NEW MEXICO HISTORY CUMLATIVE EXAM | QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (VERIFIED) | LATEST UPDATE | GRADED A+

NEW MEXICO HISTORY CUMLATIVE EXAM | QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (VERIFIED) | LATEST UPDATE | GRADED A+ What are the causes and effects of overgrazing? Correct Answer: Herds have to be driven from place to place to find food and water. Generally, cattle fed valleys and open range while sheep feed higher in mountains, causing over grazing at all altitude levels. As mature grasses become scarce, cattle and sheep eat new grass before it produces seed. Hooves of both animals destroy root systems and their trampling hardens the soil so grass seedlings could not survive. Water holes became large mud holes where no grasses grew and the land could no longer capture and store water. Grassland was replaced by scrub grass and sagebrush. With grasses gone, the range climate becomes hot and arid. Describe the crime associated with the cattle drives. Correct Answer: Cattle left out on the open range were routinely rustled and stage coaches carrying the cash payrolls for cowboys were robbed. Mexican bands roamed in Texas and attacked large ranches.The Texas Rangers responded to these attacks by catching and killing bandits. Wars over land and water pitted the cattlemen and sheep herders. What role have cattle played in the history of New Mexico? Correct Answer: The Spaniards imported cattle in the 1500s. By 1850 these cattle interbred with English cattle to produce the Longhorn, which thrived in Texas. Eastern cities needed beef and Texas had a surplus. To move 1000 head of cattle it took 7 mounted cowboys to handle the cattle drives, but economically it was worth it. In 1866 a steer cost $4 in Texas and sold in the East for $40 a head, which reflected inflated pricing, but many took advantage of it to make money. Describe the success of the Goodnight-Loving partnership Correct Answer: In 1866 Goodnight and Loving drove 2000 head of cattle to Fort Sumner and sold 1,200 to the Army. The rest were sold in Denver to a supplier for the advancing railroad crews. By 1880, five million head of cattle had been sold with another six million on hand in herds.