When I went to Montana a few years ago with a couple of exJW's I met online to meet up with another exJW I pretty much felt like I was in 'Cowbow land'. There was like a farm with 100's of acres of land with cattle grazing separating it from the next farm.... It was beautiful to see so much open country. Coming from the West Coast Montana seemed like going back to a different era.
Where I grew up, Arizona, old Tucson always had reenactments of the Wyatt Earp OK Corral thing. That did pretty much happen during a pretty violent old West time period. When people began expanding outwards from the East Coast to the West there was not a lot of law and order. It would have been a very hard time to live in I think.
The infringement upon native American tribal territories was filled with guns and blood. I would equate it with England's infringement upon the Welsh and Scots and Irish. Pagan Celts and pagan Indians.......same dif to the powers that were.
Cattle are moved today not by cattle drives but by big cattle trucks (lories)...not so glamorous but then, I don't think cattle drives were particularly glamorous. The Midwest is where the big cattle ranches are. For a funny take on American cattle drives you should listen to Garrison Keilors Prairy Home Companion. It's a radio show (yes! there are a few still in existence!!) On it there is a skit with two 'cowboys' and it's always quite funny to listen to. Maybe if you google Prairy Home Companion, cowboys http://youtu.be/K9c-7WLngIg?list=PLC9DA5CEFECE613B8