The Searchers

         It's been three long years after the Civil War has ended and Ethan Edwards an ex confederate soldier finally returns home to his brother Aaron's ranch. There he is happily greeted by Aaron's kids Lucy, Debbie and Ben. As well as Martha Aaron's wife who has had a secret crush on Ethan as well as Ethan has a crush on Martha. Even though they are in love with each other they can not act in love around everyone. Ethan brings many gifts for the kids from the war and things he picked up on the way to the ranch. He asks his brother Aaron if he can hid some money for him Aaron happily accepts it. Aaron tells Ethan he is welcome to stay as long as he would like.

The next morning a group of Texas ranger's arrive at Aaron's ranch.  He comes to inform them that someone had run off the Jorgensens cattle and they were no where to be found. The Texas ranger wants Ethan to make an oath for the Texas rangers but he denies and says the confederate oath is just fine. Ethan joins the Texas ranger's in search of the cattle. While leaving Ethan has a thought what if this was just a set up by indians but he goes anyways. After a few hours of riding they find the cattle slaughtered and Ethan's worst nightmare comes to life knowing that it was a set up and his brothers ranch has been raided by comanche indians. When finally reaching his brothers ranch he find it destroyed and finds the bodies of Aaron, Martha and Ben slaughtered by indians. This engrages Ethan knowing that they have kidnapped Lucy and Debbie.

After the funeral Ethan and the Texas rangers take off to find Lucy and Debbie. After a run in with the indians one of the Texas rangers is shot. Mostly all of the Texas rangers return to town upset for Ethan, Brad and Marty. They split up to look for the indians and while looking for them Ethan stumbles upon Lucy's dead corpse. Brad really angered charges the comanche camp and is killed. It's just Ethan and Marty now and they won't stop until they find Debbie. They return to the Jorgensons ranch where Marty meets with Laurie his future wife. While at the Jergonsons ranch they get a letter from a from a friend who says he may have information about Debbie. They then ride off to meet with Futterman who has written the letter to Ethan. Futterman gives them information about the tribe Debbie is in and how she is married to a comanche warrior by the name of Scar. This enrages Ethan knowing that Debbie would do such a thing. They finally find someone who has been trading with scar he takes Ethan and Marty to the comanche camp where Debbie is. They finally see and talk to Debbie but she does not wont to go she tells them the comanche are her people now this makes ethan extremely mad and tries to shoot Debbie but Marty stops the bullet.

After many years of tracking Debbie Marty and Ethan return to the Jergunsons ranch where Marty finds Laurie about to get married. Marty fights Charlie and wins back Laurie. While at the Jergunsons ranch Texas ranger Clayton comes in and informs Marty and Ethan that Scar and Debbie are near by. They assemble a big group of Texas rangers and storm the comanche camp. Meanwhile before the raid Marty sneaks in the comanche camp and grabs Debbie. The comanche camp is raided and all comanche are killed including Scar. Debbie finally decides to go home and returns to the ranch. While everyone is back at the ranch safe Ethan slips away out the door without anyone noticing.

Works Cited

Sammons, Jacob . " Google Image Result for http://www.empireonline.com/images/features/100greatestcharacters/photos/96.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2012. http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=852&tbm=isch&tbnid=L4nac6lNvhXjoM:&imgrefurl=

 Google Image Result for http://www.craftsmanlodge.com/Websites/CraftsmanLodge/images/cuernoVerde.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=852&tbm=isch&tbnid=sp5q8xzjkv5XcM:&imgrefurl=http://evrise.seesaa.net/article/140197993.html&docid=3AWSippLeZesUM&imgurl=http://www.craftsmanlodge.com/Websites/CraftsmanLodge/images/cuernoVerde.jpg&w=300&h=387&ei=WdOrT_P3Joe-8ATFq7gc&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=887&vpy

                                                     Google Image Result for    http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhpcrbrfpl1qaye4so1_500.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2012. http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=852&tbm=isch&tbnid=lbQOC1TlmTRXbM:&imgrefurl=http://dadsamoviecritic.tumblr.com/post/3705936131&docid=29tBwmMTa5yTlM&imgurl=http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhpcrbrfpl1qaye4so1_500.jpg&w=420&h=374&ei=p9OrT829J5Os8AT-zoAa&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=435&sig=112912926466572523577&page

                                                  Google Image Result for http://1.bp.blogspot.comhfhqh%20n6dua4/TsmB6b6t8GI/AAAAAAAAAnA/NCFNbRPRrZI/s1600/Searchers33r.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?                      =1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=852&tbm=isch&tbnid=JkkaiDyiPvw_nM:&imgrefurl=http://celebritygravesites.blogspot.com/2011/11/natalie-                       wood.html&docid=lhtIEEhvqM0_qM&imgurl=http://1

Why Texas is Texas

          Texas has had many myths in its history whether it was heroic myth, englightment myth, or economic myth. Myths have shaped Texas and its people for hundreds of years. In Betty Sue Flowers's short story "Why Texas Is The Way It Is", she perefectly explains the on going controversys about all the Texas myths. When we think of a myth we certinaly always think of something "fake" or "made up" but some myths sometimes prove to be true. When many people think about Texas they often think of our big littering slogan " Don't Mess With Texas". When that first slogan came out it made a solid hit on reducing the amount of literring. In the next five years after the slogan was proposed it reduced seventy two perecent of literring in Texas. With farming and ranching having to be a giant part in Texas for many years comes a lot of problems.

          Texas has been home for farming, ranching and hunting for hundreds and hundreds of years. For hundreds of years farmers, ranchers and hunters have ran into many daily problems. Some problems easier then others and some that can completely kill off your cattle, wildlife or even your own family. One of the biggest problems farmers face today is the high cost of farming equipment. With our economy the way it is it makes it way more difficult for farmers to farm. Another big problem is the cost of feed. Feed has been on a constant rise since it was first produced making this harder on farmers to buy. With all of our new technology feed keeps getting better and better by reducing the amount of trash and other little things that may harm your cattle and deer causing it to become more expensive. The price of fuel has been on the rise for many years this causes a lot of problems to operate modern day tractors. To fill up a medium sized diesel tractor it can run you in the high triple digits that takes a big chip out of your pocket that you could have been spent on other more important things. Antother big thing ranchers have to watch out for their cattle is varmits. Varmits can be a big harm to your cattle, goats and sheep. Coyotes have always been a big problem they love to go after baby cattle, goats, sheep and deer. By being over populated by varmits they can quickly slim down any of your herds making it harder to make money. On the more rare occasion you sometimes might run into a mountain lion that has been taking out your herds. Taking down a full size mountain lion is no walk in the park.

          All in all Texas is and will be filled with myths about pretty much anything. Betty Sue Flowers short story " Why Texas Is The Way It Is" explains the best about the on going Texas myths. It may be a heroic myth, englightment myth, or economic myth but any of those three will and have shaped Texas and it's people. As well as all the problems modern day ranchers encounter everyday is amazing. It might not be the cost of the feed that gets you but the cost of the tractor fuel. As well as it might not be the tractor fuel that will get you but the on going fight with varmits attacking your herds.

Works Cited

        Google Image Result for http://ctmountainlion.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/mtlion.jpg." Google.N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=847&tbm=isch&tbnid=

      Smedes, Ty. " Google Image Result for http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/species/graphics/coyote1.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=847&tbm=

 Shaw , George . " Google Image Result for http://www.tvacres.com/images/gun_crockett.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=847&tbm=

T. C. Richardson and Harwood P. Hinton, "RANCHING," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/azr02), accessed May 02, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

Life After The Civil War

       After 4 long hard years of the North fighting the South the Civil War was finally over. Ethan Edwards could finally come home but come home to fight another war he was not expecting. In the film The Searchers Ethan comes back from fighting to see his girl he's had an eye out for named Debbie. Once he visits Debbie and all of the family they are informed that they think the neighbors horses have been stolen. Ethan and his posse set out but little did they know the Comanches had done this on purpose to lure them out of them house. Once the posse was out of sight the Comanches came in killing all the men and taking all the girls including Debbie. "What makes a man wander? What makes a man roam? What makes a man leave bed and board and turn his back on home?"

        Ethan and his posse catch wind of something not right going on so they head back to camp to find it torn up and everyone dead or missing. Everyone deeply angered and upset they plan to set off and find the girls. In an attempt to find the girls they find Lucy brutally murdered and Debbie in no sight but this doesn't stop Ethan and his posse. Ethan and Martin searched all the way up till winter for the trail but lost it so they decided to go to the Jorgensen ranch where martin is welcomed by Laurie. Ethan reads a letter from a friend saying he knows the whereabouts of where Debbie is. Ethan and Martin meet up at Futtermans trading post and find out who has Debbie and how she is an Indians chiefs wife. Ethan and Martin head to New Mexico and a man leads them to Scar (Debbie's Indian husband). They finally meet with Debbie and she admits that she now is a Comanche and to leave with out her. Ethan enraged takes a shot at Debbie but Martin steps in front of the bullet and gets hit. Martin is healed by Ethan but Ethan is still extremely upset with Martin. They head back to Jorgensen ranch where they find Laurie about to marry another man Martin quickly stops her and takes Laurie back. While at the ranch Ethan and Martin catch wind of where scar is. They raid the camp with the help of more men killing scar and scalping him as well as Debbie decides to go back with the boys. 

Life after the civil war for most every soldier was very enjoyable. Being able to come home to your families and enjoy the company of one another. After the war both sides joined organizations the south joined the United Confederate Veterans and the north joined the Grand Army Of The Republic. Many chapters would meet and enjoy sharing old stories of the war and talking about the good memories about the good ones that never made it back. The last memory both organizations had together was in 1913 when both organizations met back up in Gettysburg fifty four thousand veterans attended this event. for national unification and peace. After the war there was a lot of construction to do rebuilding of houses, buildings and farms. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 abolished slavery through out all of the northern and southern states. Thousands of slaves fled the plantations and headed north. 

 "life after civil war ." civil war . premier internet,inc. , n.d. Web. 3 Apr 2012. <http://www.civilwar.com/overview/about-us.html>.

"the post war years ." xroads.virginia . N.p., n.d. Web. 4/3/12. <http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/scartoons/caremanc.html>.

The Searchers.Dir. John Ford.Perf. John Wayne, Jeffery Hunter, 

Vera Miles.Warner bros, 1956.film.

Hunting Then And Now

         

         For many decades the human race either indian or white have always relied on hunting big game animals. These beautiful creatures are why we are existing to this day. With out the nutrients these animals provide us we would not be able to survive in harsh conditions to this day. In the present day today i think we have lost the amount of respect our ancestors had for these animals. Some of us now just shoot to shoot way back they shot to survive and respected the animal before it was killed.

         The weapons native americans used to hunt animals made it a lot harder to bring these big animals down. You have to have pretty big guts to go up against a 2000 pound angry buffalo while only using a bow and arrow or just a spear. Native americans hunted with bow and arrow, knives, tomahawks, spears, gun stock war clubs and rifles later down the road. The native americans were some of the best hunters ever known to man. They knew everything about the animal they were going after and how to kill it with out getting injured. They would stalk and watch the animals closely for hours watching there every move. The native americans would flank the animals putting them in a spot were it made them make a clean easy kill with out making the animal suffer. They would watch there prey closely learning there every move. Native americans would have giant ceremonies before going out on the hunt. They also would have ceremonies after the hunt to insure continued success in the next hunt.

        Now a days when have you seen or heard of any average hunter doing a ceremony before or after they go out hunting. I think we have it to easy for us to go out and kill any animal we see. I was raised in a family filled with hunters. As a young boy i was always taught to respect the animal don't just shoot to shoot. I was raised to only shoot if the animal is mature enough to be shot. With all the new technology we have with our advanced weapons you can literally shoot an animal up to a mile away. I never thought of this as a respectful way to take an animal. As an avid bow hunter i sit watch my prey and give my self a challenge to take the animal when the time is right. Bow hunting gives me the biggest adrenaline rush when your right next to the animal. Even with my advanced bow and my sights i still think it is some what cheating. The real and true way to hunt is how the native americans did it. Making your own bow and arrow and stringing your own bow is the way to hunt. The challenge is tremendous but knowing that you went through all that hard work and came through with a great kill is amazing. 

Shawn, Flach. Weapons of the plains indians. Rossville, 2004. web. 23 February. 2012. 

Admin. Native American Ceremonies. 2008. web. 23 February. 2012.

Doc, Casey. Buffalo. Bear County USA, 2008. web. 23 February. 2012.

Albert, Blerstadt. Indians hunting buffalo. 2005. web. 23 February. 2012.