The Wild Wild West and the Men Who Tamed It

Students in this section will learn some basic information about America’s western frontier. They will examine the challenges residents faced while living in unorganized territory that had few, if any, laws. Students will learn how the cattle drives brought economic prosperity to small western towns, but also wild cowboys looking for entertainment after spending weeks on the cattle trails. Students will understand how community leaders wanted law and order, but how they also wanted to be hospitable to the free-spending cowboys for the sake of the town's economic development. They will also learn how the railroads led to a new type of crime: train robberies. Students will discover how community leaders were able to convince men like, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Wild Bill Hickok to tame these wild frontier towns. We will bring to life the story of this era made famous by television shows and movies with bold images and compelling stories about the residents that were brave enough to live in these frontier communities. Students will analyze laws that were passed to try to curb the violence in one of the most violent cowtowns, Dodge City, Kansas. They will also understand the great risks the lawmen faced when trying to keep the peace. In addition, students will engage in discussion about the costs and benefits associated with living in a wild frontier town. At the end of class students will be able to test their knowledge by playing a lively competitive game of Kahoot. This class will require no prior historical knowledge, but students should have basic middle level reading skills to play Kahoot.