Product Description

Before the mid-1800s, much of the American West was a vast
expanse of open plains. Native tribes followed buffalo herds
unimpeded for hundreds of miles, cowboys ran cattle wherever
water and grass led them, and the cattleman s Law of the Open
Range ruled. All this changed when settlers pouring into the West
under the Homestead Act of 1862 brought with them the Eastern
farmer s concept of fencing in farms. With the invention and mass
production of barbed wire in the 1870s, it soon became possible
for homesteaders to fence off millions of acres of what was once
open range. But barbed wire threatened the livelihood of the
cattlemen who depended on unfenced grasslands, and a clash of
cultures was inevitable.

In a style that will capture the interest of adult and teen readers,
Barbed Wire: The Fence That Changed the West reveals the surprisingly
critical role the invention of barbed wire played in the settling of
America. From the legal battles over barbed wire patents to the
brutal fencing wars that erupted on the frontier and the ultimate
end of the open range, author Joanne Liu tells the fascinating story
of how a simple twist of wire transformed a country s landscape
and ushered in a new way of life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #246704 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780878425570
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Joanne S. Liu is a Texas-based freelance writer who
has published articles in The History Channel Magazine,
Learning Through History Magazine, and History Magazine,
among others. After receiving a bachelor of arts from
Brown and a law degree from Boston University, she
practiced law in New England, where she specialized
in tracing ownership of real estate back to the 1700s.
She now resides in Houston, Texas, with her husband
and daughter.

Customer Reviews

An absorbing and insightful chronicle
A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs and illustrations enhance Barbed Wire: The Fence That Changed the West, the remarkable true history of how the invention of the barbed wire fence transformed America. Prior to the availability of affordable fencing, the Law of the Open Range decreed that the needs of cattle herds dominated the needs of farmers. With barbed wire fences, homesteaders could claim their land and create a relatively impassible barrier to cattle. The result was a conflict of cultures as cattlemen, farmers, Indians, inventors, and outlaws squared off against one another to determine what the West would become. An absorbing and insightful chronicle, enthusiastically recommended especially for American and Western history collections. Writers (and fans) of western-themed novels or shows would also be well advised to enrich themselves by reading Barbed Wire from cover to cover!