An Open Range of Opportunity

Transcript

Transcript

TEXT: An Open Range of Opportunity It was about wealth-opportunity. It was also about people who, by the early 1800s, made the trying journey west, across North America’s vast plains, hoping for a shot at fortune. Fur, gold, or trade-it didn’t always matter how. It was more about the prospect of it all. They traveled through the Plains, these pioneers, trailblazers forging paths through the wild frontier. They couldn’t do it alone, so a patchwork of people emerged-African, American, Canadian, European, American Indian, and more-trading at outposts, blending as families, and working together. With the 1850s came change. The fur industry ended, American Indians moved to reservations, and people began to wonder: Did the Plains offer more than passage to the next opportunity-gold fields farther west? A few thought maybe they still had a fighting chance on the Plains. They thought of settling and trying their luck at something new. Could they prosper on the wide open range? Was there money to be made in another industry-say, cattle ranching?

Description

Overview of the Open Range

Duration

1 minute, 15 seconds

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