During the 19th and early 20th century, cattle drives were a major form of economic activity in the United States. This was mainly the case in the American West. Cattle ranches were common in the West, and this was the region most cattle came from. However, this is not where the cattle was consumed. Cattle ranchers travelled long distances to more populated places, including Chicago and eastern cities. The main reason for this was that demand was higher in more populated places. Moreover, supply of cattle was low in these regions. This allowed the ranchers to get the most money possible for their cattle.