Option P3: Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 1 Changes in farming, the cattle industry and settlement — Edexcel GCSE History
Test yourself on Option P3: Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 1 Changes in farming, the cattle industry and settlement with PEARSON EDEXCEL GCSE practice questions.
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Option P3: Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 1 Changes in farming, the cattle industry and settlement explained
Farming on the Great Plains was transformed by innovative technology and methods that overcame the harsh, arid environment.
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The invention of barbed wire by Joseph Glidden in 1874 allowed homesteaders to cheaply fence off crops, protecting them from roaming cattle and buffalo. The sulky plough, a strong riding plough, enabled farmers to break up the tough, deep-rooted prairie sod much more efficiently than older iron ploughs. Windmills were developed to pump water from deep underground aquifers, solving the severe surface water shortage. Furthermore, new farming methods like dry farming—ploughing after rain to trap moisture in the soil—and the introduction of hardy Russian winter wheat allowed crops to thrive despite the low rainfall.
Changes in the cattle industry, including the impact of the winter of 1886–87. The significance of changes in the nature of ranching. The end of the open range.
The cattle industry underwent a dramatic transformation, shifting from the open range to enclosed ranching. Overstocking in the early 1880s depleted prairie grass, leading to falling beef prices. This vulnerability was exposed by the catastrophic 'Great Die-Up' during the harsh winter of 1886–87, where freezing temperatures and deep snow killed up to 15% of open-range herds. This disaster marked the end of the open range. Ranchers responded by changing the nature of ranching: they bought smaller plots of land, fenced them with barbed wire, and shifted to breeding high-quality cattle. They also began growing winter feed rather than relying on year-round foraging, fundamentally altering the cowboy's role from long drives to fence maintenance.
Continued settlement: the Exoduster movement and Kansas (1879), the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893. The closure of the 'Indian Frontier'.
The 1879 Exoduster movement saw thousands of African Americans migrate from the South to Kansas, escaping racial oppression. Promoted by Benjamin Singleton, many faced hardship upon arrival due to poor land and lack of funds. The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893 opened the Cherokee Strip, previously Indian Territory, to white settlement. Thousands raced to claim 160-acre (64.7-hectare) plots, highlighting intense land demand. This rush contributed to the 'closure of the Indian Frontier', which specifically refers to the opening up of the last remaining Indian Territory to white settlers, effectively ending the concept of a separate, protected Indian frontier. This is distinct from the 1890 US Census declaration that the broader American frontier was closed.
Your focus
- Identify the key technological inventions that aided farming on the Great Plains.
- Explain how new farming methods like dry farming adapted to the arid environment.
- Evaluate the overall impact of these changes on the success and expansion of homesteading.
Show all 9 objectives
- Describe the causes and consequences of the devastating winter of 1886–87 on the cattle industry.
- Explain why the open range system came to an end.
- Analyse how the nature of ranching and the daily life of a cowboy changed after 1887.
- Identify the causes and consequences of the 1879 Exoduster movement to Kansas.
- Describe the mechanics and impact of the 1893 Oklahoma Land Rush.
- Explain the meaning and significance of the closure of the 'Indian Frontier' as distinct from the 1890 US Census declaration.
Option P3: Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 1 Changes in farming, the cattle industry and settlement exam tips
Marking Points
- Explain how barbed wire solved the problem of a lack of timber for fencing and protected crops from livestock.
- Describe the role of the sulky plough (sodbuster) in breaking through the tough prairie grass roots to access fertile soil.
- Analyse the importance of wind-powered water pumps in providing a reliable water supply for crops and livestock in an arid landscape.
- Detail the method of dry farming and the introduction of Turkey Red wheat as solutions to the low rainfall on the Plains.
- Identify overstocking and falling beef prices as underlying weaknesses in the open range system prior to 1886.
- Describe the devastating impact of the 1886–87 winter, which caused mass cattle starvation and bankrupted many large cattle barons.
- Explain how the disaster led to the end of the open range and the adoption of smaller, fenced-in ranches using barbed wire.
- Analyse the changes in the nature of ranching, including the shift towards breeding pedigree cattle, growing winter feed, and the changing role of the cowboy.
- Explain the push factors (Jim Crow laws) and pull factors (Homestead Act, Singleton's promotion) for the Exodusters.
- Describe the challenges faced by Exodusters in Kansas, including poor farming conditions and hostility.
- Detail the events of the 1893 Oklahoma Land Rush, where settlers raced to claim former Indian lands.
- Analyse the significance of the closure of the 'Indian Frontier', marking the end of a designated, separate Indian Territory as it was opened to white settlement.
- Evaluate how these settlement events contributed to the final destruction of the Plains Indians' way of life.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Always link a specific piece of technology to the specific environmental problem it solved (e.g., windmills solved the lack of surface water).
- 💡Use the introduction of Russian winter wheat as a prime example of how adapting farming methods to the environment was crucial for survival.
- 💡Discuss how these technological advancements accelerated the settlement of the Plains by making homesteading a viable, profitable enterprise.
- 💡Use the phrase 'The Great Die-Up' to specifically refer to the winter of 1886-87 and demonstrate precise historical knowledge.
- 💡When explaining the end of the open range, ensure you discuss the combination of environmental factors (the harsh winter) and economic factors (overstocking and price drops).
- 💡Highlight how the shift to enclosed ranching reduced conflict between cattle ranchers and homesteaders, as boundaries became clearly defined by barbed wire.
- 💡Use the Exoduster movement as a specific example of how push and pull factors continued to drive migration in the late 19th century.
- 💡When discussing the Oklahoma Land Rush, link it to the Dawes Act and the reduction of Indian Territory.
- 💡Be prepared to explain the consequences of the Indian Frontier's closure for both white settlers and Plains Indians in a narrative account.
Common Mistakes
- Claiming that barbed wire was used to keep cattle in; it was primarily used by homesteaders to keep free-roaming cattle out of their crops.
- Stating that windmills generated electricity; in this period, windmills were used mechanically to pump water from deep wells.
- Confusing dry farming with irrigation; dry farming involved trapping existing soil moisture through specific ploughing techniques, not bringing in water from elsewhere.
- Attributing the end of the open range solely to the winter of 1886–87; overstocking, drought, and falling prices had already severely weakened the industry beforehand.
- Assuming cowboys disappeared after the open range ended; their roles simply changed from driving cattle long distances to mending fences, harvesting hay, and managing smaller herds.
- Believing the winter of 1886-87 killed all the cattle; while devastating (killing around 15% overall, and up to 85% in some specific areas), it was the economic shock that forced the systemic change.
- Confusing the Exodusters with earlier white homesteaders; correct by specifying they were African Americans fleeing the post-Civil War South.
- Stating the Oklahoma Land Rush was the only land rush; correct by noting the 1893 rush was one of several, specifically opening the Cherokee Strip.
- Conflating the 'closure of the Indian Frontier' with the 1890 US Census declaration; correct by explaining the Indian Frontier closure specifically meant the opening of Indian Territory (Oklahoma) to white settlers.