Life in ancient Rome was rough, especially for children. Even if they were lucky enough to survive for more than a few years, they had to look forward to a life filled with grueling or dangerous work for little reward. Only a privileged few got to reap the benefits of life to its fullest.

Despite this, people persevered. They went through the motions from newborns struggling to survive, to fully-fledged citizens of the Roman Empire.

10Being Welcomed into the Family

In ancient Rome, the pater familias was the uncontested head of the household. He was granted complete authority both by Roman law and mos maiorum (the collection of unwritten customs and traditions). He was the only member of the family allowed to own land and was expected to represent the family in legal, business, and religious affairs.

Even though pater familias meant “father of the family”, the father did not always occupy that role. The pater familias was the oldest living male, so if the father died, the eldest son would take his place. This is one of the reasons why Romans placed a high value on having sons, and male adoption was a common occurrence.

Any new baby had to be accepted by the pater familias. Traditionally, the midwife placed the newborn at his feet, and only if the pater familias picked it up would the baby become a formal part of the family. The father had the authority to disown and sell his children into slavery should they anger him. He was even allowed to kill them, although records show this was a rare occurrence and was eventually outlawed by Augustus.

9Receiving the Bulla

Due to high infant mortality rates, children were not given a name when they were born. Instead, Romans waited for a week before naming the child during a celebration called the dies lustricus (“day of purification”). Much like a modern birthday, friends and family visited to offer the baby gifts and well-wishes.

Male children also received a bulla at this celebration. The bulla was a pendant meant to ward off evil spirits, as well as signify the boy’s status as a freeborn citizen of Rome. Scholars still debate whether Roman girls also wore a bulla or if they had a different type of amulet called a lunula.

Boys were expected to wear their bullae until they reached adulthood while girls wore their pendants until their wedding day. Typically, a bulla was made out of gold but this would only be available to the wealthy elite of Rome. The lower classes made do with bullae made from affordable materials such as leather, bronze, or tin.

8The Stages of a Child’s Life

A Roman childhood had several clearly defined stages, both from a social and a legal perspective. The first period was known as infantia. It lasted from birth until the age of seven, both for girls and boys. This time was spent mostly at home being looked after by parents, grandparents, guardians, and older siblings. All children who were infantes or infantiae proximus (slightly over the threshold) were considered doli incapax—incapable of guilty intentions in the eyes of the law.

Until the ages of 12 and 14 for girls and boys, respectively, children were impuberes, or pubertati proximus in the cases of those close to reaching the threshold. They were still presumed doli incapax, although legal evidence could be presented that said otherwise. Socially, children started to explore the world at this stage. They would leave the house more often, spend time in the company of strangers, and even begin an education away from home if their parents could afford it.

Girls older than 12 were suitable for marriage. At age 15, boys passed into manhood. They were granted legal privileges and responsibilities, although Roman law still considered them adolescents until the age of 25.

7Getting an Education

As with many societies, education in ancient Rome was mostly available to the rich. Rough estimates placed literacy levels at around 20 percent, although it varied based on time period.

During most of the Roman Republic, education remained an informal practice involving parents passing down knowledge to their children. However, after the conquest of Greece in 146 B.C., the Greek education system started spreading through the empire. Romans started placing more importance on education, and tutors became more accessible as many of them were slaves.

Children typically went to school when they turned seven. Their teacher was called a litterator who taught reading, writing, basic arithmetic, and perhaps some Greek. At age 12 or 13, children who could afford an advanced education would go to a “grammar school”, taught by a grammaticus. Here they moved past the practical knowledge needed for everyday life and began studying arts and poetry. The highest levels of education involved learning rhetoric by studying the works of great orators such as Cicero and Quintilian.

6Playing Around

Children of ancient Rome spent a lot of their free time playing with toys quite similar to ones from modern times. Infants were often entertained with a rattle called a crepitaculum. It was made out of wood or metal and sometimes had bells on it. Besides acting as a toy, it is possible the Romans also used it as a ward similar to the bulla.

Dolls and puppets were the most common toys for girls. These were made out of a wide range of materials such as terracotta, wax, clay, wood, metal, and stone. Some of them even had articulated limbs, while others could be dressed and accessorized with jewelry.

Boys preferred moving toys such as carts or horses with wheels. Wooden swords were also common so they could pretend fight. Hoops, kites, balls, and spinning tops were common toys available for children of all ages.

Board games were popular with young and old alike. They had a variety of games using dice, knucklebones, and stone pieces. Other games included hide-and-seek, leapfrog, and terni lapilli (tic-tac-toe).

5The Family Pet

Like us, the ancient Romans were fond of animals and many households had one or more pets. Cats were common pets, as were various Old World monkeys such as Barbary macaques. It seems that even in ancient times, people were amused by the antics of our simian cousins. Several authors and poets make mention of monkeys and the mischief they caused.

Snakes were also kept as pets, although they were more of a religious symbol and were unlikely to be found in an average household. Many wealthy families preferred to keep birds because they also served as a status symbol: their special dietary needs and upkeep placed them out of the range of a typical Roman family.

Apparently, even in Roman times, dog was man’s best friend. It was, by far, the most popular pet of ancient Rome, featuring in literature, pottery, paintings, and bas-reliefs. Unlike other pets, dogs also served practical functions as hunting companions and watchdogs. As the mosaics in Pompeii showed, more than a few Roman houses came with the inscription “Cave canem”—“beware of dog”.

4Finding a Job

The social status of a boy’s family usually dictated what kind of job he could be eligible for once he became a teenager. The most prestigious positions were in politics, but these were normally reserved for the elite and required an extensive education.

Slightly lower down the totem pole were administrative positions within the empire: tax collectors, notaries, clerks, lawyers, teachers, etc. Again, these jobs were typically available to young men with a strong education, although some of these positions were also available to educated slaves, particularly the Greeks.

The most accessible choice for most Roman freemen was to join the army. As a militaristic empire, Rome was rarely short on wars and always had a need for soldiers. This was also a good way for the lower classes to secure a steady income and even earn land once their 25-year service was over.

As the empire grew, so did the variety of jobs. Soon enough, a Roman adolescent could choose to become a merchant, an artist, an entertainer, or a tradesman. However, these positions were typically passed down from father to son. Alternatively, the family needed a connection in order to secure their child an apprenticeship with a master.

3Getting Married

Male children did not really have to concern themselves with marriage since men typically married in their mid-twenties. Girls, however, married much younger, as early as age 12. Since most girls did not receive the kind of extensive education afforded to boys, there was no point in keeping them around the house after they reached childbearing age.

Girls from wealthy families usually married younger than girls from working class families. Their potential marriage was seen as a rare opportunity to climb the social ladder. Most parents would not want to jeopardize this valuable commodity by letting their daughters get too old or lose their chastity.

Most girls had little say regarding their future husbands. Like most of their life’s decisions, this one was made by the pater familia. He would be on the lookout for prospective husbands and make the necessary arrangements with the boy’s family.

The wedding featured numerous customs which evolved over the centuries, and some are still found today. These include the wearing of white and carrying the bride over the threshold.

2Finding a Place to Live

At its peak, ancient Rome was home to over one million people, a feat that would not be repeated in Europe until Industrial-era London. This forced the government to come up with impressive innovations such as the aqueducts and the Cloaca Maxima sewage system to deal with the ever-growing populations. It also meant that Rome was one of the most crowded places to grow up in.

Two types of residential housing were common in the city. The rich could afford a domus—a large house with multiple rooms, an interior courtyard, and, in some cases, shops that faced outside called tabernae. The ultra rich also had villas outside the hustle and bustle of Rome.

Most of the population, however, was crowded into apartment blocks called insulae. As construction technology improved, so did the height of these buildings. Some insulae could reach eight or nine stories. Third-century records show there were around 44,000 insulae in Rome. It was not uncommon for an entire family to live in just one room.

The floor you lived on was often inversely proportional to your social status. The bottom floor was taken up by tabernae and other places of business. The first couple of stories had more spacious and more expensive apartments. As the floors kept climbing, they not only got more cramped but also more dangerous. Fires were a common occurrence in Rome, and tenants living on the top floors were often trapped in burning buildings. Augustus brought the legal height limit of insulae down to 70 Roman feet (20.7 meters), and Nero lowered it again to 60 Roman feet (17.7 meters) after the Great Fire.

1Becoming a Man

Reaching sexual maturity was an important stage in the life of Roman adolescents. Girls were expected to remain virgins until they got married. They did not have extensive maturation rituals, and their wedding night typically functioned as their rite of passage.

Boys reached sexual maturity when they were 15-16 years old. Besides leaving behind their bulla, they also underwent a wardrobe change—they replaced their “toga praetexta” with the “toga virilis”—the plain white toga worn by adult males.

Romans celebrated the coming of age of young men at the Liberalia, a festival marked by food, wine, song, and dance. In fact, Liberalia was associated with the older, more lavish Bacchanalia dedicated to the god of wine and fertility, Bacchus. After the Senate made efforts to suppress the Bacchanalia, similarities between the two festivals caused them to merge together.

A sixteen-year-old Roman male could pursue sexual relationships before marriage. A man from a wealthy family would likely have sex with a slave, while a commoner would visit a prostitute. Both these kinds of relationships were considered acceptable for men even after marriage. Adultery was typically regarded only between a married man and a Roman wife or unmarried daughter.

Although it might be exhilarating to witness life thousands of years ago through a time machine, surely no one would ever want to do much more than visit. The ancient world was a rough and unforgiving playing field, especially if you were a kid or anything but wealthy.

Ancient China was no exception. Unless you were a male born into a wealthy family of high status and influence, you were likely to endure a miserable existence if you managed to live past infancy. China has one of the most elaborate and captivating histories and cultures you may ever study. However, it was still an unbearable struggle just to survive for the majority of people in ancient China.

10 Filial Piety

The most fundamental aspect of traditional Chinese culture was “filial piety,” which was taught by Confucius, an influential Chinese philosopher. The teachings of Confucius, specifically through filial piety, developed the established social norms of ancient China.

In a family unit, the father served as the head of the household while the mother’s only role was to honor his orders and birth him a son. If the father was not present, then the eldest son had the authority in the family and his mother had to obey him. The sad truth was that the husband was allowed to abandon the family and remarry if a woman would not bear a son.

The core concepts of ancient Chinese culture also stressed that all people of differing social classes, genders, and ages must perform specific obligatory roles in society and act accordingly. If a father were to act in an abusive manner toward his children, filial piety teaches that they still must return full respect and honor toward him. This occurred because a father’s role was to command, while a child’s role was to obey despite the circumstances.^[1]

The same concept applied to an emperor’s ultimate authority in society and the role of citizens under that authority—even if corruption occurred in some dynasties.

9 Access To Education

What is the best way to keep a conforming lower class in place without question?

Limiting access to education, which is believed to be the best weapon against poverty and oppression. Education was an opportunity reserved for the children of the most elite families. Generally, only teenage boys born into very wealthy families had the opportunity to receive schooling. This was the only group with the means to pass highly selective state examinations to gain any political power or say in the world around them.

The curriculum consisted primarily of calligraphy and the teachings of Confucius. Whether educated or not, all people were required to know the five virtues of Confucius by heart when asked at any given moment. It wasn’t until the Han dynasty, which began in 206 BC, that ancient China established a public education system to develop a more intelligent and well-informed society.

Commoners in the empire were presented with more social mobility through an education that prepared them to pass the civil service examinations. Then they had the chance to get a civil service job or earn a more respectable role in society. The establishment of the exams was an effort to allow gifted people to earn political power or influential roles in society on the basis of merit rather than lineage.

However, this opportunity was extremely hard to come by as these exams were highly competitive and difficult. After spending at least a decade or two studying, test takers had to walk in with food, a waste bucket, and test-taking materials. They were confined in small individual cells for three days to complete an exam. No stretching breaks allowed!

There were several levels of testing, beginning with the provincial exams and ending with the national exams that were administered by the emperor only once every three years. All had ridiculously low pass rates. At some points, the chances of passing the tests and getting a decent job could be as low as 1 in 3,000.

In fact, the scholars and prodigies who managed to pass these rigorous exams ended up becoming the names in ancient China that we study in our history books today. If all that isn’t convincing enough that the arduous process of these exams meant business, cheating on them was even punishable by death.^[2]

8 Your Job Options

If you were one of the majority born into an impoverished family in a cramped, rusty, tin countryside hut, then working in the rice paddies with no hope of upward social mobility would likely be your life’s destiny. In fact, dedicating your life to backbreaking manual labor in the fields was expected of most men, women, and children in ancient China.

The North primarily grew wheat and millet, while the South specialized in rice. Obviously, the poor mostly lived in the country, while the rich primarily resided in major urban areas with more opportunity. Some families even grew desperate enough to sell off their own daughters as slaves to rich men.

The norm was that only a small minority lived comfortably, and the role of the majority was to maintain the lifestyles of the minority. In fact, many people were not only farmworkers but also servants to wealthy families. These servants were slaves who were eunuchs, and they tended to every need and whim of the rich.

Some wealthy people in ancient China would even grow their nails incredibly long as a status symbol to show that they did not have to work. Everyone else had to keep those nails short and neat because the fields were the sole, inevitable option for most youth growing up in ancient China.^[3]

7 Love And Marriage

There weren’t many options when it came to marriage, either. Any intermarriage between individuals of differing social status was forbidden by law. Marriages were arranged by the parents under the wings of hired matchmakers.

Typically, girls in ancient China had to marry at about age 15, while men were about 30. Furthermore, the bride and groom never got to truly meet each other until their wedding day. The transition into marriage for a young daughter barely into her mid-teens must have been tremendously stressful or even traumatic. She had to leave her family and her childhood home and might not see her family again for years.

The bride moved into the family home of her husband and had to obey every command of her mother-in-law. This made marriage especially difficult or even unbearable for women in ancient China. However, they would never be respected as women or in general unless they hadhusbands.^[4]

The husband owned everything within the property, including his children and his wife. If he was wealthy, then infidelity was a social norm rather than a taboo.

6 Diet

If you were wealthy (especially by working in the bureaucracy after passing the civil service examinations), you would be blessed with a rich diet with meat and vegetables. The rich and influential in ancient China had access to a wide variety of meats, including pork, bear’s paw, and dog. However, they mostly ate fish or rice, the staples of the ancient Chinese diet.

Besides fish, many of the meats in their diet came from a variety of birds, such as goose, pheasant, duck, or chicken. Still, they didn’t eat meat often because the Chinese diet is mostly vegetarian. Therefore, meat was considered a delicacy. Their vegetables included yams, turnips, and more. Other items on the menu could include anything from shark’s fin and edible bird’s nest to soup, millet, or wine.

However, the poor majority in ancient China had a bland, boring diet. Generally, they ate rice or plain noodles without any meat or fish. There were few vegetables in their diet. This led to recurring famines during periods of drought in the countryside.^[5]

5 Leisure And Tradition

Leisure and traditional events and practices were an integral part of Chinese culture. Some of the most popular pastimes, especially for young people, were mahjongg, archery, kickball, and checkers.

Chinese culture also emphasized honoring one’s ancestors. Therefore, those who practiced Taoism, the widespread religion of ancient China, would worship their ancestors. They also believed in a kitchen god named Zao Shen and kept a paper image of him in the house. It was taught that this god would protect the family and report their demeanor to heaven every month.

Whenever Zao Shen delivered his report to the heavens, the family would burn the image and set off firecrackers to send him on his way. They also smeared the lips on his image with honey so that he would take a good report to heaven. While Zao Shen was away, the family would be careful to avoid doing anything that was believed to attract evil spirits or entities.

Large festivals were also a significant part of the leisure aspect of life in ancient China. The Lantern Festival and Chinese New Year were some of the most important events of the year.^[6]

4 Got Health Care?

If you were lucky or wealthy enough to have access to any medical care, the doctors of ancient times were in no way like modern practitioners. In ancient history, people usually had religious or philosophical explanations for illness. It was believed that illness was caused when a person was possessed by evil spirits or ghosts.

Therefore, doctors in ancient China were usually priests or mystics who performed exorcisms with little to no medical expertise. If that didn’t help, these doctors would turn to herbal remedies or acupuncture to treat their sick patients. This made herbal tea especially common.^[7]

3 Slavery

The sad reality was that much of the ancient Chinese population was made up of slaves. For most, slavery was the only option or destiny from the moment they were born. As mentioned earlier, the majority of job opportunities consisted of manual labor in the fields, but some of the workers were freemen.

Slaves lived under the absolute rule of a master, and they were often prisoners or captives of war. Many slaves were children who worked as domestic servants for wealthy households. As mentioned earlier, these servants were slaves who were eunuchs.

A eunuch entering any room in a house unannounced or uninvited was punished by death. An especially heinous slavery practice in ancient China occurred whenever a slave master died. His slaves were buried alive due to the belief that they must serve their master in the afterlife for eternity. Thousands of slaves were also used as human sacrifices—usually by decapitation—to prevent rebellion by inciting fear in other slaves.

Fortunately, the practice of killing slaves upon the death of the master was brought to an end during the Zhou dynasty, which began in 1046 BC. Government efforts in China to end slavery began during the Ming dynasty, which started in AD 1368. However, many people continued to secretly own slaves in remote regions of China until as late as the early 1950s.^[8]

2 Foot Binding

In ancient China, having very small feet was believed to be a highly desirable and attractive trait in a woman. The practice of foot binding was adopted by the upper class during the Tang dynasty.

When a girl was around four or five years old, her feet would be wrapped in bandages tight enough to forcibly break and curl her toes into the soles of her feet. This prevented the toes from growing.

It was an excruciating process, and the girl would have to walk on broken toes for the rest of her life. While enduring unbearable pain and extremely limited mobility, she was confined to indoor domestic work and a miserable existence.^[9]

In fact, a girl could risk being beaten if she was caught trying to remove the bandages around her feet. The twisted practice of foot binding wasn’t outlawed until 1912.

1 The Coming Of Age

If born in ancient China, one was lucky to reach young adulthood. As boys were valued much more than girls, newborn baby girls were sometimes abandoned or drowned. This was considered socially acceptable, which made the infant mortality rate fairly high. Other factors such as poverty, lack of education, slavery, and famine made an individual exceptionally lucky to reach adulthood.

However, both men and women received individual ceremonies commemorating their initiations into adulthood. This ritual was generally hosted by the father, who delivered a speech welcoming the young adult into a new chapter of his life. A young man would have his “capping ceremony” at age 20, while a young woman would receive her “hair-pinning ceremony” at age 15.^[10]

The Wild West era of American history is often romanticized as a time of rugged outlaws and fearless lawmen. Those people really did exist, of course. But there was much more to this period than just gun battles and train robberies. Beneath the surface of the popular narrative lies the story of everyday people who kept frontier society running. That included bankers, railroad workers, shopkeepers, and ranch hands.

These rugged settlers worked hard to make a living, just as we do today. Even if it wasn’t in a wild manner like cops and robbers, much of their work was honest. And their contributions to the growth and development of the West are just as important as those of the famous gunslingers and lawmen.

While the Wild West may seem like a distant and foreign world, the people who lived during that time were not so different from us. They had to find work and pay for their livelihoods. In turn, they made a life for themselves and their families. To that end, the variety of jobs available during this time was quite diverse. From blacksmiths and stagecoach drivers to merchants and saloon keepers, commerce ruled out West.

In this list today, you’ll learn all about the truth behind ten jobs held by America’s westward pioneers. Some of these sure aren’t as wild as you might think. And they all have a reality far different than the Old West stereotypes so often presented in pop culture!

10 Ranch Work

There’s a good reason the image of the cowboy is ingrained in American culture today. That’s because it was a legitimate and adventurous way to earn a buck out West! On the big screen, the cowboy is a romanticized figure in American culture. He is often portrayed as a heroic and adventurous individual. But the reality of the job was far from glamorous.

The cowboy’s main responsibility was to protect cattle on the ranch where he lived. This was no easy task back in the day. Bandits and outlaws were known to steal cattle constantly. Then, the thieves would sell the valuable meat and hides on the black market. A cowboy had to be constantly vigilant. Think of him as a high-end security guard—with plenty of back-breaking physical duties to carry out, too.

Now, the cowboy is often associated with American culture, but the origins of the profession can be traced back to Mexico. The Mexican cowboy, known as a vaquero, had the same duties as their American counterpart. He was tasked with protecting and overseeing cattle. But the manual labor was often the most brutal part. To be successful in this profession, one had to possess certain skills. These included roping, lassoing, herding, fence-making, and riding.

Cowboys earned decent wages for the time. Many took in between $25 and $40 a month, which is equivalent to about $1,000 to $1,500 in today’s currency. However, the work was grueling. Long days often exceeded the modern 8-hour workday. And there was no paid time off or anything like that. The work droned on until it was done!^[1]

9 Law Enforcement

The image you almost certainly have of the Wild West is that of a lawless frontier. You see it being overrun by gun-slinging outlaws, right? Well, that’s a common scene perpetuated by movies and pop culture. But the reality of the era was quite different. There were certainly instances of banditry—and we’ll discuss that below—but the overall level of lawlessness was not as widespread as depicted. In fact, law enforcement jobs were some of the most consistent and high-prestige gigs in the region!

In the absence of a formal law enforcement structure from the state, fledgling towns in the Old West had to establish their own methods of order. This led to the rise of strongman figures like sheriffs, deputies, and bounty hunters. They brought criminals to justice and proudly defended their communities. Additionally, lawyers, judges, and executioners were well-paid to ensure outlaws were punished accordingly.

As formal society moved westward in time, the region offered a variety of legitimate work opportunities for those seeking to uphold the law. Positions such as U.S. Marshals were commonly found in more established towns. And the need for paid, full-time law enforcement officials was high throughout the frontier. However, as with any system, there were opportunities for corruption. Some towns became known as “outlaw towns.” There, the local government was controlled by criminals and corrupt city managers.

Over the years, state lawmen would work to fight back against the grift. Bounty hunters would swoop in, too. They could make big bucks working somewhat outside the structure of the law. Of course, their jobs came with considerable risk to themselves. But despite all that, the West provided a unique and exciting opportunity for those willing to take on the challenges of law enforcement. Prestige was part of the gig from the start—and the pay often proved decent enough to turn it into a career.^[2]

8 Mining

Mining has long been seen as a gritty, unglamorous profession. This has certainly been true in the coal mines of the East Coast, where the dangers of the job have often outweighed the potential for profit. However, on the American frontier, the situation was different.

The miners here were digging for gold and silver. Many worked alone and in small teams. And a single successful strike could lead to immediate and sometimes lifelong wealth. This quest for gold and silver led to the settlement of many towns on the Western frontier. The men who came after these riches often failed, but the drive for wealth proved alluring.

As the mining industry in the West grew, it expanded to include other minerals. Iron, copper, oil, and gas were all pulled out of the ground in time. This meant more opportunities for profit. As a result, more people were eager to work in the mines. But despite the potential for wealth, mining was far from easy or simple. Safety was often overlooked, and the health of the miners was almost completely disregarded.

A study at a mine in Butte, Montana, found that miners were dying from tuberculosis at 10 times the national average. Of course, it was likely due to the presence of dust in the mine. Scientific data from the old days is scarce, of course, but this was very likely not an isolated incident. Similar conditions often existed in other mining operations as well. Miners worked tirelessly during their lives, putting their bodies through hell in the hopes of (quite literally) striking gold. Some did… and changed their lives forever—but most failed and fell by the wayside.^[3]

7 Saloon Bartender

Saloons were a staple of the Wild West. Like lawmen, barkeepers were present in nearly every frontier town. The saloons’ simplicity in setup made them a profitable venture for entrepreneurs. And they served as a natural community center of sorts—for all the adult men in town, at least.

All that was needed was a roof over one’s head, some seating, and of course, alcohol. These establishments often served as the first businesses to open in new towns. The harsh conditions of frontier life left people in need of a place to unwind. And with single men being overrepresented on the frontier, especially in its early days, the saloon became a place to congregate.

Working at a saloon was a very viable option for those seeking employment out West. The nature of the job allowed for a flexible schedule. Plus, the pay and tips were pretty decent, usually, which meant workers often had a chance to save some money. Many bartenders even used the job as a stepping stone to other service-related careers. Of course, the size of the establishment determined the number of employees needed. In small towns, the operations were minuscule. But business was usually always good because settlers almost always wanted to drink.

And as saloons grew, so too did the need for additional staff. Jobs were added constantly as saloons ballooned. Gambling operators, porters, and tobacco room attendants all became legitimate work options. Of course, while the job opportunities were plentiful, the nature of the work was not always respectable. Saloon keepers were often seen as immoral by the more religious townsfolk. And constantly having to break up bar fights wasn’t exactly a highlight of the gig. But the work was steady, and the pay kept rolling in. For many, that’s all they could ask!^[4]

6 Teaching School

Teaching has always played a vital role in society. After all, someone must pass down knowledge and skills to future generations, right? This was especially true in the Wild West. There, the importance of education was not overlooked. Despite the prominence of other establishments, such as saloons, towns knew they needed teachers. So they would make it a point to bring skilled educators out when settlements got large enough.

A teacher’s job in an Old West town was grueling in some ways. The days were long, and the demands from the kids were varied. But it was largely work held in high esteem. And it was remarkably consistent in its delivery. So, many seeking some sense of normalcy way out west would line up to teach. It offered the ability to work closely with the frontier’s future, after all.

The one-room prairie schoolhouse is often depicted in popular culture. And it really was a common sight on the frontier. These schools presented unique challenges for teachers. After all, they were responsible for educating a diverse range of ages and abilities within a single classroom. Young children and teenagers were all housed together during the school day. So teachers had to get creative with their delivery methods. Literacy was paramount. Reading, writing, and arithmetic were key functions of the role.

In that way, many teachers succeeded in bringing literacy to the Great Plains and beyond. All the way through, it required careful lesson planning and the ability to keep all students engaged. While colleges were a long way off at the time, getting more kids through school each year helped to settle and civilize the wild pioneers of the Old West. Subsequent generations still have those teachers to thank!^[5]

5 Banking and Finance

As we’ve seen, the Wild West is often depicted as a lawless frontier. Danger lurked around every corner! In some cases, it certainly did. But as we are learning, this perception of the Old West is not entirely accurate. Take the profession of banking, for example. Sure, there were certainly instances of robberies by armed bandits. But banking was largely an above-board endeavor.

In fact, banking was a relatively safe and steady employment opportunity in many Western towns. Banks on the frontier came in various forms. Some were owned by private investors. Others were developed by larger corporations like the Hudson Bay Company and Wells Fargo.

With the discovery of gold in California, the need for banks increased dramatically. Almost overnight, prospectors sought to protect and grow their newfound wealth. This provided ample opportunities for all types of bank workers. From owners to tellers, the jobs were plentiful. The creation of the United States national banking system in 1863 further added stability to the banking industry.

In fact, it standardized currency transfers between banks and eliminated the threat of “wildcat banks” that took deposits and then disappeared. As a result, regulation brought a sense of security to the employment opportunities within banks. And it gave the general public more trust in them. Just as we’ve seen with old-time school teachers, banking became a relatively noble profession in the Old West.^[6]

4 Railroad Work

As the mining and ranching industries boomed in the Old West, related job opportunities flourished. The Central Pacific Railroad expansion westward, in particular, required an overwhelming amount of labor. All the men that wanted to work could get on with the railroad. But there were still more spaces to fill, and the frontier alone could not provide it. Despite needing thousands of laborers at any given time to build out track, there just weren’t that many able hands.

To fill this gap, Central Pacific looked to Chinese immigrants to supply the necessary workforce. This was a significant development in the American frontier. It not only helped build the railroad, but it also provided jobs for many people. And it brought an entirely new wave of immigrants to the West.

As you might expect, money was abundant in the railroad business. Monthly wages at the time ranged right around the modern-day equivalent of $1,000. For settlers seeking steady work and some pay, those were big bucks. It gave many men some semblance of normalcy through what was otherwise a rough life. But the work was back-breaking too.

The Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroad laid over 1,700 miles (2,736 kilometers) of tracks across the West. It required a tremendous amount of labor and money. And many of those who built out the lines buckled under the physical toll. Even so, these men effectively built the American frontier as we know it today. Without their work, logistics out West would have been unimaginably bad, and modernity would have gotten to the frontier at an even slower pace.^[7]

3 Blacksmithing

The blacksmithing profession may not be as memorable today as some other careers in the Old West. But it was certainly one of the most reliable. And it was particularly profitable, too! During frontier times, blacksmiths were in high demand. Today, some even consider it a “golden age” for the profession. With the development of settler locales and the need for construction, blacksmiths immediately became the region’s go-to experts on tools.

Frontier founders relied on their expertise in crafting tools. From hammers to horseshoes, everything needed to be strong and durable for use on a daily basis. To that end, it was the blacksmith’s job to keep everything running. And many soon became responsible for creating and repairing heavy agricultural equipment like plows and shovels.

Blacksmiths were well-compensated for their services. At the time, many earned anywhere from $1 to $1.50 per day for repairs. Some even pocketed $5 or more every time they carved out new equipment. In today’s currency, that equates to roughly $30 to $200 per day. It may not sound like much to some of you, but back then, those were serious wages. Blacksmiths were even responsible for repairing carriages, too. That added to the diversity of services they offered.

In turn, it only increased their earning potential. The wages were so good that blacksmiths would often hire apprentices to assist with daily operations. Slowly, these experts would teach the trade to their young charges. This not only helped with the workload but also ensured the continuation of the profession. For decades, blacksmiths lived well out West. And the things they forged helped to create the frontier!^[8]

2 Service Industry Gigs

The American West was a land of opportunity for many people. As we’ve seen, a wide range of businesses popped up in frontier towns. These businesses all required a diverse set of workers. Some had specialized skills, as we’ve already seen with blacksmiths. But others had far more transferrable abilities. In the growing service industry, in particular, these less-skilled workers found reliable career paths. Restaurants, hotels, saloons, and other establishments provided various employment options.

Every business had an owner, and every owner needed workers to keep their business running smoothly and generating money. Plus, settler towns were full of transient men just passing through. They needed spots in which to stay, dine, and drink. Suddenly, service work in hotels and restaurants became critical to a town’s infrastructure.

As the 20th century approached, the food and hospitality industries in the West began to evolve. Fancier dishes made their way out to the frontier. Things like oysters and other delicacies started getting shipped out on newly-laid train tracks. The appearance of new products like that required even more specialization from cooks and staff.

Hotels also saw a boom in quality and quantity. Of course, they were not nearly as luxurious as they are today. Hotels of the era were often remarkably dirty and lacked basic amenities like bathtubs. Nonetheless, travelers still needed a place to sleep. And workers were very much needed to keep the operations running. Thus, the service industry boomed. Even without most high-end amenities, the opportunity for employment in the West’s hospitality industry was always strong.^[9]

1 Journalism

The frontier may not have seemed like a place that would involve the newspaper business. But interestingly, papers were actually quite prevalent! Take the then-tiny town of Tucson, Arizona. In the 1831 census, it was recorded as having five different newspapers. And that was with having only 465 residents in town that year! That works out to almost one newspaper for every one hundred locals.

People wanted news in the West, and papers popped up all over to provide it. And this doesn’t even include the magazines that were also published across frontier towns. There was no television or radio back then, of course. So settlers needed some other way to get information. Papers were a relatively cost-effective way of (quite literally) spreading the news. Western readers—many of whom had been taught to read by those aforementioned school teachers—picked up copies in droves.

The newspaper industry required many different jobs to keep it running smoothly. Of course, there were the writers who crafted the words. But there were also the specialized design and print staffers who brought them to life on paper. And every town had people who delivered the newspapers to readers. Thus, each and every small newspaper and magazine needed a variety of people to keep it going. The content of these papers was diverse too.

Over the years, it spanned local news, wires from back East, political opinions, and even sports. For those with a talent for writing and something to say, the Old West was a great place to be. Running a paper truly meant keeping a thumb on the pulse of that outlet’s local area.^[10]

+ BONUS: Crime

We might as well talk about it, right? Today, outlaws and bandits are seen as a key part of the Old West. And while the reality of their presence is slightly more mundane than John Wayne might have you believe, crime did pay—sometimes—on the frontier. After all, in remote settlements, the law was often far away. People largely loved it! After all, they were free to live their lives as they saw fit. Adventurous men took to the West like moths to a flame. But not everybody was there to play nice.

Among those who sought their fortunes in the untamed frontier were unscrupulous and violent outlaws. They made a living by preying on the weak among them. Many of the worst simply took what they wanted by force. Although they were reviled by most settlers, these outlaws were very much a part of the fabric of the Wild West. And for disillusioned men who had been cast aside by society, banditry offered an alternative form of employment. Many who were not cut out for more traditional careers turned to crime and the dreams of quick cash.

However, it’s important to remember that the Wild West was not as wild as it is often portrayed today. Despite the lawlessness that characterized the frontier, the law did ultimately prevail. Many of the most famous gunfights and outlaw raids were short-lived and scattered. Often, law enforcement officials of the era were able to bring culprits to swift and violent justice. The shine of being an outlaw in the Old West typically wore off quickly.

With prison and death very real possibilities for those gangsters, the reality of thug life on the frontier was a stark one. After all, there’s a reason so many bandits didn’t live to see old age. The career simply wasn’t a viable long-term option, even if it seemed attractive at first.^[11]