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The Gunfight at the OK Corral took place near the town of Tombstone, Arizona.

USA: 1840-1895- Plains Indians, Settling And Spread Of Cattle-Ranching

This GCSE History quiz explores the Plains Indians, white settlement, and the growth of cattle ranching on the American Plains between 1840 and 1895.

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Fascinating Fact:

Overgrazing, harsh winters, and falling beef prices in the 1880s hit ranching hard. Many ranchers switched to smaller, fenced ranches with better quality cattle.

In GCSE History, this topic looks at how the Plains Indians lived, how white settlers moved onto the Plains, and how cattle ranching spread and changed the landscape and economy.

Key Terms

Plains Indians: Native American peoples who lived on the Great Plains, relying on the buffalo and moving seasonally across wide grasslands.
Open Range: Unfenced grazing land where cattle could roam freely, often watched by cowboys on long cattle drives.
Homestead: A plot of land on the Plains granted to settlers, usually in return for living on it and farming it for a set number of years.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

Who were the Plains Indians in GCSE History?

The Plains Indians were Native American nations who lived on the Great Plains of North America. They often followed buffalo herds, lived in tipis, and had rich spiritual and cultural traditions.

How did cattle ranching spread across the American Plains?

Cattle ranching spread after the Civil War, helped by Texas cattle, long drives to railheads, and growing demand for beef in eastern cities. Railways and new towns encouraged ranches to expand onto the Plains.

What problems did settlers and ranchers face on the Plains?

Settlers and ranchers struggled with extreme weather, limited water, grassland fires, conflict over land use, and changing market prices for beef and crops, which could quickly affect their income.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

From which state did cattle-ranchers originally spread into the Great Plains?

Texas

Arkansas

Kentucky

Georgia

The Great Plains seemed to offer wide open spaces with few rivals for occupation of the vast areas of unfenced land

2 .

After 1865 there was more competition from other groups for land in the Great Plains. Which of the following groups competed with the cattle-ranchers for land from 1865 onwards?

Former Confederate troops following their defeat in the US Civil War

European immigrants fleeing persecution and economic depression

Soldiers from the victorious Northern army in the recently-ended American Civil War

Unsuccessful settlers from the West Coast

Land was freely available on very advantageous terms, but any newcomers were likely to encounter difficulties with their rivals, the cattle-ranchers. And there were only a few local officials entrusted with enforcing the law

3 .

Between 1865 and 1870 large numbers of cattle were driven across the plains to Missouri, where they were put onto trains for the journey to Chicago. What were the overland journeys called?

Long Drives

Inter-state Drives

Meat Trails

Stock Drives

The route to Missouri was hard: extremes of weather, poor tracks and lack of shelter and food were among the difficulties

4 .

The Homestead Acts - particularly that of 1862 - gave the ranchers' rivals easy terms to acquire land. 160 acres were available for each family provided that they worked the land for a fixed period of years. How many years was this?

3 years

8 years

5 years

10 years

Thus the Homesteaders were encouraged to commit themselves to their new work and lifestyle

5 .

Railroad companies were similarly courted by the government, and they were offered more land than they needed to lay down the track. How much were they given either side of the rails?

2 miles

1 mile

500 yards

100 yards

The Federal Government hoped that the railway companies would develop their surplus land, and thus have a stake in the territory beyond the permanent way (the actual railway track)

6 .

What name was given to land in the Great Plains that was unfenced and free for anyone to use?

Open Land

Common Land

People's Land

Open Range

This phenomenon persisted into the 1890s, and many people took advantage of it

7 .

The shootout at the OK Corral was a notorious incident in October 1881, that showed the rough and ready approach to law and order in the old West. Near which town did this incident take place?

Denver, Colorado

Dallas, Texas

Tombstone, Arizona

Kansas City, Kansas

This was a clash between local sheriffs and the Clanton Gang

8 .

What do Pat Garrett and Wyatt Earp have in common?

They were both gangsters in the original "Wild West"

They both fought on the side of law and order

They both escaped from gaol, where they were serving terms for firearms offences

They had both been accused of cattle-rustling, but each had been acquitted of the charge

They were both armed to the teeth, and skilled in the use of firearms

9 .

A war erupted in Wyoming in 1892 between "Homesteaders" and cattle-ranchers. In which county did this event take place?

Davis County

Johnson County

Emmerson County

Clyde County

Mutual accusations of land theft and cattle-rustling led to open warfare, won by the Homesteaders

10 .

For land to be designated a "territory" at this time it would need to have a population of 5,000. What population would be required for "state" status?

10,000

25,000

75,000

60,000

A territory would qualify for some federal assistance in securing law and order. However a state would receive much more aid

Author: Edward Towne