Cowboy

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cowboy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary occupation?Animal herder, specifically tending cattle on ranches
2. What is the historical precursor?Vaquero traditions originating from Spanish settlers in Mexico
3. Where did cowboys come from?Cowboys started from vaqueros in colonial Mexico, who learned to manage cattle on horseback, and later European settlers adopted those skills.
4. What jobs do cowboys do?They herd cattle, brand them, move herds to new grazing lands, repair fences, maintain horses, and protect the herd from predators.

Vaquero: The historical Spanish-Mexican horseman and cattle herder whose techniques formed the basis of the cowboy tradition.
Ranching: The practice of raising large herds of livestock, primarily cattle, on extensive tracts of land.
Roundup: The seasonal process of gathering scattered cattle from open ranges for branding, sorting, or moving.
Rodeo: A competitive equestrian sport that showcases skills derived from traditional cowboy work, such as bronc riding and roping.