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The Wild West

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The Wild West: The Wild West was so named for the lawlessness of the untamed territories west of the Mississippi River - the western United States during its frontier period.

Definition and Summary of the The Wild West
Summary and definition: The period of the Wild West was from 1865 - 1895, a period of thirty years. The 'Old West' was famous for cowboys, native Indians, the lawmen, gunslingers, the pioneers, the prospectors, the gamblers, the scouts, the outlaws, the gangs and the gunfighters. Famous people of the Wild West included Wyatt Earp, "Wild Bill" Hickok, "Billy the Kid", Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Frank and Jesse James and the Clanton gang. The most notorious event was the Gunfight at the O.K. Coral.

Wild West for kids: FAQ's for Kids
There are several FAQ's (frequently asked questions) asked about the Wild West and this is a good place to start when learning about fast, fun and interesting facts and history about this important historical era in the United States of America.

When did the Wild West begin? The era known as the Wild West began after the Civil War in 1865.

When did the Wild West end? The period ended around 1895, lasting for 30 years

Where was the Wild West? The frontier area west of the Mississippi River during the late 1800's, the frontier territories of Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, California New Mexico, and Colorado

Why was it called the Wild West? The untamed territories were in the west and noted for their lawlessness which gave rise to wild, rowdy, unrestrained, disorderly and unruly behavior

Who was the most famous gunslinger in the Wild West? James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok and William H. Bonney aka "Billy the Kid".

Wild West: Wild Bill Hickok
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok (1837–1876) was an American scout, lawman, gambler and gunslinger in the Wild West. The picture above depicts Wild Bill Hickok after killing Davis Tutt in a duel in February 1867. Wild Bill Hickok was killed as he was playing poker by Jack McCall on August 2, 1876 (aged 39) at Deadwood in Dakota Territory. When he was shot, he was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, all black cards and since that time that hand is referred to as Dead Man’s hand.

Wild West: Billy the Kid
The legendary William H. Bonney aka "Billy the Kid" (1859-1881) was a notorious outlaw and gunslinger who was charged with 21 murders during his short and violent life in the Wild West. He was trailed for six months by Sheriff Pat Garrett who killed  Billy the Kid with a single shot at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. William H. Bonney aka "Billy the Kid" was just 21 years old when he died on July 14, 1881.

Wild West: The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is one of the most famous events in the history of the Wild West. The famous gunfight occurred at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. The gunfight was between lawmen and the Clanton Gang of outlaws and cowboys. The lawmen were headed by Deputy Marshall Wyatt Earp and his brothers Virgil Earp and Morgan Earp with the support of Doc Holliday. The lawmen and outlaws headed for a showdown at the O.K. Corral. Billy Clanton and gang members Tom McLaury and Frank McLaury were shot down and killed but Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne escaped. Virgil Earp and Morgan Earp were wounded but Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were unharmed.

Cowboys of the Wild West for Kids: Cowboy Clothes
The legends of the Cowboys of the Wild West are known throughout the world and the iconic images of the cowboys are immediately recognized by the Cowboy clothing that they wore - for history, facts and information refer to Cowboy Clothes of the 1800s.

Facts about the Wild West: Facts for kids
Interesting Wild West Facts for kids are detailed below. The history of the Wild West is told in a fast, fun sequence consisting of a series of interesting, short facts providing a simple method of relating the history of the Wild West for kids, schools and homework projects.

Did you know that the term "cowboy" was once used to refer to an outlaw, rustler, bandit, desperado or horse thief. Legitimate cowmen were referred to as cattle herders or ranchers now aka as Cowboys of the Old West.

The outlaw and train robber Sam Bass (1851–1878) became a legend whose career inspired ballads of the Wild West.

Judge Roy Bean (c. 1825–1903) legendary frontier hanging judge who ruled by one law book and a six-shooter gun. Judge Roy Bean knew little about the law and once threatened a lawyer with hanging  for using profane language such as "habeas corpus". Judge Roy Bean was often deliberately bizarre in his rulings and once fined a dead man $40 for carrying a concealed weapon.

A Boom Town was a town that quickly prospered, usually because of the discovery of nearby gold. The Boom Towns often turned into ghost towns after the gold strike ended

Buffalo Bill: Buffalo Bill's Wild West show ran for over 30 years and over 1000 Native Americans performed in the Show including Chief Sitting Bull. Hunting and killing over 4,000 buffalo  to supply the railroads with food for their workers earned Buffalo Bill Cody his famous nickname.

Other famous people such as Annie Oakley and her husband Frank Butler provided displays of sharp shooting at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show

Boot Hill: The nickname of boot hill was used to describe the graveyards of gunslingers and their victims in the Wild West.

Calamity Jane: Martha Jane Canary Burke, aka Calamity Jane (c. 1852–1903) was a famous markswoman and pony express rider.

Christopher "Kit" Carson: Kit Carson (1809–1868) was a famous frontiersman, guide, and Indian fighter

The Oregon Trail: The 2000 mile Oregon Trail started in Independence, Missouri and ended Oregon City. Early pioneers and settlers traveled in large wagon trains using covered wagons to carry their supplies for the six month journey.

The Chisholm Trail was a route used by drovers bringing cattle from Texas to Kansas.

Santa Fe Trail: The Santa Fe Trail ran 900 miles from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe (now New Mexico). The Santa Fe Trail was one of America's great trade routes until 1880, when it was replaced by the railroad.

Deadwood: Deadwood Gulch was a Wild West city in South Dakota where graves of Wild Bill Hickok and Annie Oakley are located.

Dodge City: Dodge City was the name of the famous, rowdy cowboy town in the Wild West. The lawmen of Dodge City were Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp.

Jesse James: Jesse James (1847–1882) was an American outlaw who specialized in robbing banks and trains. Jesse James was killed by Robert Ford. His brother, Frank James, was twice acquitted of crimes and lived out his life peacefully and prosperously on his farm

Pecos Bill: The name of a folk hero famed for cowboy exploits. Pecos Bill used a rattlesnake named Shake as a lasso and another snake as a short whip.

Pony Express: The Pony Express relay mail service during frontier days. Pony Express riders rode in relay across their routes delivering mail across 2000 miles in 10 days. The Pony Express service only ran for 18 months from April 3, 1860 to October 24, 1861 and was replaced by the telegraph.

Prairie Schooner: The Prairie Schooners were horse-drawn covered wagons used by pioneers in the Wild West. Its white canvas top resembled a schooner sailing on the prairie.  Prairie schooners were about half the size of the Conestoga freight wagons that were in common use at the time.

Johnny Ringo: John Peters Ringo aka Johnny Ringo (1850–1882) was a notorious outlaw who fought many gun battles and was given the nickname of the King of the Cowboys. He was connected with the Clanton Gang in the era of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, in Tombstone

Texas Rangers: The Texas Rangers were established in 1835 as a mounted fighting force to maintain law and order in the Wild West. They quelled the feuds and shootings, and the outlaws and rustlers who operated in the cattle business

Tombstone: Tombstone was a famous town in Arizona in the Wild West known for the Gunfight at the O.K. Coral, its outlaws, silver prospectors, gun battles and its Boot Hill Graveyard

Bat Masterson: Bat Masterson was a lawman who also worked for Wyatt Earp at Earp's saloon in Tombstone. Bat Masterson became a deputy marshal of Dodge City in Kansas, with his brother Jim.

John Wesley Hardin: John Wesley Hardin a Texas gunslinger who was said to have killed more than 40 men. He was sentenced to 25 years in the Texas State Prison for the murder of a deputy sheriff in 1877.

The Dalton Gang: In 1892 the Dalton Gang raided Coffeyville, Kansas and Grat and John Dalton were killed and Emmett Dalton was sent to prison.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Butch Cassidy (Robert Leroy Parker) and the Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh) were famous bank and train robbers of the Old West who according to legend died fleeing from the law in Bolivia. Butch was the leader of the Hole in the Wall Gang.

Wild Bunch: The Wild Bunch also known as the Doolin - Dalton Gang or the Oklahombres were a gang of outlaws who robbed banks and trains. All eleven members met with bloody, violent deaths during the era of the Wild West

Younger Brothers: The Younger Brothers were four American outlaws who were often allied with Jesse James. The names of the Younger brothers were Thomas Coleman (“Cole”; 1844–1916), John (1846–74); James (“Jim”; 1850–1902), and Robert (“Bob”; 1853–89

A newcomer in the Old West was called a tenderfoot or greenhorn. Other names for cowboys included cowpunchers, cowpokes, buckaroos, and cowhands.

Texas was the most active gun fighting state in the Wild West, with some 160 shoot-outs from the 1860's to the 1890's. The Colt Peacemaker, was the name of the weapon that became known as "the gun that won the West”. The Colt Peacemaker was a .45-caliber gun manufactured by Colt’s Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in 1873. At the time it sold for $17.00.

In 1874, Joseph Glidden received a patent for his invention of barbed wire. The barbed wire fencing changed farming and ranching and contributed to the end of the cowboys and the Wild West.

US American History

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Updated 2018-01-01

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