unexplored lands of the western wilderness were something of a mystery. Over the years an image of a lone cowboy began to emerge. They were free spirited individuals whom showed no alliances (friends). They roamed from town to town where they took part in gunfights and there was no form of law and order. It truly was a “Wild West” that was imagined by individuals. In reality, after the land was settled this can all be proven false.
The land at the time of expansion consisted of many Indian Reservations, so upon expansion, not only were many Native American living on the western front, but Hispanic farmers, cattle owners, and hunters had already cultivated a good portion of the land as well. It is common thought that these cow folk had gone and set out into a vast wasteland that was unknown to all, where in reality they were just checking out previously used land. They earned their “Wild West” second hand from the Native Americans and Hispanic people in the United States.
Upon the expansion of American citizens to the west, a myth was created of the white Anglo Saxon (White Christian) American Cowboy. This too, though true was an embellishment (exaggeration). In reality around 25 percent of the cowboys were African American and around 12 percent were Hispanic. That means only a little over half of the cowboys of the day had been what was depicted by movies and books. The other half were Native Americans or African American and Hispanic cowboys.
Another myth about these lone cowboy types was that they worked alone. This too was highly unlikely at time. It was common for a group of individuals to work together raising cattle or working on a farm. By doing so they more commonly had a produced a larger amount of goods, thus making more money. They did not live a glamorous life, they worked long days in order to maintain their land. They were not experienced as one would believe and learned on the job for most of the time. The towns in which this land was tilled was often spread far and the properties frequently were manned large families or groups of people. They were also quite large plots of land at that. Many of these towns operated just as a town today would have. They had law enforcement and public officials. This too is a myth that had been displayed in many productions. It wasn’t very often, if ever that showdowns would occur.
Much of what is presented in television and films is presented to be entertaining. It is important to remember that these “cowboys” that were tending to the cattle in the west were hard working American men and women that were just looking for an opportunity. They were not outlaws or vile (bad) people.
Directions:
1. Find five Key Terms
2. Write down two questions you have about the reading.
