The “Wild West” was the name given to the era in the American West when it seemed like law & order did not exist at all. It was a period in American history when the crime rate was shooting off the roof and legendary outlaws were roaming the streets. The likes of outlaws Billy the Kid and Jesse James, the Texas Rangers with Wyatt Earp as one of its frontier law officers, and sharpshooter Calamity Jane are just a few of the most popular figures in the Wild West. They were categorized into the good guys and the bad guys.
On the other hand, many of the new towns in the American West emerged and flourished with little crime or problems resulting from this. However, the real problem in law & order started during the Gold Rush when many Americans settled by the thousands in gold mining areas in the West. Brawls and duels were plenty due to disputes in many saloons, brothels, and gambling dens that also mushroomed everywhere because of the gold rush.
Mob justice was very popular then when a miner could experience injustice. Members of the jury who were also miners decided whether the accused should be convicted or freed. This was the reason why many vigilante groups were confident to break the law and then use the miner’s courts to eliminate their enemies. When Native Americans (Indians) and other insurgents became a threat to land and other properties, the frontier was protected by the Texas Rangers. However, some of these frontiersmen also became outlaws themselves.
Aside from the vigilantes who took the law into their own hands, duels were popular ways to end a dispute or to acquire justice by one person who felt dissatisfied with the decision of a court of law. Many states were against this practice but many, if not most, of these duelers were never caught or charged with committing a crime. The popularity of dueling worsened the conditions of law and order in the Wild West. It was only by the latter years of the 19th century, just before the American Civil War that conditions improved and crime was curtailed by the laws of state.
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