Spanish settlers first established cattle ranching in Texas in the 1700s, driving herds of longhorn cattle north from Mexico to supply missions along the Rio Grande and San Antonio Rivers. By the 1800s, Tejano ranchers had established cattle ranching as the primary economic activity in Texas, driving longhorn cattle to markets in New Orleans and other states. However, problems with rustlers and limited access to markets kept the cattle industry in Texas relatively small until after the Civil War, when Union blockades during the war prevented Texas longhorns from being driven out of state, allowing their numbers to grow substantially.

1. Chapter 21: The Cattle Kingdom
Section 1: Early Cattle Ranching

2. Spanish Beginnings
• 1500s: Spanish had ranches firmly
established in Mexico
• 1700s: Cattle moved northward to
support missions in Rio Grande & San
Antonio River Valleys
• Good climate & water supply

3. Spanish Beginnings
• First Texas Ranchers: Tejanos who
brought knowledge of ranching
from Mexico
• Brands—marks that made it
possible to determine who owned
Texas cattle

7. Spanish Beginnings
• Cattle drives—herding groups of cattle
to market
• Cattle driven from South of Rio Grande
to supply Spanish military outposts
• Driven from SE Texas to Louisiana

8. Spanish Beginnings
• Ranching spreads:
– East TX: near markets in New
Orleans
– Central/South TX: rich prairies &
moderate climates

9. Spanish Beginnings
• Cattle driven out of state:
– New Orleans
– California after discovery of gold
– Ohio

10. Spanish Beginnings
• Problems:
–Rustlers—thieves
–Access to markets
–Low population = low demand

11. The Texas Longhorns
• Longhorn—a
cross
between
Spanish &
English
cattle
BEVO—it’s what’s
for dinner!

12. The Texas Longhorns
• Strengths:
– Thrived on native grasses
– Could endure hot/cold
– Could eat prickly pear and survive on little
water
– Resistant to Texas Fever

13. The Texas Longhorns
• “8 pounds of
hamburger on
800 pounds of
bone and horn.”
• Horns provided
protection

15. The Texas Longhorns
• Texas cattle grew during
the Civil War because
Union blockades made it
difficult to move cattle
out of state