Agricutural Changes Grow Farming (College Board AP® US History): Study Guide

Summary & Timeline

Significant transformations occurred in American life between 1865 and the end of the 19th century. This was known as the Gilded Age. Mechanization and advancements in the transportation of goods reshaped farming, leading to increased productivity, the rise of commercial agriculture, and economic challenges for small farmers. 

The railroad system, supported by the federal government, played a vital role in uniting the nation. It helped the movement of people and commerce, connecting the East and West, and contributed to the nation’s economic development.

Rise of Commercial Farms

Mechanization of Agriculture

• The introduction of new machinery revolutionized farming practices

  • Mechanical reaper: increased efficiency of harvesting crops

  • Combine harvester: combined the jobs of reaping, threshing, and winnowing into a single process, speeding up the process

  • Gasoline tractor: provided more power and reduced the amount of labor needed for farming

• The results of this mechanization included:

  • higher productivity: significant increases in crop yields

  • rise of large-scale commercial farms

    • Wealthier farmers invested in machinery and dominated agricultural production

  • decline of small farms: small farmers could not afford new machinery

  • price of agricultural goods declined

    • This was good for consumers

    • This led to reduced earnings for farmers, so it was harder to sustain their livelihoods

• Railroads charged high rates to transport agricultural products

  • Further decreasing profits for farmers 

Pushback by Farmers

• The National Grange Movement was a movement formed by farmers and others impacted by high railway prices

  • It gave them a greater voice in opposing the railroads

  • The movement called for legislation to curb the rates of railroads

• Granger Laws: were a series of laws enacted to set railroad freight rates at reasonable amounts 

• Interstate Commerce Act (1886)

  • Gave states the authority to control trade within their borders

  • States could not control railroad rates within their jurisdiction

  • This led to the establishment of the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate the actions of railroads and ensure fair rates