This dissertation investigates both the social and legal pressures brought to bear on carrying pistols in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and the eastern portions of Colorado and New Mexico. Several major facets of society in these areas during the last quarter of the nineteenth century have been investigated. State and local laws prohibiting the carrying of pistols were put into effect in the above mentioned areas and did achieve a certain level of enforcement. The pressures causing this phenomenon originated with several segments of society, especially the newspaper press and various cattlemen's associations The 'Wild West' was constantly receding before a more settled civilization with a corresponding reduction in the practice of carrying pistols at various places and at varying times. As society gained an increasing disapprobation toward the practice of carrying pistols, a transitional phase of concealing the weapons occurred in some places. Of course the practice was not as widespread as is generally believed, and many ordinary, as well as famous, persons never wore sidearms Even though there was polarization of attitudes concerning the practice of carrying pistols, social and legal pressures did reduce the pistol carrying practice paralleling a reduction in violence during the 1880's and 1890's This dissertation is timely in two respects. First, it illuminates a segment of the history of a current and vexing part of a recent and larger reinterpretation of the 'Old West' by such historians as Robert Dykstra, Phillip D. Jordan, Eugene Hollen and others. As such, this dissertation has an important contribution to make to solutions of the handgun problem today, and to present a better understanding of a much misunderstood era in American history / acase@tulane.edu
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_26540 |
| Date | January 1983 |
| Contributors | Brown, Donald Curtis (Author) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Access requires a license to the Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest) database., Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law |
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