Question
Take a look at most old movies about the "Wild West" of the United States. There's a good chance that the vast majority (or, in some cases, all) of the characters are White. But historians emphasize that the Old West was actually far more diverse than what's been shown in popular culture.
Cattle Herders
According to historians, cattle herders weren't just men. And they weren't only White. In fact, about 25 percent of cowhands in the late 19th century were Black.
Many Black cowhands first arrived in the West before the Civil War (1861–1865). They were enslaved and forced to work on ranches. When the war broke out, it wasn't uncommon for White ranch owners to join the fight for the pro-enslavement Confederacy. Left behind to manage the ranches on their own, enslaved people became adept at roping, riding, and cattle herding. The war ended in 1865, ending enslavement with it. White ranchers had to hire the skilled Black herders as paid workers.
Cow herding was a difficult job. And Black cowhands had to deal with something their White colleagues didn't: racism. But historians note that there was a sense of camaraderie among cowhands. There's evidence that Black cowhands experienced more respect and equal treatment than most other Black Americans at the time.
Cool Cowhands
The Old West is known for producing legends, and there were cowhands among them. Born in 1822, Henrietta "Aunt Rittie" Williams Foster became famous as a cowhand despite her enslavement. Foster worked with cattle alongside men and became legendary for her ability to ride a horse better than her male colleagues.
Charley Willis drove cattle for a thousand miles (over 1,600 kilometers) from Texas into Wyoming after the Civil War. He returned with all kinds of songs from the trail. This "singing cowboy" helped preserve the era's cowhand music.
Nat Love was born into enslavement in Tennessee. Love headed west when he was 15 after winning a horse in a raffle, selling it back to the owner, and then winning it and selling it back again. He gave half the money to his mom and left home to become a cowboy, according to the book he wrote after retiring. Love solidified his legacy with the only full-length autobiography of a Black cowhand ever published.
Taming the West
Black Americans on the frontier weren't just rounding up cattle, though. Bass Reeves made a name for himself rounding up outlaws. He escaped enslavement by slipping into what was then known as Indian Territory and is now Oklahoma. Reeves spent some time learning the languages and ways of the Seminole and Creek tribes.
Mary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary, was born into enslavement in 1832. Eventually, she became one of the toughest and most admired people in Cascade, Montana. When she was about 60 years old, Fields applied to become a U.S. mail carrier. The process required her to compete against men to see who was the fastest to hitch a team of six horses. Fields won and became the first Black U.S. Postal Service delivery woman. At the time, postal carriers had to contend with rugged terrain, wolf packs, and would-be mail thieves. But the tough-talking, gunslinging, quick-witted Fields never missed a day of work and never lost a piece of mail.
The Wild West was ripe for creating lasting legends. But historians say it's the true stories that are the most remarkable.
QUESTION 1
1 / 8
Which is most important to include in a summary of this Article?
The process to become a U.S. mail carrier in Montana included a competition to hitch a team of six horses the fastest.
The only full-length autobiography of a Black cowhand ever to be published was written by Nat Love.
The vast majority of characters shown in old movies about the Wild West were White and male.
The Old West included a far more diverse group of men and women than what is commonly shown.
Cattle Herders
According to historians, cattle herders weren't just men. And they weren't only White. In fact, about 25 percent of cowhands in the late 19th century were Black.
Many Black cowhands first arrived in the West before the Civil War (1861–1865). They were enslaved and forced to work on ranches. When the war broke out, it wasn't uncommon for White ranch owners to join the fight for the pro-enslavement Confederacy. Left behind to manage the ranches on their own, enslaved people became adept at roping, riding, and cattle herding. The war ended in 1865, ending enslavement with it. White ranchers had to hire the skilled Black herders as paid workers.
Cow herding was a difficult job. And Black cowhands had to deal with something their White colleagues didn't: racism. But historians note that there was a sense of camaraderie among cowhands. There's evidence that Black cowhands experienced more respect and equal treatment than most other Black Americans at the time.
Cool Cowhands
The Old West is known for producing legends, and there were cowhands among them. Born in 1822, Henrietta "Aunt Rittie" Williams Foster became famous as a cowhand despite her enslavement. Foster worked with cattle alongside men and became legendary for her ability to ride a horse better than her male colleagues.
Charley Willis drove cattle for a thousand miles (over 1,600 kilometers) from Texas into Wyoming after the Civil War. He returned with all kinds of songs from the trail. This "singing cowboy" helped preserve the era's cowhand music.
Nat Love was born into enslavement in Tennessee. Love headed west when he was 15 after winning a horse in a raffle, selling it back to the owner, and then winning it and selling it back again. He gave half the money to his mom and left home to become a cowboy, according to the book he wrote after retiring. Love solidified his legacy with the only full-length autobiography of a Black cowhand ever published.
Taming the West
Black Americans on the frontier weren't just rounding up cattle, though. Bass Reeves made a name for himself rounding up outlaws. He escaped enslavement by slipping into what was then known as Indian Territory and is now Oklahoma. Reeves spent some time learning the languages and ways of the Seminole and Creek tribes.
Mary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary, was born into enslavement in 1832. Eventually, she became one of the toughest and most admired people in Cascade, Montana. When she was about 60 years old, Fields applied to become a U.S. mail carrier. The process required her to compete against men to see who was the fastest to hitch a team of six horses. Fields won and became the first Black U.S. Postal Service delivery woman. At the time, postal carriers had to contend with rugged terrain, wolf packs, and would-be mail thieves. But the tough-talking, gunslinging, quick-witted Fields never missed a day of work and never lost a piece of mail.
The Wild West was ripe for creating lasting legends. But historians say it's the true stories that are the most remarkable.
QUESTION 1
1 / 8
Which is most important to include in a summary of this Article?
The process to become a U.S. mail carrier in Montana included a competition to hitch a team of six horses the fastest.
The only full-length autobiography of a Black cowhand ever to be published was written by Nat Love.
The vast majority of characters shown in old movies about the Wild West were White and male.
The Old West included a far more diverse group of men and women than what is commonly shown.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The most important point to include in a summary of the article is:
**The Old West included a far more diverse group of men and women than what is commonly shown.**
This statement encapsulates the main theme of the article, which emphasizes the diversity in the Old West that is often overlooked in popular culture.
**The Old West included a far more diverse group of men and women than what is commonly shown.**
This statement encapsulates the main theme of the article, which emphasizes the diversity in the Old West that is often overlooked in popular culture.