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Wild, Wild West

Gunfight at the OK Corral

Gunfight at the OK Corral
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 4 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.07

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    billiards, deputy, disarm, gunfight, gunman, marshal, melee, surrounding, wounded, based, legend, lasted, murder, county, ever, working
     content words:    Old West, OK Corral, John Morgan, Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp, Sheriff Behan, Doc Holliday, Frank Stilwell, Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury

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Gunfight at the OK Corral
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     Have you ever watched any movies about the Old West? Many western movies have been based on a true event. This event was called the gunfight at the OK Corral. As is often true with stories that are told over a long period of time, some of the facts surrounding the event have been stretched just a bit. The following story will give you what happened to the best of anyone's knowledge. It is told by the blacksmith in the town of Tombstone, Arizona. His name is John Morgan.
 
2     "I've lived in Tombstone most of my life. As a matter of fact, I don't remember a time I didn't live here. Life hasn't always been easy here. It is hot. It is dry. We have our share of bad men and cattle rustlers. But I can't complain. I make a decent living for myself. I'm the only blacksmith in town. People depend on me to mend their wagons. I also make horseshoes for their horses. I keep plenty busy.
 
3     "In October of 1880, we got a new town marshal. His name is Virgil Earp. It didn't take Virgil long to realize he would need some help in keeping the peace here in Tombstone. He hired the two people he trusted most to help him. They were his brothers, Morgan and Wyatt Earp.

Paragraphs 4 to 10:
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