Wow, I love HN submissions sometimes (in terms of picking up random and interesting factoids) so thanks for posting this.

Prior to clicking I sort of assumed it would be about the Homestead Act of 1862 and the invention of the barbed-wire fence (ala 'Don't Fence Me In' movement)

See "'The devil's rope': How barbed wire changed America" https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40448594