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Article: Barbed Wire
- Article from:
- Dictionary of American History
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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BARBED WIRE
BARBED WIRE
is fencing contrived of two longitudinal wires twisted together into a cable with wire barbs wound around them at consistent intervals. It was first developed in the United States as a means of controlling and protecting the once open range. Range practices began to change in the 1860s as grass and water rights became issues of contention between the increasing population and ranchers who sought ways to protect their crops and livestock.
Traditional fencing materials were scarce on the prairie, expensive to transport, and frequently not suited to the environment. Smooth wire was experimented with but found inadequate for deterring livestock. Stockmen began to ...