Wild West and the Gilded Age
1302 - Exam 1 Essay (50 Points)
You will not need a works cited page unless you choose to use sources. You will need to answer all the questions. Please do not put numbers in your paper. It should look like an essay so each question should be answered in a different paragraph.
Compare the myth of the “Wild West” with its reality. What elements of truth would these stories have contained, and what was fabricated or left out? What was life actually like for cowboys, ranchers, and the few women present in mining towns or along the cattle range?
Describe the various violent clashes between labor and management that occurred during this era. What do these events reveal about how each group had come to view the other?
How does the term “Gilded Age” characterize American society in the late nineteenth century? In what ways is this characterization accurate or inaccurate
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Wild West
In most instances, history is usually transmitted from one generation to the other through stories. When these stories are shared, some information is fabricated while others are left out. This process causes some people to have myths about historical occurrences. One of the eras that have consisted of a lot of myths is the Wild West era which happened from 1865, when the American Civil War ended, to 1890. One of the common fabricated information was that there were many bank robberies. One reason that prompted this belief is the existence of famous bank robbers such as Butch Cassidy, Jesse James, and Sundance Kid. However, varying from the common belief, it was hard to rob the bank during this era compared to the current era. The information left out was that banks had to open vaults during the day without facial recognition software, GPS tracking, or security cameras. This was why there were only eight robberies in 15 states within forty years.
The other common story during the Wild West is regarding the Cowboys. The main reason why it has been one of the most discussed is because the cowboys were wearing cowboy hats. This has remained one of the most noted items associated with cattle ranchers residing in the Western frontier. However, the hat that the individuals currently associated with the Cowboys was not original. The current hat in Western movies is wide-brimmed, while the cowboys residing in the western American frontier prefer to wear a bowler hat than the Boss of the Plains. The modern cowboy hat was designed by J.B. Stetson's company and produced i...