Agriculture Revolt
By: Tommy • Essay • 333 Words • November 18, 2009 • 996 Views
Essay title: Agriculture Revolt
Agriculture was a big business that many farmers took a part in. Due to the rising amount of exports, manufacturing capability, power, and wealth, America began to expand to other parts of the world and used overseas markets to send its goods. Farming became on of the most competitive jobs around this time. Farmers had many problems with the industrialization occurring in this country at the time. There were many factors that contributed to the agrarians’ discontent and led to their revolts.
At this time, the machinery was extremely expensive for the farmers to buy. Large-scale farmers were wealthy and considered to be businessmen. These farmers, however, were tied to banking, railroading, and manufacturing. They had to buy expensive machinery in order to plant and harvest their crops. As the rural population began to drop, the farmers who remained were successful in their production (made one of America’s “breadbaskets”).
Before industrialization became big, farmers used to grow their own food, make their own clothing, and bartered for their other needs. Now, with the high prices, farmers were forced to grow single “cash” crops like wheat or corn, and use their profits to buy other necessities at the general