How did cowboys and cattle drives impact the development of Texas

Although Texas had been cattle country since the 18th century, the economic importance of livestock took off in the post Civil War era, when wild longhorns could be sold for up to 6 times as much in the northern states ... Ranching wasn't the only industry with a major impact on the Texas economy during the late 1800s.

Cowboys often worked on cattle drives. This was when a large herd of cattle was moved from the ranch to a market place where they could be sold. A lot of the original cattle drives went from Texas to the railroads in Kansas. Cattle drives were tough work (hope this answers your question)