A Small Invention That Ended the Times of Cowboys


Everyone can imagine what a cowboy looks like. Over 100 years of western movies have made their image popular and easily recognizable. But do you know how long the Wild West era actually lasted? If you answered “over a hundred years” – you’re wrong. It only thrived for 30 years and came to an end because of one invention that’s still used today! Since cowboys lived by the Rule of Open Range, farmers needed to distinguish their territories somehow and prevent their crops from being trampled by cattle moving freely. They could have built fences out of wood, but that wasn’t a common resource in the prairies, and it would have been expensive and taken too much time. So what did they do? Other videos you might like: 13 Unbelievable Coincidences That Will Leave You Confused https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz9OSmVuNHw& The Bermuda Triangle Mystery Has Been Solved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_5n7URd2Gk& Scientists Finally Discovered the Truth About Easter Island https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4U5Y7MSAJc& TIMESTAMPS: Cowboys didn't wear those iconic hats in reality 0:27 No boundaries for cattle 🐮 1:18 What the Indians called “the Devil’s rope” 2:10 How farmers protected their crops 3:45 Cool way to make a fortune on barbed wire 5:34 Fence-cutting wars 6:54 #cowboys #wildwest #inventions Music by Epidemic Sound http://bit.ly/1NOjjY3 SUMMARY: - Now, how would you describe a cowboy? A fearless macho wearing a hat; a lasso master and a frequent visitor of saloons? In reality, those guys were mostly illiterate cattle handlers or cattlemen. - Their era, called the Wild West or the American Frontier, lasted from right after the Civil War ended in 1865 until around 1895. - Back in the beginning of the 19th century, the United States didn’t actually stretch from sea to shining sea. It occupied a rather small area in the eastern part of the continent. - Cattle breeders lived according to their own rules. Or one rule, to be precise – the Rule of Open Range. It meant no boundaries for cattle, and freedom for herds to move to new pastures. - In fact, the entire Wild West was ruined by what the Indians called “the Devil’s rope”. You know this invention as barbed wire. - Since cowboys lived by the Rule of Open Range, farmers needed to distinguish their territories somehow and prevent their crops from being trampled by cattle moving freely. - A businessman named Joseph Glidden changed everything with his invention of barbed wire. It wasn’t a completely revolutionary concept, as hundreds of barbed wire models were patented in the 19th century alone. - In 5 years, sales went from 31 miles (50 km) of wire to 263.000 miles (423.000 km)! That would be enough to wrap around the equator ten times! - Another name associated with barbed wire is John Warne Gates. He made a fortune on barbed wire sales, and also on the bets he made with onlookers. - So, the farmers got a cheap way to build borders between their lands, and the newspapers called it "The Greatest Discovery Of The Age". - “Fence-cutting wars” became a reality in that time. Cowboys would put on masks and form gangs, such as Blue Devils and the Javelinas, and cut the wires in the night to get access to water and grazings. - As a result, the once Wild West wasn’t as wild as it used to be, the Rule of the Open Range was over, and cowboys became history. Subscribe to Bright Side : https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook: http://bit.ly/1NR4JJP Instagram: http://bit.ly/2pDikkf 5-Minute Crafts Youtube: http://bit.ly/2pNb6gr Photos: http://bit.ly/23rGg9b East News ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://bit.ly/2d8ayZz

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