{"product_id":"los-mestenos-spanish-ranching-in-texas-1721-1821-9781585445585","title":"Los Mestenos: Spanish Ranching In Texas, 1721-1821","description":"Until \u003ci\u003eLos \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eMesteños\u003c\/i\u003e was published in 1986, the history of cattle ranching in Texas focused almost exclusively on the nineteenth-century era of the great cattle drives. But even before the birth of George III or George Washington, the king's men--subjects of the Spanish crown--had established a vast cattle kingdom in Texas. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJack Jackson chronicles in rich detail the hundred years of Spanish ranching, beginning a century before Mexico, and subsequently Texas, gained independence. From the introduction of livestock into the province by various early \u003ci\u003eentrada\u003c\/i\u003es (expeditions), to the first big roundup in 1787, and beyond, he traces the development of the range and of cattle working. He shows the feral increase of the early herds, the conflicts over ownership of the wild animals (\u003ci\u003emesteño\u003c\/i\u003es), the emergence of Spanish dynasties, and the attempts of colonial governments to regulate the industry. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAlthough some scholars have attributed western ranching practices largely to the influence of Anglo settlers, Jackson meticulously traces both stock and stock raising techniques to their origins in Spanish Texas. Describing the founding of the first Anglo ranches in Texas, he carefully shows their adaptation of Hispanic cattle culture in the brands used, the market exploited, and the emerging life-style. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn his review for the \u003ci\u003eWestern Historical Quarterly\u003c\/i\u003e, Félix D. Almaráz, Jr., said that with the publication of \u003ci\u003eLos \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eMesteños\u003c\/i\u003e, Jackson has earned distinction as a rigorous scholar and writer, adding that the book had made a solid addition to borderlands literature.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJACK JACKSON, a free-lance writer and illustrator in Austin, grew up on one of the historic South Texas ranches. His books include \u003ci\u003eMapping Texas and the Gulf Coast\u003c\/i\u003e (co-authored), \u003ci\u003eImaginary Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eComanche Moon\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Texas A\u0026M University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50855559790866,"sku":"9781585445585","price":47.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_d8c6a615-e8c4-4699-8b69-9f0aed28e059.jpg?v=1737484890","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/los-mestenos-spanish-ranching-in-texas-1721-1821-9781585445585","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}