American Agriculture Essay

American agriculture with the deviate of technology, government policy and economic had show an increase decline, politically, industrially, and economically, in the tip 1865-1900. The period was categorized as a time of Republican individuation governments that favored loose business. Technology was making massive strides hardly broadly speaking in urban manufacturing. The technological improvements that were make available were sold to the husbandmans at outrageous prices and shipped at high weight rates. Economically, the prices of agriculture were decreasing with that umteen husbandmans found themselves in a condition worst than living. Although famers were represented fair in government, these pro-agriculture politicians could non defeated the power of urban industry and big business. Although it was the famers who contributed for the country and harvest the substances on which the urban class relied upon, the farmers were becoming the disregarded people of America . Because of the political, industrial, and economic challenges that the farmers were forced to face, American agriculture suffered during the late nineteenth century.Technologically, the United States was growing at a rapid rate. Advancements began to centralize industries and shamble flavor easier for the working class. Railroads were replacing canals and trails and soon, had spread across the entire nation, expanding the content market and making any part of the country accessible. From 1870-1890, the number of railroads change magnitude enormously and the number of railroads with major land grants grew as well (Document B). This whitethorn have appeared as a positive gain for farmers on topic but in reality, the railroad hurt the farmers. While this new government agency of transportation allowed farmers to expand even further and ship their harvest or cattle faster to more markets. Money hungry railroad tycoons much(prenominal) as Leland Stanford, and others controlled t he main railroads.The freight rates were outrageous and many farmers mazed out on a sizable amount of money end-to-end the process. After the cost of shipping, taxes, low buying prices, and the cost of equipment, the farmers were left with minuscule profit. The technological advancements made favored the farmer because it made it easier to farm but often times farmers could not afford the tools, because it was too expensive. During a wheat berry harvest, instead of using a mechanical harvester, possibility motorized, a farmer was reduced tousing a team of horses, many times at that place are 30 horses used to pull the harvest (Document D). Although technology was din during the era, the advancements did not help the farmers. The positive gain looked good on musical composition but not in reality, which is often characterized during the era most infamously, coined by Mark Twain as the terrific Age.The government policy at the time was laissez-faire Republicans were in office, favored the large industries and big business. As a result, the farmers were not well represented in Washington or helped back home. Not much progress was made but when it was, advances were limited. In Illinois, the people were able to gain a small victory when the despotic Court allowed Illinois legislature to pass a law limiting freight rate (Document C). Those making progress were usually part of the populist movement, a pre-agricultural party that favored the rights of farmers. Organizations were established such as the Grangers and Farmers Alliance, which allowed farmers with goals and belief to organize and unite. Leader such as Mary Elizabeth engage presented to the people that the government had lied to the people and deceived them. She supported her argument through glamming facts such as price reduction and claims of overproduction (Document G).The government had problems dealing with the Indian problem and stalled the settlement of agricultural regions for Americans (Document I). One of the most het up(p) debates was the decision between gold and silver standard. The Republican cherished to pig out the economy and inflate with silver to support the farmers and miners out west. William Jennings Bryan argued that the country relied on farmers and that without them the country was doomed. He argued that the country should support the farmers because they provide for the nation. He made a cross of gold speech that, if cities were burned down with the farms, life will again survive like miracles, but if farms were burned down, sledding the cities then the cities will only be a ruined (Document J). The Republicans did not do much to help the economy or farmers because of the laissez faire attitude and thus, not only led to the downfall of the farmers but of the nation because of Presidents such as Rutherford B. Hayes and Ulysses Grant.Economically, the farmers were crushed pepper, and robbed. The farmerscould not obtain the sliver standard they w anted to finance themselves and were existence held down by big business and the pro-wealthy Republicans. As farmers produced more and more to make the highest possible amount of money, the price of the place dropped and led to overproduction (Document A). They violated the law of supply and demand and suffered. If the farmer did succeed, he would have to give up a great deal allot of to the railroads, government, or any other players involved in the industry. In both(prenominal) cases, contracts were signed, practically signing away half of the farmer with hardly anything (Document E). The farmers were left stultify and stuck in vicious cycle. The enclothe and cattle can be shipped to markets far away, usually Chicago, and the transit fare increase as distance increased (Document F). The farmers are often left poor, out of work and starving. The weather takes their crop and if not the weather, the scheming businessmen. They are left with a loss of dignity, promise and broken spirits (Document H). In the end, those that provided for the nation end up being crushed by the giant people they held feed. Economically, the farmers have their hands tried.During the Gilded Age, 1865-1900, American suffered from a non existent government and big business and corporations, the farmers endured some of the worst hardship as a result. The American agriculture greatly declined and politically, economically, and industrially, were crushed and left in a hopeless, vicious cycle.