Figure 1.--As color lithography developed we see artistic ads by farm machinery and other companies selling to the farmer. Horses are prominently featured because hey were still the primary source of power available to the American farmer in the 19ht century. The first motorized tractor did not appear until thev20th century (1912). American farmers were anxious have the new machinery and fertilizers that were transforming them from small-scale enterprises into food factories. Companies wanted to get their brands in front of farmers who were an important group driving early industrialization. A a result of these rural customers we see the proliferation of farm signage and advertising from this period.

America began as 13 British colonies narrowly clustered east of the Appalachian Mountains along the the Atlantic coast. Only three more states had been added by the urn of the 19th century. The economy of all these states was based on agriculture with a strong commercial component in New England. There were two competing visions for America's future. Thomas Jefferson who won the 1800 presidential election envisioned a vast country populated by small-scale family farmers who worked family farms. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton envision a commercial and manufacturing economy. This of course is what happened, but Jefferson got his way as well. As America moved west, it began with farmers hacking out family farms from the wilderness. This was the result of the legal and economic 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, attracting landless farmers and urban workers from Europe by the millions. Transportation was key to the development of agriculture. Produce has little value unless it can be transported to a market. Rivers and canals dominated in the first half of the century. The railroads which would begin to appear (1830s) and would dominate the second half of the century. America would bid the world greatest rail system and cross the continence after the Civil War (1869). Railroads fundamentally changed the economics of American agriculture. Throughout 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 family 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 efficient and productive farms in the world. By the end of the century, America had not only reached the Pacific coast, but had become both the world's greatest agricultural produce and the world's leading industrial power.

The 1800s

America began as 13 British colonies narrowly clustered east of the Appalachian Mountains along the the Atlantic coast. Only three more states had been added by the urn of the 19th century. The economy of all these states was based on agriculture with a strong commercial component in New England. There were two competing visions for America's future. Thomas Jefferson who won the 1800 presidential election envisioned a vast country populated by small-scale farmers who worked family farms. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton envision a commercial and manufacturing economy. This of course is what happened, but Jefferson got his way as well. As America moved west, it began with farmers hacking out family farms from the heavily wooded wilderness. This was the result of the legal and economic 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 Louisiana Purchase greatly expanded the land that small-scale farmers could exploit (2803). And as America progressed, Americans enjoying wide-spread land ownership, became the most prosperous people on earth, attracting landless farmers and urban workers from Europe by the millions. Transportation was key to the development of agriculture. Produce has little value unless it can be transported to a market. Rivers and canals dominated in the first half of the century.

The 1810s

Steam driven riverboats began to appear.

The 1820s

Important steps occurred in the 1820s. The First American agricultural periodical,The Agricultural Museum began publishing (1820). Congress established Agricultural Committee. the House of Representatives (1820) and the Senate (1825). And the interests of the family farmer was import because of the American democratic system.

The 1830s

The railroad would begin to appear (1830s) and would dominate the second half of the century. The McCormick reaper was patented (1834). This was a major step in the mechanization of American agriculture. It was take some time for these developments to have a real impact, but the 1830s was the beginning. The basic limitation was power. Most of the new mechanical innovation were still powered by the horse. Both developments primarily affected Northern free states. The slave system retarded technological development. in the South. Many southerners rejected the economic developments in the North . During the Antebellum Period, Southerners began to increasingly view Northerners with hostility and suspicion. Southern nationalism began to develop. Slavery was at he heart of the developing split., but there were differences over other economic and social values. Asa result, the South did not industrialize to any extent. This would become a major facton in the Uin victory in the Civil War.

The 1840s

The growing importance of factory-made agricultural machinery increased the need for need for farmers to generate cash. The increased the shift from subsistence farming to the growth of commercial farming and cash crops. And the railroads meant that the farmer had an increasing 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 primarily built in th North. The Southern rail system was much more limited. This encouraged the development of commercial corn and wheat belts in the North, creating important domestic markets for American industrialists. Virtually all of this occurred in the Northern Fee states. The massive development of northern industry and the rail network would have huge consequences in the coming Civil War. Had the Civil War occurred in he 1840s or 50s, the Southern states would have had a much greater chance of winning he War.

The 1860s

The 1860s was a fateful decade for Americans, including the American farmer. Railroads fundamentally changed the economics of American agriculture. Throughout 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 landmark year was 1862. Unlike Russia, American farms were dominated by the family farm promoted by the Homestead Act (1862). The Homestead Act essentially extended the Northwest Ordinance to the land west of the Mississippi River. The American Department of Agriculture was established (1862). Especially important was the Homestead Act (1862). It offered free public land to persons willing to farm it (1865-70). The need for improving agricultural methods led to the Morrill Land Grant College Act (1862). All this was passed in the midst of the Civil War, an extraordinary 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 War would cross the continent (1869). Also after the Civil War, the slave-based cotton plantation system was replaced by share cropping.

The 1870s

The invention of barbed wire made the fencing of mid-western range land possible. This ended unrestricted, open-range grazing, leading to conflicts between ranchers and farmers. .

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 efficient and productive farms in the world, but still generating power from farm animals, primarily horses. Few farmers had more than five horses--essentially a mere five horse power at his disposal. By the end of the century, America had not only reached the Pacific coast, but had become both the world's greatest agricultural producer as well as the world's leading industrial power. And with the turn-of-the century the internal combustion engine with power measured in multiple 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 approved (1890), although it would would be another decade before the Food and Drug Administration was created. Rural Free Delivery was established, especially important because of the importance of catalog sales--the internet of the era (1896).

Created: 3:58 AM 6/16/2022
Last updated: 3:58 AM 6/16/2022