Figure 1.--As color lithogrphy developed we see artistic ads by farm machinery and other compnies selling to the farmer. Horses are promnnly featured. The first trcyor ppeared (19012). Ameican farmers were anxious have the new machinery and fertilizers that were transforming them from small-scale enterprises into food factories. Companis wantd to get their brands in front of farmers who were an importabt grouop friving industrialization. these new rural customers. Thus the proliferation of farm signage and advertising from this period.

America began as 13 British colonies narrowly clustered east of the Appalachan Mountains along the the Atlantic coast. Only three more states had been added by the urn of the 19th century. The econmy of all these sttes was based on agticulture with a strong commercial component in New England. There were two competing visions for America's future. Thomas Jefferson who won the 1800 presedential election envisioned a vast country populated by small-scale farmers who worked family farms. Secreary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton envision a commercial and manufcturing economy. This of course is what happened, but Jefferson got his way as well. As America moved west, it began wil farmers hacking out family farms from the wilderness. This was the result of the legal anbd ecomnomic system, beginning with the Northwest Ordinance (1787). Cotton would become the major American export commodity and play a major role in financing the early industrialization of the North. It was, however, a very small part of the American work force (about 15 percent). Most Americans enjoyed the freest labor system in the world. And as America progressed, Americans enjoying wide-spread land ownership, became the most prosperous people on earth, attecting landless farmers and urban workers by the millions. Transportation was key to the development of agiculture. Produce has little valie unless it can be trasported to a market. Rivers and canals dominated in the first half of the century. The railroada which would begin to appear (1830s) and would dominate the secomd half of the century. America would dervlop the world greatest rail system and cross the coninent after the Civil War (1869). Railroads fundamentally changed the economics of American agriculture. Througout most of the 19th century, agriculture was the backbone of the economy, only by the late-19th century would industry begin to replace agriculture as the heart of the economy. Throughout the century, however, most Americans lived and worked on farms. After the Civil War (1861-65), the settlement of the Mid-West and Great Plains made America into a world breadbasket comparable to Tsarist Russia. Unlike Russia, American farms were dominated by the famiy farm promoted by the Homestead Act (1862). And American farmers began to mechanize even before the development of motor vehicles reached the American farm, creating the most efficent and productive farms in the world. By the end of the century, America haf streached not only to the Pacific coast, but had become both the world's greatest agriucultural producer, but also the world's leading industrial power.

The 1800s

America began as 13 British colonies narrowly clustered east of the Appalachan Mountains along the the Atlantic coast. Only three more states had been added by the urn of the 19th century. The econmy of all these sttes was based on agticulture with a strong commercial component in New England. There were two competing visions for America's future. Thomas Jefferson who won the 1800 presedential election envisioned a vast country populated by small-scale farmers who worked family farms. Secreary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton envision a commercial and manufcturing economy. This of course is what happened, but Jefferson got his way as well. As America moved west, it began wil farmers hacking out family farms from the wilderness. This was the result of the legal and ecomnomic system, beginning with the Northwest Ordinance (1787). Cotton based on slave labor would become the major American export commodity and play a major role in financing the early industrialization of the North. It was, however, a very small part of the American work force (about 15 percent). Most Americans enjoyed the freest labor system in the world. The Louisana Purchase grealy expnded the lnd that small-scale farmers could exploit (2803). And as America progressed, Americans enjoying wide-spread land ownership, became the most prosperous people on earth, attecting landless farmers and urban workers by the millions. Transportation was key to the development of agiculture. Produce has little valie unless it can be trasported to a market. Rivers and canals dominated in the first half of the century.

The 1810s

Steam driven riverboats began to apper.

The 1820s

Important steps occurred in yhe 1820s. The First American agricultural periodical,The Agricultural Museum began publishing (1820). Congress established Agricultural Committess. the Hiuse of Reprsentarives (1820) and the Senate (1825). And the interests of the family farmer was importabt because of the American democratic system.

The 1830s

The railroada which would begin to appear (1830s) and would dominate the secomd half of the century. The McCormick reaper was patented (1834). This was a major step in the mechnization of American agriculture. It was take some time for these developents to have a real impact, but the 1830s was the beginning. Boh developmbts primrily affected Norythern states. The slave system retsarded technological development. in ythe siuth.

The 1840s

The growing importasnce of factory-made agricultural machinery increased the need for need for fatrmers to genrte cash. The increased the sxhift from subsistence frming to the growth of commercial farming nd cadsh crops. And the railroads men that the farmer had an ibncreasing ability to get his crop to market and earn cash.

The 1850s

America would build the greatest rail system in the world. The system was primrily built in th North. tghe Southern rail system was much more limited. This encouraged the devekopment of commercial corn and wheat belts creating imprtnty mrkets for Amerrican industrilists, who nprimarily developed industry in the North. prfimrily in the north. The developmnt of indutry nd the rail network would hve njor concseuwsnces in the comingg Civil War.

The 1860s

The 1860s was a fsateful decde for mrericans, including the American farmer. Railroads fundamentally changed the economics of American agriculture. Througout most of the 19th century, agriculture was the backbone of the economy, only by the late-19th century would industry begin to replace agriculture as the heart of the economy. Throughout the century, however, most Americans lived and worked on farms. the lndmsrk year was 1862. Unlike Russia, American farms were dominated by the famiy farm promoted by the Homestead Act (1862). The American Department of Agriculture was stablished (1862). Especially important was the Homestead Act (1862). It offered free public land to persons willing to farm it (1865-70). The need for impriving agricultural methods led to the Morrill Land Grant College Act (1862). All this was passed in the midst of the Civil War, an extrodinry accomplishment. The Civil War brought Emancipation. After the Civil War (1861-65), the settlement of the Mid-West and Great Plains made America into a world breadbasket comparable to Tsarist Russia. Americans after the Civil Warf would cross the coninent (1869). Also after tyhe Civilk War, the slave-based cotyton plantation system sustem was replaved by share cropping.

The 1870s

The 1880s

Congress passed the Hatch Experiment Station Act (1887). This set up system of Federal-State cooperation in agricultural research

The 1890s

American farmers had began to mechanize even before the development of motor vehicles reached the American farm, creating the most efficent and productive farms in the world, but still from farm animnl, opinly horses. By the end of the century, America had streached not only to the Pacific coast, but had become both the world's greatest agriucultural producer, but also the world's leading industrial power. And with the turn-of-the century the internal combustion engine with power measured in nultiple horses. The Second Morrill Act broadened land -grant program and set up funding for African-American black land-grant schools The 1890 Census showed that the frontier settlement era was over. The First Federal Meat Inspection Act was apprived (1890), although it would woukld ve anothr decade before the Food and Drug Administration. Rural Free Delivery was estanlished, especially important because of the importabce of catalog sales--ythe internt of the era (1896).
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Created: 3:58 AM 6/16/2022
Last updated: 3:58 AM 6/16/2022