About this video
- Video Title: New South and Old West
- Channel: KorwegianHistory
- Speakers: None listed.
- Duration: 00:22:05
Overview
This video explains the concept of the "New South" after the Civil War, focusing on its three main tenets: railroads, urbanization, and industrialization. It then contrasts this with the "Old West," particularly in Texas, highlighting that the Old West was a brief, less economically significant period than often portrayed, with the U.S. military playing a crucial role and the iconic cowboy lifestyle being far less glamorous and more short-lived than popular culture suggests.
Key takeaways
- The "New South" promoted industrialization, urbanization, and railroads: While the South saw growth in these areas after the Civil War, it lagged significantly behind the North. Urbanization was often dependent on railroad access, and industrialization was largely extractive (like textiles and lumber) rather than advanced manufacturing.
- The "Old West" was a short and less impactful period: Contrary to popular imagination, the Old West, particularly in Texas, was a brief era (post-Civil War to around 1890) with limited economic significance and a small portion of the population involved.
- The U.S. military was instrumental in the Old West: The military's efforts to push out Native Americans, especially groups like the Comanche, enabled settlers to move in and establish towns, leading to the growth of places like Fort Worth. This military presence was a significant economic driver for Texas.
- The cattle kingdom and cowboys were less glamorous than portrayed: The cattle kingdom's boom was a direct result of depleted Northern livestock after the Civil War, leading to lucrative cattle drives. However, cowboy jobs were often low-paying, arduous, and dangerous, involving long, monotonous periods with risks from weather and stampedes, rather than constant excitement.
- Technology, specifically railroads, ended the Old West era: The expansion of railroads made cattle trails and the cowboy culture largely obsolete by the 1890s, fundamentally changing American society and life.
