Agriculture has been at the heart of the United States since its earliest days. From the first English settlers to the expansive farms of the 20th century, the story of …
America’s Westward Expansion and the Transformation of Agriculture
New Opportunities After 1803 Following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the American victory in the War of 1812, the United States entered a period of remarkable territorial and economic …
Ethnicity’s Role in Early American Agriculture
How German, Scottish, and Irish Traditions Shaped U.S. Farming In the development of American agriculture, ethnicity played a significant role in shaping farming practices, land use decisions, and even long-term …
Fertilizer: The Overlooked Revolution in American Agriculture
The Inventions That Transformed American Farming When we think about inventions that changed the face of American agriculture, several icons of innovation immediately come to mind. The steam engine. The …
640 Acres and a Fresh Start: Early Tennessee Land Grants
The Journey Beyond the Appalachian Mountains Once early settlers navigated the rough terrain of the Appalachian Mountains, they discovered vast stretches of undeveloped land in what is now central and …
Sharing Knowledge on the Frontier: Early Agricultural Extension in America
Early American settlers faced a unique challenge: producing enough food and cash crops in unfamiliar lands with limited resources. In the absence of modern communications, these pioneers relied heavily on …
St. Genevieve: Early French Farming on the Mississippi
French Settlers Arrive on the Mississippi French settlers arrived at what is now St. Louis in the early 1700s. At that time, the Mississippi River Valley was a critical corridor …
Missouri’s Mule Legacy in American Agriculture
Missouri was once nationally recognized for both the quality and quantity of its mules. In an era when animal power drove American agriculture and transportation, the state earned a reputation …
Missouri’s Deep Agricultural Roots: From French Settlers to Today
A Proud Agricultural Tradition Missouri has a proud agricultural tradition—one that stretches back nearly three centuries and continues to define the state today. Agriculture is more than an industry in …
From Cattle Drives to Cold Storage: How Kansas City Became a Meatpacking Powerhouse
The Midwest’s Industrial Shift After the Civil War Between the end of the Civil War and the conclusion of World War II, the American Midwest experienced one of the most …
St. Louis: Gateway to America’s Agricultural Expansion
The River City That Shaped American Agriculture “I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute…” The importance of St. Louis when looking at the history of American agriculture cannot …
Robert Thomas and the Birth of the Farmer’s Almanac
American agriculture is filled with innovators whose influence extended far beyond the fields. One such figure is Robert Thomas, a man whose love of writing and fascination with the stars …
Missouri’s Early Agricultural Roots: River Commerce and Opportunity
Missouri’s agricultural story runs deep, tracing back to the late 1700s and early 1800s when fertile land and river access laid the groundwork for a thriving farm economy. In this …
The Missouri River: The Longest River in America and Its Agricultural Legacy
When most Americans think of the longest river in the United States, they immediately name the Mississippi. But that distinction actually belongs to the Missouri River — a powerful and …