The use of the term American West, usually refers to the history and cultural expressions of the western United States of America. Today, when talking about the American West individuals are usually referring to periods in the late 19th century. This was a time of great industrialization, new laws, new powers and a new establishment of life, as migration and integration became frequent. Poems from the American West, traditionally relate to periods of personal hardship and struggle, and these topics are a central focus.

Laying siege is usually tough and your neighbors might get angry, but with the power of a catapult, you can launch projectiles to your heart's content, all while utilizing pure physics rather than electricity or gas. Building a life-size, historically accurate, boulder-tossing catapult is difficult and dangerous, so leave those big ones to engineers. Rather, below you'll find detailed instructions on how to make a smaller, but equally enjoyable catapult you can make with a few supplies and time.

Tungsten lights are used by photographers in studio situations. They are typically mounted on tripods or another form of stand and are housed within a reflective umbrella. The lights are placed strategically around the subject being photographed to provide a certain type of light depending on the style of photo. Commonly, three lights are used. This is something that can be done by most photographers in just minutes.

Celebrate western heritage and the love of the Old West with rope crafts. With a few household items and a length of authentic rustic western rope you can construct various types of crafts that contribute to a rural ranch decor style symbolizing a hard work ethic full of character. Create these crafts to adorn your home or as gifts for family and friends.

Re-purposing old pieces of furniture and household fixtures is a fun way for crafters to create one-of-a-kind decorative and functional items in an eco-friendly way. Old windows can be used for decorative purposes such as wall art or as special pieces of furniture. Think outside the box, and turn that old window frame into a bed canopy, a small greenhouse, wall art or even a pot rack.