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Cattle Frontier

Definition

The Cattle Frontier refers to an era in American history from roughly 1865-1890 when cattle ranching became a major industry in parts of Western U.S., particularly Texas, due to open-range grazing practices.

Analogy

Imagine if your school cafeteria suddenly started serving free unlimited pizza every day. You'd probably see more students bringing less lunch from home and eating more pizza instead. That's kind of what happened with cattle ranching on the Cattle Frontier - because there were vast areas of free grazing land available after Civil War, it became very profitable to raise cattle there.

Related terms

Open Range System: A system where livestock are allowed to roam freely rather than being contained within fences or corrals. This was common practice on the Cattle Frontier.

Homestead Act (1862): This law offered settlers plots of public land for a small fee if they agreed to live on and cultivate it. This act indirectly contributed to the development of the Cattle Frontier.

Barbed Wire: A type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals. Its invention in 1874 eventually led to the end of the open range system, thus closing the era of the Cattle Frontier.