Europeans, who from the 16th century began to populate the expanses of the American continent, began to actively engage in agriculture, with cattle breeding becoming especially widespread here. Displacing the indigenous inhabitants of America from the lands, immigrants from the Old World founded their possessions, which were called ranches.
Ranch as a type of land tenure
The term "ranch" has several meanings, but they are all in one way or another related to agriculture. The word itself comes from the Spanish language. In the countries of Central and South America, ranches meant a large land holding - latifundia. In its center there was usually a dwelling house and outbuildings. The house for the owners of the latifundia could be distinguished by its rich decoration, and in appearance it sometimes resembled a luxurious manor.
In the United States of America and Canada, a ranch can be the name of any cattle farm that is built in a rural area. In both the first and second cases, the traditional specialization of ranchers is agriculture, mainly cattle breeding. This type of land holding differs from plantations in that almost no plants are grown here.
The vast American plains made it possible for farmers to set up their farms on a significant scale. There was no need to huddle with livestock on a piece of land, as was often the case in Europe. Where did such rich land come from? Militant Europeans and their descendants ruthlessly drove the American Indians from their inhabited lands, sending them in whole tribes to reservations. On the liberated lands, enterprising farmers built their ranches to breed horses and cows here.
Ranch yesterday and today
In the old days, the ranch was essentially a livestock farm and was distinguished by the utmost functionality. Everything here was adapted for keeping livestock. Outbuildings, corral corrals, inventory - all this was intended for housekeeping. The center of the ranch has always been a one-story manor, furnished in the cowboy tradition and strong enough to withstand the gusts of hurricane winds that occasionally roamed the prairie.
Modern ranches in the United States often resemble former agricultural holdings in just their name. In many states, on the site of former ranches, one can see chic residential buildings, cottages, where very wealthy people related to politics and show business live. Of course, the current ranchers have no affection for either agriculture or cattle.
Landowners today prefer a variety of types of recreation. Many elite ranches are equipped with swimming pools, there are often guest houses, and sometimes helipads. At such a hacienda, you can comfortably spend a weekend, hiding from the bustle of the city. Here informal meetings of politicians, public figures and businessmen take place, where sometimes very important issues are resolved that are reflected in the foreign and domestic policy of the state.