Front:
What was the impact of the mechanization of agriculture during 1865-1898?
Back:
Mechanization, with machines like the mechanical reaper and combine harvester, drastically increased crop production, allowing farmers to produce far more than before (e.g., corn and wheat production doubled).
However, small farmers couldn’t afford the new equipment and struggled to compete with large-scale, mechanized farms.
Many small farms went bankrupt and were bought out by larger farms.
Flashcard 2
Front:
What were the economic effects of the increased supply of crops due to mechanization?
Back:
A glut of crops flooded the market, which led to a drop in prices due to the law of supply and demand.
This further harmed small farmers who couldn’t survive on the low prices of crops, as they relied on selling them for income.
Flashcard 3
Front:
Why were farmers struggling with high prices for manufactured goods?
Back:
Farmers, relying on their farming income, often needed manufactured goods like clothing and furniture.
Industrial trusts controlled the prices of these goods, making them expensive for farmers, adding to their economic hardship.
Flashcard 4
Front:
What problems did farmers face with railroads during this period?
Back:
Farmers relied on railroads to ship crops to markets, but railroad owners often charged extremely high prices.
These high rates increased costs for farmers, worsening their financial struggles.
Flashcard 5
Front:
What was the National Grange Movement, and what did it aim to achieve?
Back:
Founded in 1868, it initially aimed to provide social and educational support to isolated farmers.
It quickly became political, pushing for state laws to regulate railroad rates and combat corporate practices harming farmers.
The movement led to the creation of the Granger Laws in several Midwestern states.
Flashcard 6
Front:
What were the Granger Laws, and what was their significance?
Back:
The Granger Laws were a set of laws aimed at regulating railroad rates and addressing unfair corporate practices, such as monopolistic pricing.
The Commerce Act of 1886 was the most significant of these, establishing the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to enforce fair and just railroad rates.
Flashcard 7
Front:
How did the federal government support westward expansion via railroads?
Back:
The Pacific Railroads Acts granted large amounts of land to railroad companies, enabling the construction of the transcontinental railroad.
In 1869, the completion of the first transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah connected the East and West, facilitating mass migration to the West.
Over time, more transcontinental railroads were built with government assistance.
Flashcard 8
Front:
What was the Homestead Act of 1862, and how did it encourage westward migration?
Back:
The Homestead Act offered 160 acres of free land to settlers who would farm it and make it productive.
This was designed to encourage migration to the West, but the land was often insufficient for small-scale farming, and many settlers went bankrupt due to the harsh conditions and mechanized competition.
Flashcard 9
Front:
How did the discovery of gold and silver affect migration to the West?
Back:
Discoveries of precious metals like gold and silver, such as the Pike’s Peak gold strike in 1869, led to an influx of settlers hoping to strike it rich.
This created boomtowns, like Denver City and Boulder City, which rapidly grew in size and diversity.
These rushes occurred for decades, with people from all over the country and world migrating to the West in search of fortune.
Flashcard 10
Front:
What role did the diversity of boomtowns play in the growth of the West?
Back:
Boomtowns that grew up around gold and silver discoveries were often diverse, attracting people from many racial and ethnic backgrounds.
The demand for labor in mining and related industries brought in not just Americans, but immigrants from Europe, Asia, and other regions, contributing to the multicultural character of the Western U.S. during this period.
Knowt
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Studied by 11 people
