Sheep 101 - Sheep in History

Sheep were domesticated 10,000 years ago in Central Asia, but it wasn't until 3,500 B.C. that man learned to spin wool. Sheep helped to make the spread of civilization possible. Sheep production was well established during biblical times. There are many references to sheep in the Old Testament. Sheep farming is man's oldest organized industry. Wool was the first commodity of sufficent value to warrant international trade.

In the 1400's, Queen Isabella of Spain used money derived from the wool industry to finance Columbus and other conquistadors' voyages. In 1493 on his second vorage to the New World, Columbus took sheep with him as a "walking food supply." He left some sheep in Cuba and Santo Domingo. In 1519, Cortez began his exploration of Mexico and the Western U.S. He took with him sheep that were offspring of Columbus' sheep. These sheep are believed to be the descendents of what are now called "Churros." The Navajo Churro is the oldest breed of sheep in the U.S. Despite efforts by the U.S. government to replace them, the breed is still raised by Navajo Indians.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, England tried to discourage the wool industry in the American colonies. Nonetheless, colonists quickly smuggled sheep into the states and developed a wool industry. By 1664, there were 100,000 sheep in the colonies, and the General Court of Massachusetts passed a law requiring youth to learn to spin and weave. By 1698, America was exporting wool goods. England became outraged and outlawed wool trade, making it punishible by cutting off the person's right hand. The restrictions on sheep raising and wool manufacturing, along with the Stamp Act, led to the American Revolutionary War. Thus, spinning and weaving were considered patriotic acts. Even after the war, England enacted a law forbidding the export of any sheep, but wethers.

George Washington raised sheep on his Mount Vernon Estate. Thomas Jefferson kept sheep at Monticello. Presidents Washington and Jefferson were both inaugurated in suits made of American wool. James Madison's inaugural jacket was woven from the wool of sheep raised at his home in Virginia. President President Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the White House Lawn.

Sheep raising has played a role in several historical conflicts such as the "Highland clearance," the U.S. Range Wars, and the English "enclosing of the commons." The Highland Clearances consisted of the replacement of an ancient almost feudal system of land tenure in Scotland with the rearing of sheep. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes. In the U.S. range wars, violent conflicts erupted between cattle ranches and sheep herders as both competed for land to graze their livestock. Britian's enclosing of the commons was similar to the Highland clearance; open fields were enclosed into individually owned fields for sheep farming, displacing many subsistance farmers.

As sheep were raised under tame conditions, they went through several changes. On the outside, sheep began to develop less hair and more wool . The color of the wool and hair changed from brown and shades of brown to black and white. Their ears became more of a lop ear than an erect ear. The horns that wild sheep possessed were weakened and disappeared from many breeds. On the inside, sheep changed as well. The tails had less vertebrae or bones than sheep have now. Today's sheep also have smaller brains than sheep did 12,000 years ago.

When were the first sheep brought to America?

Sheep in History