One might say that the West actually consisted of three frontiers: mining, ranching, and farming. Compare and contrast these frontiers.
All three frontiers were unique. Mining employs itinerant men looking for quick cash. Ranch life was more steady, but riskier and more solitary. Farming was the hardest, but also the most stable and family-oriented. Mining was the hardest of the three frontiers. Farming required several hours of back-breaking labor, while ranching was sometimes done in harsh conditions. Mining was the riskiest owing to cave-ins and other disasters. All three boundaries had economic repercussions. Mining was usually profitable but didn't last long. Both farming and ranching were more stable, although farming delivered a more steady income over time.
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