Question

How did the cattle industry boom affect the economy of the West?  

high school level

Answer 1

The cattle industry boom in the West led to increased profitability, rampant speculation, and the spread of the American way of life in the region.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cattle industry boom had a significant impact on the economy of the West. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad and subsequent rail lines, cattle ranchers realized the profitability of rounding up wild steers and selling them in the East. This led to rampant speculation in the cattle industry, creating fortunes for some and causing the emergence of big business in ranching. Middle-class families moved to the West, built thriving cities, and contributed to the spread of the American way of life.

Answer 2

People were settling more and more in the western areas, especially around the civil war and after it. The cattle boom was important because it provided food for the area as well as things like leather. The west started developing fast because the people who settled it got large areas of land where a lot of cattle could be grown which only made everyone richer. When trains started spreading it was made possible to quickly transport cattle related goods towards the east.