For me, Whoop-Up Country was a much more enjoyable read then The Great Plains, primarily because it focused its information onto a smaller region. This region covered the Whoop-Up Trail that ran from Fort Benton, Montana to Calgary, Alberta. I enjoyed how Sharp compared the trail's differences south and north of the boarder, providing a good view into how things differed between American and Canadian ideals, especially about the treatment of Native Americans. The trail provided a main trade route for the surrounding area, trading a wide variety of products across the 49th parallel, especially fur. Whoop-Up Country appealed to me more because it discussed an area that is more like where I grew up, unlike The Great Plains that focused mainly on the south. Along with that, I preferred how Whoop-Up Country wasn't just a rambling of facts, but instead actually contained a story about the trail, the area around it, and the people that depended on what the trail provided. Back when the trail was thriving, its surprising to me that there would have been that much of a difference in kindness and attitude between the two sides of the border. Being the edge of civilization, I would think that all the people in that area would consider themselves one people, not divided by their nation.
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