Unit 6.2

Farmers and Railroads

Railroad Expansion in West

1st Transcontinental Railroad1869 – east and west

lines joined at Promontory Point, Utah with the “golden spike”

Much of the construction done by Chinese and Irish immigrants

By 1900, four other lines built

Federal Railroad Land GrantsU.S. Gov’t gave loans

and lands to railroad companies to build lines out west.

Helped settlement in the west, but also fraud.One of the cause of

the Credit Mobilier Scandal (bribes) and the Panic of 1873

Lands were surveyed before. Gen. Henry Washburn

after surveying west, went to Congress to encourage them to set some land aside.

Thus the first National Park - Yellowstone

Immigrant RecruitmentAfter the railroads received the lands and

built the railroads, they need people to settle and be customers.

Many were recruited from Scandinavian and other areas of Europe in which industrialization had made a land shortage.

Railroad EffectsOn Nov. 18th, 1883,

Time Zones were started due to railroads wanting standard time.Professor C.F. Dowd’s

plan

Pullman Sleeper CarsOne new way to

travel was with sleeper cars.

“New South” FarmersHenry Grady (editor of the Atlanta Constitution)

argued for diversity and self-sufficient southern economyBut most of the economy was still tied to cotton. More cotton

was planted and prices continued to drop in late 1800s.

Most land (and gov’t) still controlled by rich (Bourbon Rule)

Sharecropping, Crop Lien system, and Tenant Farming still common

George Washington Carver – as a teacher at the Tuskegee Institute he worked to find products that were in abundance (like ________).

Opening up new landsRailroads sold lands cheapHomestead Act – 160 acres (section)

for “free”1)house, 2)farm 10 acres, 3)live on it 5 yearsRemember the Free-Soil Party? Republican repay

them for support.Timber Culture Act – similar, 40 acres of trees (was

not too successful)

Life on the PrairieSodhouses / DugoutsIsolationsLife for Women

Western women first for suffrage (Wyoming)

Advancements in AgricultureJohn Deere – Steel PlowCyrus McCormick – Mechanical Reaper

Also seeders, threshers, and steam engines

Railroads would bring new equipment to farmers with Rural Free Delivery (RFD).Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Ward using

catalogs

Environmental Effects

From 1880 to 1920 the population of Tornado Alley increased six-fold.

The late 1800s saw a period of usually wet years. Advancements helped more land to be farmed.

1920s and 1930s saw a dry cycle…thus an environmental disaster with the Dust Bowl.

Other Agriculture Information

Morrill Land Grant CollegesTeach basics of agricultureIn Florida (UF and FA&M)

Bonanza Farms – large farms owned by corporations. Established in late 1800s, but dropping grain prices drove many out of business.

Cooperatives – farmers pool resources in a community

How is this much like a Union which were gaining strength at the same time?

Farmers major problem #1

RailroadsShipping / Freight charges

Since most towns only had 1 rail line into town, railroads controlled grain prices to larger cities (St. Paul)

Munn v. Illinois (1877) – Supreme Court said states could regulate businesses

How does this effect you today?

Farmers Problem #2

BanksHigh Interest Rates

As prices dropped, they would have to grow two or three times as much to pay off loans.

Farmers liked Inflation. Why?Greenback Party of 1870s supported by

farmersWould later support bimetallism and Populist

(People’s) Party

Farmer OrganizationNational Grange Movement

Patrons of Husbandry , Oliver Kelley organized in 1868

Started as social organization, but developed into a political one.

Granger Laws/Cases – against railroadsWabash v. Illinois (1886) – states could not regulate

interstate commerceLed to Interstate Commerce Act (1886) – U.S. gov’t could

regulate it.Helped start cooperativesLed to Farmer’s Alliance and with Ocala Platform

(1890) led to many future progressive changes.Income Tax, Direct Election of Senators, lower tariffs, federal

banking system (Fed)

People’s PartyGrange led to Farmer’s Alliance which led to the

Populist (People’s) PartyCoalition of farmers in the West & South and

loose with northern factory workers. (any see an issue that will split coalition?)

Biggest Election they were involved in was the 1896 election.

Women involved too (Mary Lease)Biggest impact will be on Progressive movement

in the next decade.

A major Election to Know1896 Election

Republicans – William McKinleyMarcus Hanna was advisorFront Porch Campaign

Populist/Peoples – William Jennings BryanDemocrats – joined Populist with Bryan

(known as Fusion)Main issue: Bimetallism (dollar backed by

gold and silver)Bryan gives famous Cross of Gold SpeechBut McKinley (and goldbugs) win

Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz was written originally as an allegory

about the bimetallism issue. Can you figure out what and who the different parts/character represent?“Follow the yellow brick road”(in book, not movie) “silver shoes can take you

anywhere”Wicked witch of the EastWicked witch of the WestOzDorothyScarecrowTin ManCowardly LionFlying Monkeys

Reflection QuestionsHow did the Homestead Act and the

Federal Railroad Land Grants change the landscape of America?

What were the main two problems that farmers had and how did they combat them?

What was the impact of the Populist/People’s party on changing history?

Why does it matter whether the dollar is backed by gold, silver, or nothing? What’s good and bad about inflation?

Linkshttp://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydrq2-j92cU – Cross of Gold speech

http://www.indiana.edu/~libsalc/cartoons/1896.html - Political Cartoons, 1896 election

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h854.html - grangers

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5354/ - Cross of Gold info