Essay Example on Agriculture's Role in the Industrial Revolution

The main economic activity before the industrial revolution was agriculture. The growth and transformation of agriculture in his revolution sage were gradual and revolutionary. The 19th centaur saw a more improved commercial system, enhancement of technologies, and improved market mechanisms that simplified and developed agricultural ecosystems in America which in turn promoted industrialization and urbanization. Consequently, the following discussion aims shows the development of agriculture from 1800 to 1877, explaining how it has contributed to the development of the American culture,

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Before the 19th century, the development of a production system that is sustainable was crucial for survival. The key transformation from1800 - 1877 was the transformation from subsistence agriculture to capitalist production turning agriculture the basis of the U.S economy and society even after the American Revolution. One of the most significant agricultural development was primarily political which included the introduction of pre-industrial land laws which reinforced the significance of agriculture in America, laying the basis for the 20th-century federal policies. The amendment of the Land Ordinance laws, introduced in 1785, causing the squatters' pre-emption of land and free homesteading for 'qualified' Americans in 1841 and 1862 respectively (Trilsbach, 1991). Additionally, the creation of the Agricultural Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, established on May 3, 1820, gave equal attention to the agricultural industry as it was done to the commercial and manufacturing industry. On May 15, 1862, Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act of Congress founding the United States a Department of Agriculture (Trilsbach, 1991). The USDA's most common role was generating annual agricultural reports and collecting data across America, this enhanced scientific development in agriculture. The USDA encouraged automation, mono-cultivation, and chemical use. The role of the government in the 19th century was very significant in the second half of the century where it facilitated wheat farming and cattle ranching, by moving the Indians for agricultural expansion.

Another significant development during his period was the introduction of new financial institutions and systems, technologies, and forms international trade that changed the American farmscape to capitalized and specialized agriculture. For instance, in the 1840s factory machines were widely used contributing to the growth of commercial farming due to high demand. This commercialization led to the replacement of natural grasses with crops like corn and wheat. Mono-cultivation production promoted the scale of economies, generating higher profits (Trilsbach, 1991). For instance, wheat grew quickly, produces high yields, self-pollinates, and was easily harvested. The 1830s saw the introduction of Mechanical reapers and threshers which reduced the need for human labor for such tasks.

The introduction of railroads also redesigned the agricultural sector particularly cattle farming. Livestock farming specialized into dairy and meat farming. Railroads developed American foodsheds as tastes and framing practices started to shift. By the 1830s, Americans stopped growing their corn or wheat, buying mass-produced flour instead (Trilsbach, 1991). Delivery times reduced hence the city population's accessed better milk produced by grass-fed cows in the countryside.

The other development between 1800 and 1877 was the introduction of education and research in agriculture. Under the Morrill Act (1862), colleges granted land provided selections of university curricula, such as scientific agriculture. To promote such schools, each state was offered 90,000 acres of federal land to sell or allocate (Trilsbach, 1991). This law promoted the diversification of education to a vas variety of social disciplines, whereas these institutions promoted food production, through teaching, research, experiment stations, and cooperative extension, aligning with large agribusiness as it developed through to the 20th century.

In the growth of human society, the change to a settled lifestyle from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle was highly informed and necessitated only by the enhancement and use of agricultural activities. These Agricultural developments impacted different aspects of human life be it social, political and even cultural. However, it must be noted that these impacts vary depending on the activities, as affected by agriculture, in the specific region.

The southern side of America was characterized by agricultural activities due to its warm and sunny climates with prolonged humid and warm summers. The winters in his region were mild and experience heavy rainfall throughout the year. Due to agricultural activities, the south developed few cities and ports along the river and the gulf in the Atlantic coasts. The main population of this region comprised of Europeans from England and Scotland and enslaved Africans. In 1860 the total population of the South was 12 million including 4 million Africans. The agricultural development had a limited impact in the South for most of the 19th century since it was mainly made of a conservative population. Southerners being mainly farmers, lived on scattered farms, along the coastal plains and backcountry. Also, industries and towns grew at a slow rate (Salomon, 1993). Furthermore, the vastness of most Plantations meant farmers lived far from one another that the farms almost became self-sufficient, like small towns.

The North, on the other hand, was characterized by seasons of short warm summers and long snowy winters. Additionally, their lands were hilly and rocky not favoring agriculture. This promoted shipbuilding and energy generation hence the growth of industrialization. The northern population increased rapidly between 1800 and 1860 partly because of immigration from Europe. Cities in the North developed as commercial centers. They were hubs of manufacturing of textiles and other products. Many people from rural New England migrated to these cities seeking employment opportunities (Salomon, 1993). Harbors and streets grew, sanitation and drainage systems were developed, and security forces were formed. Public services such as education were established as Cities became essential points of art, culture, and education. In this period, cities had established print media and offered various recreational centers, such as theatres.

In this period, the majority of people lived on small farms and used most of the land for subsistence farming. Consequently, Cities took on significant importance in representing the Northern culture and new ideas which were brought by new immigrants, workers and business owners. Merchants, manufacturers, wage earners, and new business owners brought new ideas to the North. Villages became strong centers of community activities with organized institutes of religion and education.

Conclusion

Generally, agricultural development from 1800 to 1877 had two main cultural impacts. First was the role of women in society. He 19th century saw a big transformation to the perceived role of women in American society. For most of the 1800s women's role was to create a clean and nurturing environment in the home. However, this began to change due to industrialization through agriculture, where women took part in the production of finished products such as mats providing additional income. Also, the birth rate dropped in the upper and middle classes. Secondly was the change in the status of African Americans. The agricultural development indirectly promoted the fight for freedom by the black slaves mainly in the south (Salomon, 1993). Prior to the Civil War, almost half a million blacks were free in the U.S. Through the introduction of industrialization, the North advocated for the release of these slaves hence the civil war

References

Salomon, S. (1993). Culture and Agricultural Land Tenure 1. Rural Sociology, 58(4), 580-598. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1549-0831.1993.tb00514.x

Trilsbach, A. (1991). Historical development of agriculture. https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=096354313