A Civil War–Era Beginning Kansas State University—initially named Kansas State Agricultural College—was founded on February 16, 1863, in Manhattan, Kansas. Remarkably, its establishment occurred during the American Civil War, a …
The Global Reach of America’s Land-Grant Universities
Exploring an Often Overlooked Chapter of American Agriculture History Land-grant universities remain one of the most influential forces in American agricultural development, scientific advancement, and educational access. Their story begins …
How Iowa State University Began: A Farming Legacy
The Origins of Iowa State University: A Landmark in Agricultural Education In a recent American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold highlighted one of the most important milestones in U.S. agricultural …
Land O’Lakes: Minnesota Creameries to Iconic Butter Brand
The Origins of Land O’Lakes: From Minnesota Creameries to an Iconic Brand A Historic Merger in Minnesota In July 1921, a major milestone in American dairy history took place in …
America’s Biggest Farm Boom: 1860–1910
A Half-Century That Transformed American Agriculture From the Civil War era to the early 20th century, the United States experienced the most dramatic growth in agricultural development in its history. …
Women Farmers of the Civil War
Women on the Homefront: How the Civil War Transformed American Agriculture A Nation at War and Farms in Transition In the 1860s, as the Civil War pulled countless men into …
Early 19th Century Farming Shaped America’s Economy
In the early decades of the 19th century, the United States was a nation built on agriculture. As Mark Oppold explains in this American Agriculture History Minute, no one at …
How Supply and Demand Shaped Early U.S. Agriculture
Early Farmers and the Realities of Supply and Demand In this American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold explains how early American farmers and ranchers quickly learned a fundamental economic principle: …
Southern Agriculture: The Rise of Plantations and Cotton’s Global Impact
Agriculture in the American South Agriculture in the southern United States developed quite differently from that in the Midwest or New England. While northern regions focused on diversified farming, smaller …
How Railroads Transformed American Agriculture in the 1860s
Railroads: The Engine of Agricultural Expansion In the mid-1860s, railroads became one of the most powerful forces driving the expansion of American agriculture. As new lines crisscrossed the nation, they …
Early American Farmers and the Lost Art of Soil Stewardship
A Myth of Responsible Farming Many Americans like to believe that early farmers and ranchers were responsible caretakers of the soil—working the land with the same respect and sustainability that …
How Settlers Transformed the Heart of American Agriculture
Where Forest Meets Prairie: Iowa’s Agricultural Crossroads Iowa sits at one of North America’s most remarkable natural boundaries — the meeting point of the great eastern forests and the vast …
Homestead Act and America’s Westward Expansion
Reaching the Mississippi: The Edge of the Frontier By 1813, America’s western frontier stretched to the Mississippi River, marking a major milestone in the nation’s expansion. At its heart stood …
The Rise of Plantation Agriculture in Early America
How Plantation Agriculture Shaped America’s Farming Roots Plantation agriculture stands as one of the most significant chapters in the history of American farming. Emerging during the 1600s and 1700s, this …