After the American Civil War (1861–65), the states located just west of
the Mississippi River experienced a boom in the cattle business. Those
who were hired to tend the cattle and guide them across open lands on
drives from pasture to ranch to market were called cowboys. The golden
age of the cattle drives in the 1870s and 1880s increased the number of
cowboys and established them as part of western folklore. While the
work of cowboys was not new, it gained attention as a romantic and
heroic livelihood during this time.
The first cattle were unloaded in America during Spanish explorer
Hernándo Cortés’s (1485–1547) conquest of Mexico in 1519. A tradition of tending the cattle arose, and the first cowboys, known as vaqueros, developed methods for herding and handling cattle in open lands.
Americans adopted these practices as the cattle industry moved north
through the southwest to the northern Great Plains.
The most familiar aspects of the vaquero tradition were maintained
in the unique but highly practical dress of cowboys. The high crown and
broad brim of a felt hat kept the sun out of a cowboy’s face, provided a
scoop for water, and, doubled over, served as a pillow at night. A bandana protected the cowboy’s nose and mouth from dust and debris while
leather chaps protected his legs from brush, thorns, and cacti. Boots with
spurs, the design of the saddle, and lassos were all similarly practical and
essential to the cowboy’s needs.
A cowboy was a hired hand with a long and difficult job in a challenging environment. Although their work required skill, cowboys were
not highly respected, and their pay was often minimal. A cowboy typically did not own land or cattle and usually claimed his horse, saddle,
and gear as his only possessions.
Early stereotypes of cowboys were often negative, with images of unhindered celebrations in saloons, illiteracy, and lawlessness. Adventure
books, Western exhibitions and shows, and popular movies all helped to
change that image. Eventually, cowboys became respected for the long
hours and tough nature of their work. By the 1950’s, cowboys had become folk heroes.
The cowboy glamorized by legend, however, began to disappear in
the 1890s. As the free and open ranges became more and more settled
and fenced, the role of the cowboy changed. Cattle became confined to
pastures on ranches, and railroads and trucks transported cattle to markets. Today cowboys are ranch hands who enjoy ranch-cooked meals, the
shade of a truck, and a bed every night.