I need this for a school project.
2006-06-14 02:40:02 · 8 answers · asked by Stephanie R 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Primary & Secondary Education
During the 1800's, life was less stressful and people more more self-dependent. As a whole, you were generally raised with good morals and a mans word was his bond. You didn't have to lock your doors and you could borrow a cup of sugar or gallon of milk from your neighbor (because you knew who they were). People depended on each other more, so people took greater care of each other (hence the term, 'being neighborly'.) Your kids could play in the streets and walk miles from home, as everybody in town watched out for everyones children.
On the down side, life wasn't handed to you. You worked long days and had little in terms of relaxation. No PS2's or HIDEF TV's. You couldn't go to a movie, and the live theater was limited to the big cities. An entertaining evening would be sitting around on the front porch reading or singing with your family. While towns held socials and dances, they were limited to once a month. Saloons and such weren't places to take your family, but you could take them to a Hotel for dinner, as most of your eating establishments were located there (no fast food drive-throughs). Travel was also very limited. You didn't pack up and go to the beach in Florida if you lived in Kansas, unless you were relocating your family.
Medical care was also very limited in the Wild West. Most of your Western Doctors were older retired doctors from the east, or men of medicine that never finished their medical degrees and moved west to practice. Many times your town doctors were 50+ miles from your home, and you had to travel to them unless there was an emergency, then you still had to send for the doctor...which made for a 100 mile trip taking days. The medical care was also limited. While a doctor could set a bone and treat basic injuries, they were really limited in treating any type of disease or infection. When someone was sickly ill, you sent for the Pastor and Doctor at the same time.
Hope I've helped.
2006-06-14 04:59:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plus: life was simple.
Laws were easy to understand. You took care of yourself, your family, and your cattle! lol ... anyone messing with those things was shot on site. And everyone accepted and understood these terms. How nice!
Men still had honor. Unfortunately, women had little rights.
Music was easy to come by. Everyone could play a fiddle, or banjo, or harmonica ... and evening "dances" at home by the fire were the accepted form of entertainment. Family togetherness!
Food was freshly grown and not tainted with preservatives and fillers! People were healthy.
Minus: Life was dangerous.
Everyone carried guns, even in town. Again, women had no rights.
Schools were scarce. Children worked hard at home helping out (that could be a plus for the men).
The life expectancy was low, especially for the men, due to the high rate of gun violence. If you called someone a coward or cheater, you could be shot with little consequence.
Note: Watch the movie "Wyatt Earp" with Kevin Costner ... this is a "historically correct" version of what happened (as close as Hollywood ever got it). Tombstone is good, but a little dramatized. So watch Wyatt Earp and maybe you can come up with some opinions of your own. Good luck!
2006-06-14 02:50:47 · answer #2 · answered by wormfarmer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, depending on your view, they didn't have to put up with nagging women. They didn't have to come home once a week to mow the lawn or take out the trash. They had no permanent home to keep up. They didn't have to worry about offending the gen til society with poor personal hygiene. As far as I can tell, there was nothing positive in a cowboy's life, unless he enjoyed being a foot-loose bachelor.
2006-06-14 02:50:25 · answer #3 · answered by valkyria 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the plus side, the cowboy way of life was the precursor to a 100 yrs of great movies, books, and nostalgia. On the negative side, the cowboy had a shorter life span, didn't have exposure to today's modern medicines, and led a pretty rough and demanding life that many today could not handle.
2006-06-14 02:46:14 · answer #4 · answered by nothing 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In my view the minuses were, dust, dirt, bad food, danger, looking at a steers **** all day, poor pay and a short life. The pluses open country, the odd saloon and saloon girl.
To conclude I think there was more bad than good.
2006-06-14 02:53:22 · answer #5 · answered by jonnemm 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well heck, if I were to take a trip to the wild wild west for the rest of my life I'd get boozed up, slap around some whores, shoot some sheriffs, burn down a saloon... and that would only be the first few minutes. Mmmmm taste that gunpowder. :P.
2016-03-15 04:06:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plus - you got to ride horses all day. Minus - you smelled like a horse. Plus - sleeping outside, staring up at the stars. Minus - Rain. Plus - you got to wear a gun. Minus - everybody got to wear a gun. Plus - Wild West women were loose. Minus - they were loose with everyone that had a dollar. Plus - Bathing was optional. Minus - Bathing was optional. Plus - no electric, water or utility bills, Minus - no a/c, no tv and no radio. For all the "neat" things about the old west, there's no comparison with modern technology. Did I mention Indians, outlaws and claim robbers?
2006-06-14 02:59:49 · answer #7 · answered by dctiger28 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
*Pluses....no smog or pollution,,,limited career choices,,,land steading,,,cheap medical care,,,limited wardrobe,,,and no influences from TV
*Minuses....No plumbing,no electricity, no electronics,actually no modern convienences.,like medicines,cars,etc..
2006-06-14 02:52:53 · answer #8 · answered by *toona* 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
more freedom. no dental plan
2006-06-14 02:44:53 · answer #9 · answered by dude 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋