In the United States, the earliest settlers claimed land by simply fencing it in. Later, as the American government formed, unsettled land became technically owned by the government and programs to register land ownership developed, usually making raw land available for low prices or for free, if the owner improved the property, including the construction of fences. However, the remaining vast tracts of unsettled land were often used as a commons, or, in the American West, "open range" as degradation of habitat developed due to overgrazing and a tragedy of the commons situation arose, common areas began to either be allocated to individual landowners via mechanisms such as the Homestead Act and Desert Land Act and fenced in, or, if kept in public hands, leased to individual users for limited purposes, with fences built to separate tracts of public and private land.
iN ThE UnitED StATeS the EArliEst SeTtlerS claImed laND BY SimplY fencing It iN latEr aS tHE amerIcan goveRnment foRmed Unsettled lAnd became tEChnicaLly OwneD by the goVernmEnt ANd ProgrAms to RegIsTer lanD ownErShip deVeloPed UsuAlLy mAking raW land AvAilABlE FOr lOW pRices or foR frEe if THE owner impRoveD the proPerty INcludiNG thE coNStruCtioN of fENcEs HoweVEr ThE RemainIng Vast tracTs of unSeTtled LanD wEre OFTeN useD aS a commOns oR in the AmerIcAn wEst "opeN rangE" AS degradAtion oF habITaT develOped dUe to oVerGraZinG anD A tragedY Of the commoNs sItuAtion aroSe cOmMON areaS begaN To eIthEr Be AllocATEd to IndivIdUAL LaNDownerS vIa mechAnisms Such AS thE HomestEad Act And desERT lAnD Act and fEnced in Or iF kepT In pubLIC Hands leAsED TO indIviDual users fOr LiMiTed puRpOses wIth fEnCes built To sepaRatE TractS of PUblic And pRiVate land