It comes from the idea that a wagon train heading west would be better off (easier to defend themselves) if they formed a circle. Any women and children could get into the middle of the circle and the men could defend on all sides from attackers.

In the modern sense, it means that we have to work together as a team to protect a common interest. For instance, if a neighborhood has experienced a series of small crimes, the people may say that it’s time to circle the wagons–to use what they have as a team to protect their homes and families.

Circle The Wagons

In the old westward expansion frontier days in the US, a wagon train of settlers would make a circle of their wagons when they stopped for the night…fires would be built in the middle of the circle, and the men took turns guarding from around the outer perimeter while the cooking, child-tending, socializing, etc. took place in the center of the circle. Today, to ‘circle the wagons’ means it’s time to go on guard, to protect your situation from outside threats by banding together in a figurative circle. Example: when the war news from Iraq is really horrible, the administration puts the squeeze on the Pentagon and Congress and the media to ‘circle the wagons’ and come up with a united rationale that the situation isn’t horrible at all.

Throughout history (not just in the American West, but in Europe and elsewhere long before), groups of people traveled in wagon caravans for safety.

The circling of the wagons was a defensive posture adopted to provide the best conditions for defense against attackers. There was no flank, no rear approach, etc., and the defenders could keep their people, livestock, valuables, etc., within the ring of wagons. This is the same defensive posture used in nature, for example by musk oxen. It’s very tough to breach without superior numbers and a lot of time.

Today, the term “circle the wagons” is used in a business or political sense most often. It means when a group within a corporation, a government, or a political faction is under attack (usually when they have done something wrong), they must all stick together and each defend the group as a whole, not just himself/herself. There is to be one line of defensive propaganda and no defections. They develop a story and they all stick to it.

It’s to take create a quick fortress against attack.

Long line of wagons come under attack, easiest way to form a wall between the people in the wagons and the attacking group is to circle the wagons.

Basically, it’s to work together with others to form a defence of sorts.

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RE:
I have heard people say “its time to circle the wagons” what does this mean?
Hi

It comes from when people traveled by caravan and were subject to attack by enemies. If they formed a circle with their wagons and carts, the enemy had a hard time cutting one of them off for easy pickings. It also provided a good defensive formation because it didn’t provide one easy target. Today, recognizing that one is subject to attack and taking steps to stave off the attack is called “circling the wagons.”

the meaning in modern sense is: bring your people or team together, and agree on the story or the approach to defend an impending attack from the outside.

It originated in this way: in the western parts of US settelers due to fright of bandits would “circle their wagons” and hide behind them to fire their rifles.

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