Hat	Hats were lightweight and large, but made of tough, long-lasting, material. There were wide brims to protect cowboys from heat, overhanging brush, rain and hail and shield their eyes from the sun. They had deep crowns so the hats stayed on their heads when riding fast. The style was famously created by John B. Stetson, and now all cowboy hats are generally known as Stetsons. Hats were waterproof so a cowboy could even carry water in it if he needed to!
Bandana	A large cotton neckerchief that could be used to mask the face in dust storms, and mop up sweat.
Chaps	These were worn on the outsides of their trousers to protect their legs from sharp cactus needles, rocky terrain and jostling cattle (who could bite).
Boots	Cowboy boots were tall and snug-fitting to protect the lower legs, with pointed toes and high heels to help the foot fit into the stirrup without slipping out (but allow them to slide out easily if they fell off the horse). They were adapted from traditional riding boots. Gradually they became more decorative, with fancy stitching up the sides.
Gloves	Usually made of deerskin or other soft leather, gloves needed to be flexible enough to move hands and work while wearing them, but also to provide protection against barbed wire, tools and prickly bushes.
Shirt	They were usually long-sleeved and made of thick, long-lasting flannel or wool. Cowboys didn’t wear coats as they restricted mobility too much and got caught on branches, so shirts were needed to be protect them against the elements, either hot (for example, by having a collar to cover their neck) or cold. They might be plain or checked.usually long-sleeved and made of thick, long-lasting flannel or wool. Cowboys didn’t wear coats as they restricted mobility too much and got caught on branches etc, so shirts needed to be protect them against the elements, either hot (e.g. by having a collar to cover neck) or cold. They might be plain or checked.
Vest (waistcoat)	Cowboys wore a vest over their shirt for extra warmth and also for keeping things in the pockets, as cowboys didn’t wear coats and couldn’t put things in their jeans pockets (or get them out easily) when they were sitting in a saddle.worn over a shirt for extra warmth and also for keeping things in the pockets, as cowboys didn’t wear coats and couldn’t put things in their jeans pockets (or get them out easily) when they were sitting in a saddle.
Trousers	Sturdy and close-fitting, made of canvas or denim, trousers were designed to protect legs and not get snagged or torn. Jeans were invented in 1873 by Levi Strauss as extra-sturdy denim trousers for cowboys. Earlier trousers had sometimes torn at the hips from all the turning and twisting on horseback, but jeans had copper rivets in the pockets and smooth inside seams that didn’t blister the inner thigh and knee during hours on horseback.
Saddle	A special strong, wide, deep-seated saddle was developed for cowboys, who spent many hours on horseback and needed to be comfortable and secure. It had a ‘horn’ at the front where the lariat could be attached and extra rings and straps for tying other equipment to the saddle. A cowboy often had a saddle custom made and took it everywhere – it was one of a cowboys’ most important possessions.
Folding pocket knife	Containing multiple blades, it was good for cutting tough materials and puncturing leather.
Lariat (lasso)	A tightly twisted stiff rope (its name comes from the Spanish “la riata,” meaning “rope”) made of rawhide or leather, with a small loop that could be thrown around an animal’s neck and tightened when pulled, then loosened to let the animal go.
Spurs	Metal tools attached to boot heels that are pressed into the horse’s sides to make it move faster.
Horse	Cowboys rode many types of ‘stock horses’ which were agile, fast and strong horses well-suited to working with cattle. Breeds included Mustangs, Morgans or Indian ponies such as Appaloosas and Pintos. The horses used for roundups were specially trained to make sharp twists and turns.

Analysing primary sources

React:

My first impression of the sources is that there were extremely mixed views as to what cowboys were like. However, there was no doubt that their work was extremely difficult and dangerous. I also learned that cowboys could be former fugitives, which explains why they could get into trouble after long drives.

Investigate:

Investigating Source D

There is a lot of information about the clothing of cowboys, and also the behaviour of some cowboys in town when drunk. You can infer that many people disliked cowboys because of their raucous, riotous behaviour, causing trouble in otherwise peaceful towns. The writer says that they go around town “yelling like Comanches”, which he means as a big insult, comparing them with the Native Americans who were unpopular with white settlers. I would like to ask the writer on more specific details on how often this happened and whether it was just cowboys, as the writer suggests.

Evaluate

Evaluating Source D

The nagative views on cowboys in this source is reflected in other sources, where cowboys are portrayed as troublemakers. This is probably the most negative source, as the author suggests that cowboys have no excuse for their bad behaviour.

The factual parts of this source are the descriptions of what typical cowboys wore, but even this might not be entirely factual, as it seems like quite a negative description of the “jingling Mexican spurs, as large around as a teacup”. This is suggesting that cowboys wear ridiculous clothes. The rest of the source is all opinion, talking about “the average” cowboy, and suggesting that all cowboys are like this.

The most important point of this source is showing some people’s extreme hostility toward cowboys. It highlights the huge tensions in towns when cowboys arrive from long drives and start drinking. The fact that as cowboys are “armed to the teeth” is important in showing that their drinking could lead to violence – and probably did.