The Round-up

The Round-Up is a story written by Theodore Roosevelt, former President of the United States. First printed in April 1888, the article is a first hand account of what it was like to work cattle in the 1880s. Although Roosevelt was not a full time cowboy or rancher, the time he spent on his ranch near Medora, North Dakota was special to him. Read the article and then test your knowledge.

Questions

1.     When is the bulk of a cowboy’s work done, according to the article?
2.     Where were cattle driven from Texas? The article mentions two possible destinations.
3.     How many miles a day did cattle average on the drives north from Texas?
4.     Why, according to Roosevelt, is the spring round-up the great event of the season?
5.     What characteristics are required of the captain or foreman of the round-up?
6.     What is the four-horse wagon used for?
7.     What do "horse-wranglers" do?
8.     How many ponies does each cowboy use to round up cattle?
9.     What is a bronco?
10.     Describe some of the problems of sleeping in wet weather.
11.     On days when there was no regular work, what kinds of games did cowboys play to show off their          skills?
12.     How is the moral tone of a cow camp different than that among other workers?
13.     How are the saddle horses kept from running away in the middle of the night?
14.     What did cowboys eat for breakfast? According to the author, how important was breakfast?
15.     What does it mean to cut out from a herd of cattle?
16.     According to Roosevelt, who make the best cattle ropers?
17.     Generally describe the scene at branding time.
18.     What kind of formation is best when driving cattle, strung out in long lines or bunched up together?
19.     What might cause a cattle herd to stampede?
20.     Describe what happened during the terrible winter of 1886-87