American Sheep - by Brett Bannor (Hardcover)

About the Book

"American Sheep introduces the "remarkable story" of how sheep helped shape American history from the colonial era through the early twentieth century. By introducing the readers to a cast of characters-some forgotten and some famous-whose lives intersected with sheep, the book illuminates the roles the animals played in the "growth and development of the United States." John Brown's relationship with sheep, for example, reveals how "sheep culture influenced racial relations." And John Muir's fears about sheep grazing in Yosemite were central to the development of the environmental movement his name is most often attached to. American Sheep, in other words, is a book that shears away our misunderstandings of the past and weaves sheep into the fabric of American economic and social history"--

Book Synopsis

Why did Thomas Jefferson write that he would be happy if all dogs went extinct? What economic opportunity did attorney John Lord Hayes envision for the newly emancipated during Reconstruction? What American workers were mocked by Theodore Roosevelt as "morose, melancholy men"? What problems with revenue collection did Congressman James Beauchamp Clark mention when proposing an income tax? Why did Harley O. Gable of Armour & Company recommend that his meat-packing business manufacture violin strings? Why was Senator Lyndon Johnson angry at the Army and Navy Munitions Board at the start of the Korean War?

The answers to all these questions involve sheep. From the colonial era through the mid-twentieth century, America's flocks played a key role in the nation's development. Furthermore, much consternation centered around the sheep the United States lacked, so that dependency on foreign wool--a headache in times of peace--became a full-blown crisis in wartime. But more than just providers of wool, sheep were valued for their meat, for their byproducts after slaughter, and even for their efficiency at lawn maintenance.

Here is the story of the complex and fascinating relationship between Americans and their sheep. Brett Bannor explains how sheep have significantly impacted the broader growth and development of the United States. The history of America's sheep encompasses topics that touch on many cornerstones of the American experience, such as enslavement, warfare, western expansion, industrialization, taxation, feminism, conservation, and labor relations, among others.

Review Quotes

Bannor reminds a modern world of the vital role sheep have played in the history of the United States. . . . The author reveals how sheep were written out of the history of the Western frontier in favor of the cattle they actually outnumbered. . . . Highly recommended.--T. R. Faust, formerly, College of Central Florida "CHOICE"

From the role of wool imports and tariffs in the nineteenth century and the debates over the origin of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' to the significance of sheep during western expansion to the diminished role of natural fibers from the 1930s to today, Brett Bannor's American Sheep explores the myriad and surprising impacts sheep have in the history of the United States.--Staci Catron "author of Seeking Eden: A Collection of Georgia's Historic Gardens"

American Sheep is strikingly original and a provides a lively account of a topic that fills a gap in American history and animal studies.--Frederick R. Davis "author of The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles: Archie Carr and the Origins of Conservation Biology"

American Sheep: A Cultural History is a lively and detailed chronicle of our national relationship with one of the earliest domesticated animals. What modern reader would suspect that American public policy, self-sufficiency, Wild West legend, economics, environmentalism, and land use, to name just a few, were so profoundly influenced by the humble sheep?--Cindy Horton, director of museum operations, Florida State Fair Authority

Sheep spanned the entirety of U.S. history, and their contribution to fashion and clothing makes them unique in the history of domestic animals. Framed as a rediscovery of a forgotten partner in American agricultural history, American Sheep will appeal to anyone curious about domestic animals and farming.--Jon T. Coleman "author of Here Lies Hugh Glass: A Mountain Man, a Bear, and the Rise of the American Nation"

About the Author

BRETT BANNOR is the manager of Animal Collections at the Atlanta History Center, where he takes care of the institution's domestic animals--including sheep, of course. He has written several articles on both natural and cultural history.