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Wild West: Wild Bill Hickok
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Wild West for kids: FAQ's
for Kids
There are several FAQ's (frequently asked questions) asked about the
Wild West and this is a good place to start when learning about
fast, fun and interesting facts and history about this important
historical era in the United States of America.
Questions and Answers
about the Wild West for Kids
When did the
Wild West begin?
The era known as the Wild West
began after the Civil War in 1865.
When did the
Wild West end?
The period ended around 1895,
lasting for 30 years
Where was the Wild
West?
The frontier area west of the
Mississippi River during the late 1800's, the frontier
territories of Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Idaho,
Montana, Arizona, California New Mexico, and Colorado
Why was it called the
Wild West?
The untamed territories were
in the west and noted for their lawlessness which gave
rise to wild, rowdy, unrestrained, disorderly and unruly
behavior
Who was the most
famous gunslinger in the Wild West?
James Butler "Wild Bill"
Hickok and William H. Bonney aka "Billy the Kid".
Wild West: List of
famous Outlaws, Gunslingers and Lawmen
The names of the famous gunslingers,
outlaws and lawmen of the Wild West are legendary
and play a part in the history of the United States.
How many names do you recognize?
List of Famous
Cowboys, Outlaws, Gunslingers and Lawmen of the Wild West
Bat
Masterson ● Ben Thompson ● Bill Tilghman
● Billy the Kid ● Billy Clanton ●
Black Bart ● Butch Cassidy ● Clay
Allison ● Cole Younger ● Dalton Gang ●
Doc Holliday ● Frank Canton ● Frank
McLaury ● Frank Stillwell ● Frank James
● Heck Thomas ● Henry Starr ● Hole in the Wall Gang
● Jesse James ● Joe Walker ● Johnny Ringo
● John Wesley Hardin ● Judge Roy Bean
● Morgan Earp ● Pat Garrett ● Robert Ford
● Sam Bass ● Slade the Terrible ● Sundance Kid
● Texas John Slaughter ● The Wild Bunch
● Tom McLaury ● Virgil Earp ● Wild Bill Hickok
● Wyatt Earp
List of Famous
Cowboys, Outlaws, Gunslingers and Lawmen of the Wild West
Wild West: Wild Bill
Hickok
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok
(1837–1876) was an American scout, lawman, gambler and gunslinger in
the Wild West.
The picture above depicts Wild Bill Hickok after killing Davis Tutt
in a duel in February 1867. Wild Bill Hickok was killed as he was
playing poker by Jack McCall on August 2, 1876 (aged 39) at Deadwood
in Dakota Territory. When he was shot, he was holding a pair of aces
and a pair of eights, all black cards and since that time that hand
is referred to as Dead Man’s hand.
Wild West: Billy the
Kid
The legendary William H. Bonney aka
"Billy the Kid" (1859-1881) was a notorious outlaw and gunslinger
who was charged with 21 murders during his short and violent life in
the Wild West.
He was trailed for six months by Sheriff Pat Garrett who killed
Billy the Kid with a single shot at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. William
H. Bonney aka "Billy the Kid" was just 21 years old when he died on
July 14, 1881.
Wild West: The
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is one
of the most famous events in the history of the Wild West. The
famous gunfight occurred at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October
26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. The gunfight was between
lawmen and the Clanton Gang of outlaws and cowboys. The lawmen were
headed by Deputy Marshall Wyatt Earp and his brothers Virgil Earp
and Morgan Earp with the support of Doc Holliday. The lawmen and
outlaws headed for a showdown at the O.K. Corral. Billy Clanton and
gang members Tom McLaury and Frank McLaury were shot down and killed
but Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne escaped. Virgil Earp and Morgan
Earp were wounded but Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were unharmed.
Cowboys of the Wild West for Kids:
Cowboy Clothes
The legends of the Cowboys of the Wild West are known throughout
the world and the iconic images of the cowboys are immediately
recognized by the Cowboy clothing that they wore - for history,
facts and information refer to
Cowboy Clothes of the 1800s.
Facts about the
Wild West: Facts for kids
Interesting Wild West Facts for kids are
detailed below. The history of the Wild West is told in a
fast, fun sequence consisting of a series of interesting, short facts
providing a simple method of relating the
history of the Wild West for kids, schools and homework projects.
Wild West Facts for kids
Wild West Fact 1:
Did you know that the term "cowboy"
was once used to refer to an outlaw, rustler, bandit, desperado or
horse thief. Legitimate cowmen were referred to as
cattle herders or ranchers now aka as
Cowboys of the Old
West.
Wild West Fact 2:
The outlaw and train robber Sam Bass
(1851–1878) became a legend whose career inspired
ballads of the Wild West.
Wild West Fact 3:
Judge Roy Bean (c. 1825–1903)
legendary frontier hanging judge who ruled by one law
book and a six-shooter gun. Judge Roy Bean knew little
about the law and once threatened a lawyer with hanging
for using profane language such as "habeas corpus".
Judge Roy Bean was often deliberately bizarre in his
rulings and once fined a dead man $40 for carrying a
concealed weapon.
Wild West Fact 4:
A Boom Town was a town that quickly
prospered, usually because of the discovery of nearby
gold. The Boom Towns often turned into ghost towns after
the gold strike ended
Wild West Fact 5:
Buffalo Bill: Buffalo Bill's Wild
West show ran for over 30 years and over 1000 Native
Americans performed in the Show including Chief Sitting
Bull. Hunting and killing over 4,000 buffalo to
supply the railroads with food for their workers earned
Buffalo Bill Cody his famous nickname.
Wild West Fact 6:
Other famous people such as Annie
Oakley and her husband Frank Butler provided displays of
sharp shooting at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show
Wild West Fact 7:
Boot Hill: The nickname of boot hill
was used to describe the graveyards of gunslingers and
their victims in the Wild West.
Wild West Fact 8:
Calamity Jane: Martha Jane Canary
Burke, aka Calamity Jane (c. 1852–1903) was a famous
markswoman and pony express rider.
Wild West Fact 9:
Christopher "Kit" Carson: Kit Carson
(1809–1868) was a famous frontiersman, guide, and Indian
fighter
Wild West Fact 10:
The Oregon Trail: The 2000 mile
Oregon
Trail started in
Independence, Missouri and ended Oregon City. Early
pioneers and settlers traveled in large wagon trains
using covered wagons to carry their supplies for the six
month journey.
Wild West Fact 11:
The Chisholm Trail was a route used
by drovers bringing cattle from Texas to Kansas.
Wild West Fact 12:
Santa Fe Trail: The
Santa Fe Trail
ran 900 miles from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe
(now New Mexico). The Santa Fe Trail was one of
America's great trade routes until 1880, when it was
replaced by the railroad.
Wild West Fact 13:
Deadwood: Deadwood Gulch was a Wild
West city in South Dakota where graves of Wild Bill
Hickok and Annie Oakley are located.
Wild West Fact 14:
Dodge City: Dodge City was the name
of the famous, rowdy cowboy town in the Wild West. The lawmen of Dodge
City were Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp.
Wild West Fact 15:
Jesse James: Jesse James (1847–1882)
was an American outlaw who specialized in robbing banks
and trains. Jesse James was killed by Robert Ford. His
brother, Frank James, was twice acquitted of crimes and
lived out his life peacefully and prosperously on his
farm
Wild West Fact 16:
Pecos Bill: The name of a folk hero
famed for cowboy exploits. Pecos Bill used a rattlesnake
named Shake as a lasso and another snake as a short
whip.
Wild West Fact 17:
Pony Express: The
Pony Express
relay mail service during frontier days.
Pony Express riders rode in relay across their routes
delivering mail across 2000 miles in 10 days. The Pony
Express
service only ran
for 18 months from April 3, 1860 to October 24, 1861 and
was replaced by the telegraph.
Wild West Fact 18:
Prairie Schooner: The Prairie
Schooners were horse-drawn covered wagons used by
pioneers in the Wild West. Its white canvas top resembled a schooner
sailing on the prairie.
Prairie
schooners were about half the size of the Conestoga
freight wagons that were in common use at the time.
Wild West Fact 19:
Johnny Ringo: John Peters Ringo aka
Johnny Ringo (1850–1882) was a notorious outlaw who
fought many gun battles and was given the nickname of
the King of the Cowboys. He was connected with the
Clanton Gang in the era of the Gunfight at the O.K.
Corral, in Tombstone
Wild West Fact 20:
Texas Rangers: The Texas Rangers were
established in 1835 as a mounted fighting force to
maintain law and order in the Wild West. They quelled the
feuds and shootings, and the outlaws and rustlers who
operated in the cattle business
Wild West Fact 21:
Tombstone: Tombstone was a famous
town in Arizona in the Wild West known for the Gunfight at the
O.K. Coral, its outlaws, silver prospectors, gun battles
and its Boot Hill Graveyard
Wild West Fact 22:
Bat Masterson: Bat Masterson was a
lawman who also worked for Wyatt Earp at Earp's saloon
in Tombstone. Bat Masterson became a deputy marshal of
Dodge City in Kansas, with his brother Jim.
Wild West Fact 23:
John Wesley Hardin: John Wesley
Hardin a Texas gunslinger who was said to have killed
more than 40 men. He was sentenced to 25 years in the
Texas State Prison for the murder of a deputy sheriff in
1877.
Wild West Fact 24:
The Dalton Gang: In 1892 the Dalton
Gang raided Coffeyville, Kansas and Grat and John Dalton
were killed and Emmett Dalton was sent to prison.
Wild West Fact 25:
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:
Butch Cassidy (Robert Leroy Parker) and the Sundance Kid
(Harry Longabaugh) were famous bank and train robbers of
the Old West who according to legend died fleeing from
the law in Bolivia. Butch was the leader of the Hole in
the Wall Gang.
Wild West Fact 26:
Wild Bunch: The Wild Bunch also known
as the Doolin - Dalton Gang or the Oklahombres were a
gang of outlaws who robbed banks and trains. All eleven
members met with bloody, violent deaths during the era
of the Wild West
Wild West Fact 27:
Younger Brothers: The Younger
Brothers were four American outlaws who were often
allied with Jesse James. The names of the Younger
brothers were Thomas Coleman (“Cole”; 1844–1916), John
(1846–74); James (“Jim”; 1850–1902), and Robert (“Bob”;
1853–89
Wild West Fact 28:
A newcomer in the Old West was called
a tenderfoot or greenhorn. Other names for cowboys
included cowpunchers, cowpokes, buckaroos, and cowhands.
Wild West Fact 29:
Texas was the most active gun fighting
state in the Wild West, with some 160 shoot-outs from the 1860's to the
1890's. The Colt Peacemaker, was the name of the weapon
that became known as "the gun that won the West”. The
Colt Peacemaker was a .45-caliber gun manufactured by
Colt’s Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in 1873. At the
time it sold for $17.00.
Wild West Fact 30:
In 1874, Joseph Glidden received a
patent for his invention of barbed wire. The barbed wire
fencing changed farming and ranching and contributed to
the end of the cowboys and the Wild West.
Wild West Facts for kids
Wild West Facts for kids - President Grover Cleveland Video
The article on the Wild West provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Grover Cleveland video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 22nd and 24th President of the
United States whose presidencies spanned from March 4, 1885 to March 4, 1889
and from March 4, 1893 - March 4,1897.
Wild West
●
Interesting Facts about Wild West for kids and schools
●
Summary of the Wild West in US history
●
The Wild West, a major
event in US history
●
Grover Cleveland history timeline
of major events
●
Fast, Wild West
about major events in his presidency
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Grover Cleveland
● Grover Cleveland Presidency and
Wild West for schools,
homework, kids and children |
