Max Miller US History: Barbed Wire

Max Miller
Barbed Wire

Glidden's Patent for Barbed Wire-National Archive

First Patented in 1867, barbed wire was the perfect solution for a widespread problem facing the American West. Before the invention of barbed wire, fences formed boundaries by using timber, soil, stone and sometimes metal, but the American West had none of these resources to create fences and it was inefficient and very expensive to fence off large areas during the west at that time. The idea of having a fence made out of wire was not new. It was not until Joseph Glidden's perfected the idea by adding little barbs on the wire and inventing a machine for its manufacture that barbed wire saw use. Gliddens won a patent for this new type of wire in 1867 resulting in lawsuits from many other inventors at the time claiming that it was their idea, but Gliddens won because he was one one that was responsible of making the machine to mass produce all of the wire.

This new invention of wire fence was more economical and durable than its wood and metal counterpart and finally made it possible to fence off large areas such as cattle ranges in the west. This caught the eyes of businessman and steel tycoon owner John Warne Gates who used the idea of barbed wire to create “American Steel and Wire Co”, he used his the new innovations in manufacturing technology to create a barbed wire monopoly. Accordin to the BBC, In the year 1880, his factory produced 163,000 miles of wire which is enough to circle the world 10 times.

But the history of barbed wire is one that is much more complex than it might seem. There is good and bad that was a result of this new popular innovation. The Good, National Archives compared barbed wire to having the same magnitude of change as other inventions that dramatically affected the West such as the windmill, locomotive and rifle. This is because the Barbed wire proved perfect for the conditions in the west. Joseph Glidden's, John Warne Gates steel and wire manufacturers, and anybody in the industry at all at the time was made very rich because of the tremendous popularity of the wire. It was efficient, cost effective and exactly what farmers needed at the time. Benefiting the land owners more than anyone else, they could finally fence off their land keeping things in and keeping things out just like they would do with any other fence. And because of the Homestead Act many landowners were looking for just the innovation. But this did not come without a price and the barbed wire fences would soon become a controversy.

Because of how widely used barbed wire was, it limited the openness of the west, which in turn limited the freedom of the ranchers and cowboys as they were fenced off of the land that the relied on to make a living during their cattle drives. They also cut many people off of necessities that they relied on to survive. This caused many disputes among the different people living in the west. Private farmers would unlawfully fence off land that was not theirs and claim it for themselves, which resulted in conflicts where a group of people would go and cut the wire of a landowners property which cited many violent conflicts. The cattle were now given less land to roam as they would be fenced in and closed off. Slowly, Wealthy ranchers pushed out small time ranchers and the power in the west now shifted dramatically in favor of those who owned land. The uncontrollable expanse of barbed wire fences led to many new laws, as Rush country-The Barbed Wire Museum states “Miles of barbed wire was being constructed daily”. All of these factors gained barbed wire the name “Devil's rope” in the west, and also started to mark the end of cowboys and ranchers.

Though the history of barbed wire is long and controversial. It is undoubtedly an extremely underrated innovation. As Native Americans also lost land due to barbed wire it became a controversy and is now a symbol of oppression that is still used today. Barbed wire is also widely used today and is easy to find during ones average day if they were looking. A major part of barbed wires’ history was its use in both World Wars the Glidden Homestead organization estimates that there is around 1,300 miles of barbed wire used on the western front alone in WWI, as just like it did in the american west, proved to be a perfect solution to a pressing problem, as barbed wire could not be shot or destroyed by guns and was very good at stopping enemies.

Patent Drawing for Barbed Wire-National Archives

In conclusion, barbed wire is an old invention that has stood the test of time, hardly ever differing from its original patent. It has proved itself as a useful tool time and time again throughout history. Although the history of barbed wire is a controversial one, there is no doubt that it has influenced not only American but the World.

Sources:

Rush Country Organization-General Information and History

BBC-Affects Barbed Wire had on America

University of Richmond History Engine- Deeper understanding on the American West and Barbed wire