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Cattle Barons Essay

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The research methods used for this thesis are primary and secondary sources. Many of these sources come from 20th century primary and secondary sources however; there are a few primary resources located from the latter part of the 19th century, which will be utilized in this master’s thesis. The majority of these resources will come from the 20th century sources in the fact that many of these are first and second hand accounts of those who worked directly with the cattle barons during their peak in the Wyoming Territory and State. The basis of this thesis will be to focus on the influence the cattle barons had on the political, social and economic parameters of Wyoming, however placing emphasizes on the capital city of Cheyenne wherein the focal point of much of this corruption was centered. There are a several great primary sources which can be drawn from giving …show more content…

Mercer’s book was a controversial book after its publication, which lends to researching many of the questions and topics it brings to light. Another great resource that will bring depth to this thesis will be the biography of John Clay Jrl My Life on the Range, (1962). Clay’s biography highlights the period before the cattle baron reign, giving a rare glance at the ranches where the influence of the European cattle ranchers was prominent. One finally resource which will be invaluable to this thesis is Frank Canton’s autobiography, Frontier Trails (1966). The background and involvement of Canton with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association is described along with his role in the invasion of Johnson County War. This brings a perspective to the thesis, which allows an understanding of the cattle baron from someone who was not directly associated with cattle industry but also had a law enforcement background with ties back to the cattle barons. The plethora of resources will give this author numerous avenues to evaluate and research for additional documentation, which will

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