We all know of the Wild West. Or do we? There are so many misconceptions and myths surrounding it, and so many of these are repeated in cowboy fiction and Western movies alike. So, here are some common misconceptions about the cowboys, Native Americans, and the Wild West courtesy of Jon Mixon on Quora and other sources.
Everyone wanted to be a cowboy
Cowboy was not a desirable job. The individuals that you see in films would be insulted in real life if they were called “cowboys”, as they were actually partial to the higher status sobriquet of “ranch hand”. Cowboy was essentially the convenience store worker of the Old West – an entry-level job that most people tried to move away from when they gained some money and experience.
Anybody working as a cowboy probably didn’t even own their own saddle or gun. You hired on and the Ranch…
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Jeanne Owens, author 