ECONOMIC FACTORS: conflict between different economic groups eg cowboys and townspeople.
GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS: vast size of The West made it difficult to enforce law and order.
POLITICAL FACTORS: Politicians unwilling to spend money on employing / training law enforcement officers.
SOCIAL FACTORS: conflict between different ethnic groups.
Poverty: Most people struggled to make a living so stealing was hard to resist.
Weak Justice system: Governors and lawmen paid off by local gangs: They were corrupt.
Conflict Over Resources: Eg between Ranchers and Homesteaders, stealing cattle.
Fear and Intimidation: People afraid to act against powerful gangs criminals or powerful businessmen.
Lawmen: Shortage of reliable Lawmen due to bad pay and short life expectancy!
Code of the West: Men expected to sort out own problems. Killing in self-defence was accepted by law.
Vigilantes: Lynching of criminals undermined the system of Law.
Highway & Stagecoach robbery: Cos such as Wells Fargo carried money so were a target.
Bank Robbery: Eg Jesse and Frank James carried out many bank and stagecoach robberies.
Train Robbery: 1st one by Reno brothers in 1866 stole $13000 from Ohio & Mississippi Railroad.
Protection of Railroad: Strengthening doors, steel express cars, armed guards, ‘posse vans’
Shootings: 1866-1900 20000 people died of “lead poisoning” (shooting) = 600/year
Cowtowns: Abilene, 1000s cowboys arrived, drinking, gambling prostitutes led to violence
Wild Bill Hickok: Gunfighter, hired 1871 City Marshal of Abilene, unpopular as drunk & violent
John Wesley Hardin: Most feared gunfighter in Texas. Killed a man in Abiliene in 1871
Wyatt Earp: Marshal of Tombstone, Arizona hired to control order by rich businessmen
Gunfight at the OK Corral: clashes between the Earps & the cowboys.
Earps became unpopular; violent approach to law caused more conflict.
Billy the Kidd: outlaw involved in conflict between cattle baron and settlers over land.
Pat Garrett: Sheriff of New Mexico tracked Billy the Kidd down, eventually killed him.