Billy the Kid

Who was Billy the Kid?

Billy the Kid was a famous outlaw and gunfighter of the American West. His real name was Henry McCarty.

When was Billy the Kid born?

Billy the Kid was born in 1859.

When did Billy the Kid die?

Billy the Kid died in 1881.

What was Billy the Kid's early life like?

Billy the Kid grew up in a mining camp in New Mexico. He got into trouble when he was 14 or 15 years old for stealing, and graduated to horse theft and cattle rustling.

Why is Billy the Kid famous?

Billy the Kid is famous for frequently escaping jail after after being arrested for stealing cattle or horses.

How was Billy the Kid involved in the Lincoln County War?

Billy the Kid fought for cattle baron John Chisum in the Lincoln County War.

What was Billy the Kid's personal war?

Billy the Kid vowed to murder whoever was responsible for the death of his friend, Henry Tunstall, in the Lincoln County War.

What was Billy the Kid's connection with Pat Garrett?

Billy the Kid became so notorious that when Pat Garrett was elected sheriff in Lincoln County, his main job was to bring him to justice. Garrett tracked Billy down, imprisoned him, and took him to court. When Billy escaped, Garrett tracked him down again and shot him dead.

Why were there people like Billy the Kid in the West?

There were several reasons why people like Billy the Kid and many others turned to lawlessness in the American West:

• ❖ Poverty was such a problem that many people saw stealing as the only way they could survive.
• ❖ With so many settlers in some areas, conflicts arose over the limited resources available. This led to many acts of lawlessness.
• ❖ There were too many lawless people, which triggered fear in others and led them to wanting to defend themselves. In turn, their own behaviour became more lawless.
• ❖ Settlers often felt independent of America as a whole, so not subject to the country's laws.

How did Billy the Kid and others get away with their lawlessness?

There were 4 main reasons Billy the Kid and others could get away with their lawless behaviour.

• ❖ The territories were so large, and law officials so few, that there were many places outlaws could hide easily.
• ❖ There was a lot of corruption. People like Billy the Kid could often get away with breaking the law by paying off officials.
• ❖ There were not enough law officers, or people who wanted to be law officers.
• ❖ There was also a real risk that if a law officer captured a criminal, others would try to release them and lynch the law officer.

What problems of law and order does the story of Billy the Kid demonstrate?

The case of Billy the Kid demonstrates a number of problems with law and order in the American West:

• ❖ The helplessness of people against big businesses could lead to lawlessness, as the only way they could stand up to the rich and powerful.
• ❖ Many acts of lawlessness were committed by gunmen hired by the cattle barons, or by others who wanted the barons' land and resources.
• ❖ The justice system was weak and corrupt, so it was unable to bring lawless people to justice.