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Lecture 6 titled "Ways and Habits of the West," was mostly about ranching, and the history of cattle in this region. We talked about the Hispanic origin of cattle on the plains, and how Joseph McCoy played a big role connecting supply and demand by expanding north onto the plains. We also discussed "cattle towns" that appeared and developed along the trails. Things such as heard laws, fencing, and haying changed the ways of ranching and led to the New Cattle Kingdom. Professor Isern pointed out that it was the declining cattle markets in the 1880s that led to the creatation of these new jobs. Webb's stories of the barbed wire and the Cattle Kingdom in his book The Great Plains closely fit in with topics of this lecture.

Like others in the class, I too found this lecture somewhat intrigueing because I grew up on a farm/ranch. We have always had cows around, so it is interesting to know their story and how they came to being in this part of the nation. I enjoyed listening to Isern's stories on this topic, even though this lecture was so short!
-Casie Hawkinson