Westward Expansion: Economic Development [APUSH Review Unit 6 Topic 2] Period 6: 1865-1898
Summary
TLDRThis video from Heimler's History dives into Unit 6 of the AP U.S. History curriculum, focusing on the period from 1865 to 1898, particularly the economic aspects of westward expansion. It discusses the mechanization of agriculture, leading to increased crop production but also the decline of small farms due to competition from larger, industrialized farms. The video explains how this resulted in falling crop prices, impacting farmers' livelihoods. Additionally, it covers the rise of the National Grange Movement and the Granger Laws, which aimed to protect farmers from railroad monopolies and corporate abuses. The script also explores the role of railroads in facilitating westward migration and the impact of the Homestead Act, which granted settlers free land in the West. Lastly, it touches on the discovery of precious metals like gold and silver, which spurred further westward migration and the creation of diverse boomtowns.
Takeaways
- đ The period from 1877 to 1898 saw significant economic changes in the American West, largely due to the mechanization of agriculture.
- đ Mechanized farming with machinery like mechanical reapers and combine harvesters led to increased crop production but also to the obsolescence of small farmers.
- đ The increased crop supply led to a decrease in crop prices, exacerbating the financial struggles of small farmers who couldn't compete with larger, industrialized operations.
- đ High prices for manufactured goods due to industrial trusts put additional financial strain on farmers who relied on buying these goods.
- đ Farmers faced challenges with railroads, which charged high prices for transporting their crops to market, leading to economic hardship.
- đȘ The National Grange Movement emerged as an organized effort by farmers to resist these economic pressures and advocate for their interests.
- đ The Granger Laws, including the Commerce Act of 1886, were enacted to regulate railroad rates and prohibit abusive corporate practices against farmers.
- đ€ïž The federal government encouraged westward expansion through the Pacific Railroad Acts, which provided land grants to railroad companies to build transcontinental railroads.
- đĄ The Homestead Act of 1862 offered free land to settlers who agreed to farm and settle the land, although the amount of land was insufficient for many to sustain a livelihood.
- đ The discovery and extraction of precious metals like gold and silver spurred westward migration, leading to the establishment of boomtowns and diverse communities.
- đ Understanding these economic and social changes is crucial for students studying the AP U.S. History curriculum, particularly for Unit 6.
Q & A
What time period does Unit 6 of the AP U.S. History curriculum cover?
-Unit 6 covers the time period from 1865 to 1898.
What was the primary focus of the economic changes in the agricultural west during this period?
-The primary focus was the mechanization of agriculture, with machines like the mechanical reaper and combine harvester replacing manual labor.
How did the mechanization of agriculture affect the production of crops?
-Mechanization allowed farmers to plant and harvest significantly more crops, roughly doubling the production of corn and wheat between 1870 and 1900.
What was the impact of mechanization on small farmers?
-Small farmers could not compete in the market with larger, industrial farmers due to their inability to afford the new machinery, leading to the obsolescence and eventual closure of many small farms.
How did the increase in crop supply affect market prices?
-The law of supply and demand caused prices per bushel of crops like corn and wheat to decline, further pressuring small farmers who struggled to sell their crops at such low prices.
What was the National Grange Movement and what did it aim to achieve?
-The National Grange Movement, organized in 1868, aimed to bring isolated farmers together for socialization and education. It later became political, pushing for laws to regulate railroad rates and make abusive corporate practices illegal.
What was the Commerce Act of 1886 and what was its purpose?
-The Commerce Act of 1886 required railroad rates to be reasonable and just. It established the Interstate Commerce Commission, a federal agency to enforce these requirements.
How did the federal government facilitate westward migration?
-The federal government facilitated westward migration through the Pacific Railroads Acts, which granted land to railroad companies to build transcontinental railroads, and the Homestead Act of 1862, which offered 160 acres of free land to settlers on the condition they would farm and settle it.
What was the impact of the Homestead Act on small farmers?
-While the Homestead Act aimed to encourage westward migration and settlement, many small farmers struggled due to the mechanization of agriculture and the insufficient size of the granted land to sustain a livelihood, leading to many farms going bust.
Why did the discovery and extraction of precious metals contribute to westward migration?
-The discovery and extraction of precious metals like gold and silver, such as during the California Gold Rush and the discovery at Pikeâs Peak, attracted people to move west in hopes of striking it rich, leading to the formation of boomtowns and increased diversity in the west.
How did the railroads and the Homestead Act work together to encourage westward expansion?
-The railroads, facilitated by the Pacific Railroads Acts, provided an efficient means of transportation to the west, while the Homestead Act provided an incentive for people to settle there by offering free land, thus encouraging westward expansion.
What was the significance of the Interstate Commerce Commission in relation to the railroads?
-The Interstate Commerce Commission was a federal agency established by the Commerce Act of 1886 to enforce reasonable and just railroad rates for carrying freight, addressing the issues faced by farmers who were charged high prices for shipping their crops.
Outlines
đ Westward Expansion and Agricultural Revolution (1865-1898)
This paragraph introduces the topic of Unit 6 of the AP U.S. History curriculum, focusing on the period from 1865 to 1898. It emphasizes the economic aspects of westward expansion, particularly the mechanization of agriculture which led to increased crop production and the decline of small farms. The paragraph also discusses the challenges faced by farmers due to industrial trusts keeping manufactured goods prices high and railroad owners charging high fees for transportation. It concludes by mentioning the National Grange Movement and the Granger Laws, including the Commerce Act of 1886 and the establishment of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
đ€ïž The Role of Railroads and Legislation in Westward Migration
The second paragraph delves into the role of railroads in facilitating westward migration, as part of the federal government's efforts to populate the western frontier. It outlines the Pacific Railroads Acts, which provided land grants to railroad companies for constructing transcontinental railroads, and the impact of the Homestead Act of 1862, which offered free land to settlers on the condition of farming and settling it. The paragraph also highlights the discovery and extraction of precious metals like gold and silver as a significant driver of westward migration, leading to the emergence of boomtowns that were notably diverse due to the universal appeal of gold.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄWestward Expansion
đĄMechanization of Agriculture
đĄSupply and Demand
đĄIndustrial Trusts
đĄNational Grange Movement
đĄTranscontinental Railroad
đĄHomestead Act of 1862
đĄGold Rush
đĄBoomtowns
đĄInterstate Commerce Commission (ICC)
đĄGranger Laws
Highlights
The unit covers the time period from 1865 to 1898, focusing on the economics of westward expansion.
Agricultural west underwent mechanization, with machines like the mechanical reaper and combine harvester replacing manual labor.
Production of corn and wheat doubled between 1870 and 1900 due to mechanization.
Small farmers became increasingly obsolete as they couldn't compete with larger, industrial farmers who could afford machinery.
The market was flooded with crops, leading to a decrease in crop prices and further pressure on small farmers.
Farmers faced economic challenges due to high prices of manufactured goods and railroad fees for transporting their crops.
The National Grange Movement was organized in 1868 to address farmer concerns and became politically active.
The Grange Movement influenced the passing of the Granger Laws, which regulated railroad rates and corporate practices.
The Commerce Act of 1886 and the establishment of the Interstate Commerce Commission were significant outcomes of the Granger Laws.
The federal government facilitated westward migration through the Pacific Railroads Acts, granting land to railroad companies.
The Homestead Act of 1862 offered 160 acres of free land to settlers on the condition of farming and settling it.
Many small farms established through the Homestead Act failed due to insufficient land for a sustainable living.
The discovery and extraction of precious metals like gold and silver attracted migrants and led to the creation of boomtowns.
The California Gold Rush in 1848 and subsequent gold discoveries in the West continued to drive westward migration.
Boomtowns that emerged from the gold rush were diverse, attracting people of various races and ethnicities.
The video aims to help students achieve an A in their class and a high score on the AP U.S. History exam.
The presenter encourages viewers to subscribe for more educational content.
Transcripts
Hey there and welcome back to Heimlerâs History, and further welcome to the first review video Â
of Unit 6 of the AP U.S. History curriculum. This unit covers the time period 1865 to 1898, Â
and weâre going to start with the economics of westward expansion during this period. Â
So if youâre ready to get them Unit 6 brain cows milked, letâs get to it.
So weâre basically aiming at one thing in this video and it is as follows: Â
Explain the causes and effects of the settlement of the West from 1877 to 1898. Â
In the last unit it seemed like all we talked about was the North and the South, but now let Â
us turn our eyes westward and see whatâs happening with our brethren and sisteren on the frontier.
So during this period, and a little before it, a massive change was taking place in the Â
agricultural west, namely, the mechanization of agriculture, which is to say, farming was becoming Â
a task done more and more with machines than with the human body. Machines like the mechanical Â
reaper and the combine harvester quickly replaced human sweat and animal muscle as the primary means Â
of planting and harvesting crops. And this had two significant effects. First, it meant that farmers Â
could plant and harvest a buttload more crops than they could previously. For example, the production Â
of corn and wheat roughly doubled between 1870 and 1900. The second effect was the increasing Â
obsolescence of small farmers. Because smaller farmers couldnât compete in the market with these Â
giant industrial farmers, primarily because they couldnât afford the pretty new machines, Â
their farms folded one after another, in many cases being bought out by the bigger farmers.
Now with this surging glut of crops in the market, the law of supply and demand Â
tells us that prices will decrease. And wouldnât you know it, thatâs exactly what Â
happened. The prices per bushel of corn or wheat or whatever steeply declined, Â
further putting pressure on small farmers who couldnât live by selling their crops at such Â
low prices. So all this to say, during this period farming in America underwent a drastic Â
change to the detriment of small farmers and to the benefit of large-scale mechanized farmers.
Even so, ALL farmers were feeling some economic pain during this period. Industrial trusts, Â
on which more in another video, made sure that prices remained high Â
on manufactured goods. And why does that matter? Because farmers spent all their time farming, Â
and therefore relied on buying those manufactured goods like clothing and furniture in order to Â
survive. But with the prices so high, those farmers were having trouble paying for them. Â
And then to add to their agri-misery, farmers were having railroad problems. Pssh, relate! Â
Farmers largely relied on railroads and trains to ship their crops to market for sale but in Â
many cases, the railroad owners were charging unnaturally high prices for this service.
So all this to say, farmers, in general, had it rough during this period. And thatâs how Â
you get an organized movement for farmer resistance to all these changes, namely, Â
the National Grange Movement. It was organized in 1868 as a collective aimed at bringing Â
isolated farmers together for socialization and education, but as with everything in America, Â
the Grange got political quick, fast, and in a hurry. As a collective body, the Grange Â
Movement pushed many midwestern states to pass laws regulating railroad rates for carrying Â
freight and made abusive corporate practices that were hurting farmers illegal. Taken together, Â
these laws became known as the Granger Laws. Most significant among these laws was the Commerce Act Â
of 1886 which required railroad rates to be reasonable and just and established a federal Â
agency to enforce said reasonableness and justice, namely, the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Now, since weâre talking so much about railroads letâs take a moment and try to understand Â
where all these railroads were coming from. As you have probably learned by now, the federal Â
government was positively giddy about getting people to move west and settle the frontier. But Â
moving west the old fashioned way, which is to say Oregon Trail-style, wasnât the easiest thing to Â
do. But with this new and expanding technology of railroads, the federal government could see that Â
this method of transportation could facilitate a mass migration of Americans for settlement Â
in the western lands. And so two sets of laws combined to make westward migration a reality.
First were the Pacific Railroads Acts in which the federal government granted huge swaths of Â
land to railroad companies who would then build a transcontinental railroad. And in 1869, Â
in Promontory Summit, Utah, a golden spike was driven into the meeting of Â
two rails that stretched from the east to the west coast. Over the next few decades Â
four more transcontinental railroads were completed, almost all with the help Â
of government land grants, and this created the occasion for easier migration westward.
The second law that aided those migrating west was the Homestead Act of 1862 which was expanded upon Â
with other legislation, but for our purposes, you just need to know that this law granted potential Â
migrants 160 acres of free land out west on the condition that they would farm it and settle it. Â
Now that may sound like a great deal, but hereâs where I tell you, not so much. Partly this was Â
because of the mechanization of agriculture I mentioned beforeâthese small farms were Â
eventually gobbled up by larger ones. But mainly it was because 160 acres in the midwest was not Â
nearly enough land for a farmer to make a living. So, many of these farmers ended up going bust.
Now, the last cause I need to mention with respect to westward migration has to do with the discovery Â
and extraction of precious metals like gold and silver. Now people began moving west to seek gold Â
as far back as 1848 when the California Gold Rush occurred, but this continued for the next four Â
decades. In 1869, for example, gold was discovered in this fair mountain called Pikeâs Peak, Â
and that led to an influx of over 100,000 folks into the surrounding regions in the Kansas and Â
Nebraska territories. And this occurred in several other places in the West as well. And when it did, Â
boomtowns sprang up seemingly overnight. For example, in the Pikeâs Peak region, the boomtowns Â
of Denver City and Boulder City sprang up as a result this new wave of migrants looking to Â
strike it rich. Interestingly, because the desire for gold is no respecter of race or ethnicity, Â
these boomtowns ended up being extremely diverse, on par with the major urban areas in the east.
Okay, thatâs what you need to know about Unit 6 topic 2 of the AP U.S. History curriculum. Â
an A in your class and a five on your exam in May. And if you were helped and you want Â
me to keep making these videos, then go ahead and subscribe and I shall oblige. Heimler out.
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