1

Relentless weather

Image: Donnie Rosie

"There's a blizzard coming on, how I'm wishing I was home

For my pony's lame, and he can't hardly stand.

Listen to that norther sigh, if we don't get home we'll die.

But it's only seven miles to Mary Ann's"

The Blizzard - Jim Reeves

Across the plains from Texas to Montana, cowboys faced everything nature could throw at them —from scorching sun to freezing snowstorms and deadly tornadoes. The elements were a constant, unforgiving adversary in this rugged way of life.

Cowboys had to fear not only for their own lives but also for the lives of their cattle —and reining in a panicked herd during a lightning storm was certainly no walk in the park. Even today, with modern gear and technology, those who still drive cattle must rely on their instincts and skill to survive in the wilderness.

2

Dangerous animals

Image: Duncan Sanchez

"Lightning a flashin' everywhere

Thunder a rollin' through the air

Wind and rain, cattle look insane

This herd might stampede tonight"

Stampede - Sons of the Pioneers

Just as the weather tested their endurance, managing both wild and domesticated animals was no easy task. From wild predators to angry bulls, nervous bucks, and rattlesnakes hiding in the tall grass, the cowboy’s world was full of lethal threats.

Stampedes could scatter thousands of cattle in seconds, leaving riders vulnerable to trampling or injury. Even on the relative safety of the ranch, one wrong move could quickly end in tragedy.

3

Limited medical care

Image: Mathieu Stern

"Far away from his New England,

'Neath the southern sultry skies,

On the banks of a little river

They lay him down to die"

The Dying Cowboy - Traditional

An inherently dangerous job, cowboy life inevitably meant that injury was part of the work. Falling from a horse or taking a kick could incapacitate a cowboy for days or weeks, and with no formal workers’ compensation, many had to keep working despite the pain.

Cuts, broken bones, and infections could quickly turn deadly without proper treatment. Many cowboys learned rudimentary medical skills themselves or relied on frontier doctors with minimal supplies. Even today, those working in remote areas are hours away from medical help.

4

Grueling work hours

Image: Bailey Alexander

"Oh say, little dogies, why don't you lay down? [...]

My horse is leg-weary and I'm awful tired

But if I let you get away, I'm sure to get fired

Bunch up, little dogies, bunch up"

Night Herding Song - Harry Stephens

Cattle drives demanded 14 to 18-hour days with barely any rest. Cowboys often worked dawn till dusk, and sometimes even through the night.

The long days involved walking alongside thousands of cattle, breaking trail, and maintaining herd order. Sleep was often just a few hours, squeezed in wherever possible on the open range or near a campfire.

5

Horseback riding

Image: Jon Sailer

"He started his long ride in Prescott

The sun was a hundred or more

On down he rode at full gallop

Into the flat desert floor"

Ride, Cowboy, Ride - Marty Robbins

That brings us to the next point… all of that had to be done on horseback, and let me tell you, riding a horse for hours on end is much harder than it looks! Expert riders may make it seem effortless, but it’s far from easy.

Cowboys needed strong legs, resilient backs, and excellent balance. Horses could become tired or lame, but the cowboy had to press on regardless, often swapping mounts to keep the drive moving.

6

Limited food options

Image: Blake Carpenter

"Bacon and beans most every day

Soon to be eating that prairie hay"

Chisholm Trail - Traditional

Meals were often sparse and repetitive, mostly beans, salted meat, and hardtack. Cooking was done over open fires, with limited tools, and fresh food was a luxury rarely available.

Preserving meat through salting or smoking was essential for long drives. Still, fresh produce was so scarce that vitamin deficiencies—and even scurvy—could develop in some cases.

7

Water scarcity

Image: Jonathan Greenaway

"All day I've faced a barren waste

Without the taste of water

Cool water

Old Dan and I with throats burned dry"

Cool Water - Bob Nolan

Particularly in the arid southern regions of the West, finding clean water was a daily struggle for both cowboys and cattle—a dry creek could mean the difference between reaching the next stop or falling behind entirely.

While most cowboys were savvy navigators of their regions and often knew where to find drinking water, water holes could still be miles apart, forcing long detours or risky stops. Drinking from stagnant sources carried serious risks, including dysentery, cholera, and other waterborne diseases that could quickly incapacitate both men and animals.

8

Long, dusty trails

Image: Bailey Alexander

"The blue skies have failed so we're on our last trail

Underneath these dusty skies

These ain't tears in my eyes

Just sand from these dusty skies"

Dusty Skies - Bob Wills

Cattle drives could stretch over 1,000 miles, with cowboys and their herds enduring endless dust and scorching heat along the trail.

Prolonged exposure to dust caused respiratory problems and irritated eyes, which is why many cowboys tried to limit their exposure using bandanas or makeshift rags to cover their faces. The same cloth also provided protection from the unforgiving sun and drying wind.

9

Lawlessness and violence

Image: Jon Sailer

"Texas Red had not cleared leather

When a bullet fairly ripped

And the ranger's aim was deadly,

with the big iron on his hip"

Big Iron - Marty Robbins

As beautiful and serene as the open range was, the West was also full of danger—outlaws, land disputes, and conflicts over cattle and water were common. Far from the comforts of civilization, the strong arm of the law was often hours or days away, making gunfights, rustling, and revenge killings part of everyday reality.

Cowboys frequently carried firearms for protection, relying on their own skills and the support of their fellow riders to maintain some measure of security on the frontier.

10

Working for dust and pennies

Image: Ashim D’Silva

"And I nearly starved to death, boys

He did mistreat me so

And I never saved a dollar

In the pay of Diamond Joe"

Diamond Joe - Traditional

Despite the danger and hard work, cowboys earned little—sometimes as low as $25 a month, and that was when the boss was being somewhat fair!

The job was seasonal and unstable, with no benefits or retirement plans, so many worked well into old age. Some took on multiple jobs or moved frequently just to get by. Far from lucrative, the cowboy lifestyle was often endured only by those who loved the work or had nowhere else to turn.

11

Isolation and loneliness

Image: Luke Schlanderer

"Cowboys are special with their own brand of misery

From bein' alone too long

You can die from the cold in the arms of a night, man

Knowin' well that your best days are gone"

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Willie Nelson

While the near-mythological image of the cowboy paints him as a lone, self-reliant hero, the reality is that cowboys depended heavily on one another. Even so, the work could be deeply isolating. Weeks could pass without seeing a town, friends, or family, as they roamed vast, empty landscapes.

This constant solitude often weighed on their mental health, but many fought the loneliness of the trail with campfire songs shared among fellow cowhands or by writing letters to their loved ones.

1

A 13-year-old designed Alaska’s flag

In 1927, while Alaska was still a U.S. territory, officials launched a contest inviting school kids to design territorial flags. Among the 140 entries that arrived in Juneau containing polar bears, mining scenes, or territorial seals, was the design of 13-year-old Benny Benson , an Alaskan Native Aleut.

The design featured eight gold stars against a deep blue field. Seven stars formed the Big Dipper, symbolizing strength through the Great Bear constellation, while the North Star represented Alaska’s future as the northernmost state in the Union. Benson also explained that the blue background honored both the sky and the state flower, the forget-me-not. His design was unanimously selected and officially adopted by the territorial legislature in May 1927, and Benson received a gold watch engraved with the flag and a $1,000 scholarship award.

2

Washington went green and presidential

When Washington officially adopted its state flag in 1923, the Legislature made a choice unlike any other state in the country. Instead of following the usual red, white, and blue pattern, they chose a deep green background to reflect the state’s nickname , "The Evergreen State," a reference to its dense forests and year-round greenery. At the center, they placed the state seal featuring George Washington, the first president of the U.S.

The portrait itself was based on a famous painting by Gilbert Stuart, an American artist known for some of the best images of Washington. The portrait represents patriotism and identity. To this day, Washington remains the only U.S. state flag with a green field and the only one to feature an American president’s face.

3

Ohio ditched the rectangle

Ohio may have joined the Union in 1803, but for nearly a century, the state had no official flag of its own. But it began turning heads the moment it was introduced in 1902.

Designed by architect John Eisenmann for the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, the flag broke one of the oldest traditions in vexillology. Instead of a rectangle, Eisenmann created a burgee, a swallowtail pennant shape more commonly used by naval organizations and cavalry units. Its red and white stripes represent roads and waterways, while the blue triangular field symbolizes Ohio’s hills and valleys. The white "O" stands for both Ohio and the buckeye nut, and the 17 stars honor Ohio as the seventeenth state admitted to the Union.

4

Maryland flew in from the Middle Ages

The story behind Maryland’s flag reaches back to English nobility, long before the U.S. existed. Its design comes from the coats of arms of the Calvert and Crossland families , connected to George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, whose family founded the Maryland colony in 1632 under a charter granted by King Charles I. The black and gold pattern belonged to the Calvert family, while the red and white cross belonged to the Crossland family through Calvert’s mother, Alicia Crossland.

During the Civil War, the colors gained powerful political meaning. Union supporters in Maryland often displayed the Calvert colors, while Confederate sympathizers adopted the Crossland pattern. Following the war, state leaders sought unity during Reconstruction, and by the 1880s, the two designs were combined into one banner. Maryland officially adopted the flag in 1904, turning former symbols of division into a lasting emblem of reconciliation.

5

California’s bear has a revolutionary past

California’s famous Bear Flag began during the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846, when American settlers in Sonoma rebelled against Mexican rule and declared California an independent republic. Their handmade banner featured a grizzly bear, a red star, and the words "California Republic."

The rebellion ended in less than a month after the U.S. forces took control during the American-Mexican War between 1846 and 1848, but the image remained a symbol of independence. The original flag was later destroyed in 1906 in the San Francisco earthquake, though copies had been preserved. It wasn’t until 1911 that lobbying from the historical society, Native Sons of the Golden West, made the legislature adopt the design as the official state flag.

6

Oregon’s two sides

When Oregon adopted its official state flag in 1925, it quietly created one of the rarest flags in the world. Unlike nearly every other state banner, Oregon’s flag features two completely different designs, one on each side.

The front displays the state seal in gold against a navy-blue background, surrounded by 33 stars representing Oregon’s admission as the thirty-third state in 1859. Beneath the shield appears the year of statehood, while symbols such as a covered wagon and an eagle reflect Oregon’s frontier history and connection to the United States. The reverse side tells a simpler story. There, a single gold beaver appears alone on the blue field. The beaver became Oregon’s state animal because the fur trade played a major role in the region’s early economy during the 1800s.

7

Hawaii still nods to the British

Hawaii’s state flag tells the story of a kingdom caught between powerful nations during the early 1800s. The British Union Jack placed in the corner dates back to the reign of King Kamehameha I, the ruler who united the Hawaiian Islands into a single kingdom.

Ever since the first British flag was raised in that territory in 1794, Hawaii used several variations of flags that blended British and American influences , partly to maintain good relations with both nations during the War of 1812. A combined design was created using the Union Jack alongside horizontal stripes inspired by the American flag. By 1845, the current design with eight stripes, representing the major islands, had been established. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, the historic flag remained unchanged.

8

Louisiana’s bleeding pelican

At first sight, Louisiana's choice of flag might seem a bit odd, but the meaning of its symbols carries centuries of meaning. The flag was adopted in 1912 and, at the center, stands a mother pelican feeding her chicks with drops of her own blood, an image taken from Christian traditions. According to legend, pelicans wound themselves during times of famine to keep their young alive. And even though the story is not scientifically accurate, the symbol stands for sacrifice, compassion, and protection. It also represents the bird-filled wetlands and Gulf Coast landscape that shaped the state’s identity.

Over time, different versions of the flag softened the dramatic image and even removed the drops of blood completely, but in 2010, Louisiana officially restored the traditional design and brought it back.

9

South Carolina’s flag is not standardized

South Carolina’s flag shows a white crescent shape above a palmetto tree, and its design was born during the first days of the American Revolution. In 1775, Colonel William Moultrie designed a simple blue banner with a white crescent based on the uniforms worn by local patriot soldiers defending Charleston Harbor. A year later, the fort’s walls of palmetto logs absorbed British cannon fire instead of shattering. The Unexpected victory turned the palmetto tree into a symbol of South Carolina’s resistance, and it was added to the flag.

As the years passed, different versions appeared across the state, especially during the Civil War, when many were painted by hand. South Carolina officially adopted the familiar flag in 1861, but there were never defined exact shapes or proportions. That is why even today, no two South Carolina flags look exactly alike.

10

New Mexico went bold and beautiful

New Mexico’s first flag looked much like many others of the time. Designed by historian Ralph Emerson Twitchell, it included the American flag, the state seal, and the words "New Mexico" stitched across a blue field. But in 1920, the Daughters of the American Revolution began pushing for a design that truly represented the Southwestern identity.

After winning a statewide contest, Dr. Harry Mera, a Santa Fe physician and archaeologist, and his wife, Reba Mera, presented a design that replaced crowded symbols with something simpler : a red Zia sun symbol centered on a yellow field inspired by the colors carried by Spanish explorers centuries earlier. The sacred Zia symbol represented harmony through the number four, reflected in the seasons, directions, stages of life, and times of day. Adopted in 1925, the design became one of the boldest and most admired flags in America.

1

Why are elections held on a Tuesday?

Election Day is always on a Tuesday because of 1800s rural life . Most Americans were farmers who needed a full day to travel to polling places, often by horse. Sunday was reserved for church, and Wednesday was typically market day.

Tuesday became the most practical option: travel on Monday, vote on Tuesday, return on Wednesday. November was chosen because the harvest season had ended, but winter had not yet made travel difficult.

2

Why do voters register in advance to participate?

Voter registration exists because the U.S. has no single national voter list . Since elections are run locally, authorities need a system to confirm identity, residency, and eligibility before Election Day.

The practice expanded in the 1800s as cities grew, helping manage large populations and reduce fraud. Today, it remains a key administrative step in a decentralized system.

3

Why does the Electoral College decide presidential elections?

The Electoral College was created as a compromise between letting Congress choose the president and allowing a direct popular vote, which proved logistically challenging at the time . The founders were concerned about balancing power and limiting centralized control.

It also gave smaller states more influence against larger states with more population, and reflected the challenges of communication in the 1700s. The system remains as part of the original constitutional design.

4

Does each state run its own election system?

The Constitution gives states the authority to manage elections , reflecting the country’s federal structure. The founders wanted states to retain power rather than create a single national system.

This allowed flexibility based on local conditions like geography and population. Today, it explains why voting rules and procedures differ widely across states. These differences range from voter registration policies to the types of documents required for voting to whether prison inmates are allowed to vote, among many other variations.

5

How are party candidates determined?

Primaries were introduced in the early 1900s to reduce the influence of party insiders . Before that, candidates were often chosen behind closed doors by political leaders.

The reform movement aimed to give voters more control. Primaries shifted decision-making power from party elites to the public, making the process more democratic.

6

What is early voting?

Early voting developed to address the limitations of a single Election Day . As work schedules became less flexible, states began offering additional in-person voting days.

These days, most states offer early voting, with examples like Minnesota, South Dakota, or Virginia, extending that period to over 40 days prior to the official election. This change helps reduce long lines and increase participation. It reflects an effort to adapt an old system to modern time constraints. And, judging by the 60% of votes being cast before Election Day, it works.

7

What about mail-in voting?

Mail-in voting began during the Civil War, allowing soldiers to vote while away from home . Over time, it expanded to include civilians who could not easily reach polling places.

Its broader use today reflects convenience and accessibility, especially in a large country where distance and mobility can be barriers to in-person voting.

8

What can a ballot include?

F ederal, state, and local referendums are often combined into a single election . This means that American ballots can include several voting points.

Studies indicate that this approach saves money by avoiding multiple referendums and increases participation by attracting individuals interested in voting on those topics. It also allows voters to decide on laws and policies directly through referendums and ballot measures.

9

Who are the poll workers?

Poll workers are typically local citizens because elections are run at the community level. Instead of a national workforce, local governments recruit and train temporary staff.

Most poll workers are community members who apply directly through their local election office. Also, in many states, local chapters of political parties submit lists of recommended workers to election boards. Officials often prioritize these nominees to meet legal requirements for partisan balance.

10

Why is Election Day not a federal holiday?

Election Day was never made a federal holiday because early lawmakers assumed rural voters had flexible schedules. Travel time, not work obligations, was the main concern .

Today, this decision is often debated. Modern work patterns make weekday voting less convenient, leading to calls for reform or expanded voting options.

11

Why do results take so long?

Final results can take time because ballots must be carefully verified before counting . This includes checking signatures, eligibility, and processing mail-in and provisional votes.

While early results are reported quickly, official certification happens later. The delay reflects a priority on accuracy and legitimacy over speed.