The Wild West seemed like a bizarre time. Full of gunslingers, outlaws, and cowboys. But while the movies didn’t always portray the time accurately, some strange laws from the Wild West actually existed. Let’s take a trip back in time to explore some of the unusual laws.
5. Drinking Whiskey
Back in the Wild West, there were no real laws, just a Code that everyone lived by. Unwritten rules, per se. And one of the strangest ones that they had back then is that you shouldn’t order anything weaker than whiskey. This was a sign of weakness or lack of grit.
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4. Cursing
We’ve seen the movies and shows where men back in the day would curse about anything and everything. But one of the many unwritten rules is that you didn’t do it around women and children, as it was considered bad form, improper, and disrespectful.
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3. Horses Come First
After a long day on the trail, no matter how hungry, thirsty, or tired you are, you must always tend to your horse before yourself. Survival and success depended heavily on the well-being of a horse, so neglecting them was a major violation. If someone saw that a horse was neglected, it looked poorly on the person.
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2. Past Lives
Another one of the many strange laws from the Wild West is that you never inquired about another person’s past. Back in the day, the past didn’t matter to anyone. Your reputation was solely based on how you treated people in the present day. In fact, if you asked about someone’s past, it wasn’t just you being nosy, but you could get into some trouble.
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1. Honor Horses
One of the strangest facts about the Wild West is that you should never ride another man’s horse without his permission. This was considered one of the most serious breaches of the unwritten code back in the day. Horses were incredibly valuable, so taking someone’s horse meant it was a direct challenge to their dignity and livelihood.
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