Figure 1.--These children are playing cowboys at the Farm Security Administration camp elementary school at Weslaco in southern Texas. The photo was taken in January 1942 but the weather was warm. Some of the boys are barefoot. Source: Farm Security Administration.

The mythology of both the cowboy and Indian are central to the American saga. There are in fact two sagas. The first saga was the lone individual heroically facing the untamed frontier with first his long rifle and later his six shooter. This was first more the settler and Indians. The horse, six shooter, and cowboy variant was more of a post-Civil War development. The second saga was the nobel savage unsullied by Euopean civilization. We see this more in Europe than America. It was the cowboy saga that had the greatest appeal, a least in the 20th century--perhaps fueled by Hollwood. We are less sure about the 19th century bedore America became a urban society. We can follow this in the photographic record only after the snapshot became a family institution at the turn-of-the 20th century. We see many images of boys playing cowboys and Indians. And we see costumes being offered in mail order catalogs at this time. We are not sure about play trends in the 19th century. The popularity of Western themed dime novels after the Civil War suggests that this saga and children's play was not just a 20th century phenomenon. As far as we can tell, it was an activity for boys. I don't ever recall girls playing cowboys and Indians, but then I did not have a sister. The two most important founders of the American Scouting movement dueld over these two images. The two principal presursor groups to the Boy Scouts of American (BSA) were Ernest Thompson Seton's Woodcraft Indians and Daniel Carter Beard's Sons of Daniel Boone which of course were associated with the pioneers. An American reader writes, "I remember as a boy being definitely of the pioneer/cowboy persuasion. My cap gun six-shooter, cowboy hat, and boots were among my most prized possessions--second only to my teddy. I remember my first confrontaion with "the authorities". It was first grade and I was all of 6 years old. I had worn my new Christmas cowboy boots, of which I was enormously proud, to school--and they made a defening noise in the hall. I was sent home with a note never to wear my cowboy boots to school again. Even before TV, I was riding along (using first my trusty riding horse a turned around the dining room chair) with six guns in hand. I clearly remember the Long Ranger on telivision. Once TV arrived it was Hoppy--Hopalong Cassidy. In the movies my favorite was Gene Autury. Roy Rogers was a distant fourth, but I did like Trigger. I also remember finally getting a BB gun at about age 10 which I loved to go on forays with in my cowboy hat, boots, and trusty six shooter. I never had an actual coistume, but with the hat, a flannel shirt, six-shooters, leather belt and holsters, jeans, and cowboy boots made a rather convincing, if I say so myself, convincing cowboy. I also remember getting in to hot water one weekend when I targeted one of by uncle's cows with my BB gun." I remember reading a book by a Black author many years ago. I think it was James Baldwin, but am not sure. He remembers goung to the movies as a boy and always rooting for the cowboys until realizing "We were the Indians!". On a similar plane as a young teacher in South Carolina I remember mentioning to my students that a substantial portion of the cavalry soldiers were Blacks--known as the Buffalo Soldiers by the Indians. My students didn't believe me at the time. (Television and movies until well into the 1970s never pictured Black cowboys or cavalary soldiers.)

Mythology

The mythology of both the cowboy and Indian are central to the American saga. There are in fact two sagas. The first saga was the lone individual heroically facing the untamed frontier with first his long rifle and later his six shooter. This was first more the settler and Indians. The horse, six shooter, and cowboy variant was more of a post-Civil War development. The second saga was the nobel savage unsullied by Euopean civilization. We see this more in Europe than America. The two most important founders of the American Scouting movement dueld over these two images. The two principal presursor groups to the Boy Scouts of American (BSA) were Ernest Thompson Seton's Woodcraft Indians and Daniel Carter Beard's Sons of Daniel Boone which of course were associated with the pioneers.

Chronology

We are not btirely sure about the chronology of Ameican play at this time. We are less sure about play trends the 19th century before America became a urban society. The popularity of Western themed dime novels after the Civil War suggests that this saga and children's play was not just a 20th century phenomenon. Of course this would affect play most for older boys that enjoyed reading. The urbanization and economic success of America had a major impact on play. American children hd much more time for play. Fewer cildren had to wrk to support the family. The cowboy saga had its the greatest appeal in the 20th century--perhaps fueled by Hollwood. The Old West was a major genre of the silent era (1910s-20s). And the silent film meant that the films were easily exportable to Europe. And Hollwood exposed kids of all ages to the Old West saga. The excitement immediately captured boys. We can follow this in the photographic record only after the snapshot became a family institution at the turn-of-the 20th century. We see many images of boys playing cowboys and Indians. And we see costumes being offered in mail order catalogs fom the eginning of the 20th century. Cow boy costumes we easy, requiring only a cowboy hat, gunbelt, and bandana. And then in the 50s, cowboy hirts were apopular style. Many boys wire them to school. Cowboy boots were a big asset, but less common. Indin costumes were much more complicated and not some we commonly see. In the early-20th century boys often played barefoot. Then grdully sneakers became more standard play wear.

Gender

As far as we can tell, it was an activity for boys. I don't ever recall girls playing cowboys and Indians, but then I did not have a sister. The photographic record certainly shows that this was a boy activity.

Individul Experiences

An American reader writes, "I remember as a boy being definitely of the pioneer/cowboy persuasion. My cap gun six-shooter, cowboy hat, and boots were among my most prized possessions--second only to my teddy. I remember my first confrontaion with "the authorities". It was first grade and I was all of 6 years old. I had worn my new Christmas cowboy boots, of which I was enormously proud, to school--and they made a defening noise in the hall. I was sent home with a note never to wear my cowboy boots to school again. Even before TV, I was riding along (using first my trusty riding horse a turned around the dining room chair) with six guns in hand. I clearly remember the Long Ranger on telivision. Once TV arrived it was Hoppy--Hopalong Cassidy. In the movies my favorite was Gene Autury. Roy Rogers was a distant fourth, but I did like Trigger. I also remember finally getting a BB gun at about age 10 which I loved to go on forays with in my cowboy hat, boots, and trusty six shooter. I never had an actual coistume, but with the hat, a flannel shirt, six-shooters, leather belt and holsters, jeans, and cowboy boots made a rather convincing, if I say so myself, convincing cowboy. I also remember getting in to hot water one weekend when I targeted one of by uncle's cows with my BB gun."

Race

I remember reading a book by a Black author many years ago. I think it was James Baldwin, but am not sure. He remembers goung to the movies as a boy and always rooting for the cowboys until realizing "We were the Indians!". On a similar plane as a young teacher in South Carolina I remember mentioning to my students that a substantial portion of the cavalry soldiers were Blacks--known as the Buffalo soldiers by the Indians. My students didn't believe me at the time. (Television and movies until well into the 1970s never pictured Black cowboys or cavalary soldiers.) As for Native Americans, race was a factor in the 19th century, but this rapidly declined in the 20th century. The differences between cowboys and Indians was basicalky a cultural lifestyle matter.

Variants

Cowboys and Indians wre a popular feature of boy's play for most of the 20th century. But there were vriants. The nost common in the first half of the century was cops and robbers. nd then there was war. We see that behinning with World War I and more commnly with World War II. This was less of a factor during the Cold War, perhaps as the issue were more complex. Here Hollywood was a driving force. Movies and after World War II, television, were ariving force in firing the imgination of children. Cowboys and Indian were a mainstay of the silent era (1910s-20s). Gangters and G-men were very important in the 1930s. World War II films were a mainstay of the 1940s and 50s. With the advent of TV there was arevivl f the Western in the 1950s and 60s.

Other Countrues

This American Western saga perhaps because of Hollywood ws introduced abroad with varying results. American Western were certinly popular in Europe. TheOld Westwas popular among British boys. American estern werea big hit. I recall a Wotld war II evacue and his brother arriving in America and being very disappointed to find tht there were no Red Indians. We note in Germany a special interest, pehaps because of the popularity of Karl May. His Western novels were among his most popular and portrayed Native americans in a more positive light than many American Weses, especially Hollywood. We see qite a few images of German boys playing cowboys and Indians and they seem to prefer the Indian side. Hollywood in the 1930s was very reluctant to take on the NAZIs because the German box office was very lucrative. Both cowvoy and gangster films were popular. Interstingly with the rise of the NAZIs, races and people around the world were assessed. As regards Native Americans there were differences of opinion with Native Americas eventually give a postive ranking. We suspect that May's novels may have been an influence here. Living in Latin America. I suspected that Conquistdores and Indian would be part of boys' play, but I never saw any such thing, or the appearnce in poplar cilture.

Modern Play

Beginning with the Vietnam era, many mothers began to look askance of guns. Some mothers refused to buy toy guns. This attited was esecually pronounced by the end of the 20th century. This varied fom family to family. In addition the simplistic mythology of early Westerns shifted, with the image of the Indian shifting in a positive direction. The growing green movement also has affected thinking with Indian often being seen as aind if ecologicl hero. Here rather than cowboys, it is the railroad and industry which is posed as the villan. This does not tend to enter into play, vut it does affect cartoons, movies, and TV programing to which the chldren are exposed. A major trend developing with the moe to suburbia, especally after World War II has been organized youth sports. This was an activity mostly reserved for teenagers before the war. Sports leagues are now a major activity for even young children. Thus along with TVand nw comuter ames, there is much less tome available for unstructured outdoor play, not to mention that parents are more insstent in keeping children within view at all times. I recll as a boy that in the summer thatafter brekfast, mu friends and I would play in the neigbrhood and except for lunch, basically disappear until dinner time. This is no longer the play experince of American children.

Created: 5:48 AM 10/25/2010
Last updated: 3:47 PM 3/15/2016