Chapter 17Chapter 17Rural America: The Rural America: The West and the New West and the New SouthSouth

The American PeopleThe American People, 6, 6thth ed. ed.

I. Modernizing I. Modernizing AgricultureAgriculture The expansion of American agriculture was The expansion of American agriculture was

inextricably tide to world demandinextricably tide to world demand Many European nations had to import the bulk of Many European nations had to import the bulk of

their food, especially Englandtheir food, especially England America’s new role as the agricultural center of America’s new role as the agricultural center of

the western world depended on technological the western world depended on technological innovation to make crop production more innovation to make crop production more efficientefficient

This often backfired as a surplus of foodstuffs This often backfired as a surplus of foodstuffs caused the market price to fallcaused the market price to fall

II. The WestII. The West

The Great PlainsThe Great Plains The Great Plains of the West initially The Great Plains of the West initially

discouraged traditional farmers, but discouraged traditional farmers, but cattlemen found the region perfect cattlemen found the region perfect grazing landgrazing land

By the end of the Civil War’s blockades, By the end of the Civil War’s blockades, the southern plains were crowded with the southern plains were crowded with herds of cattleherds of cattle

Railroads changed the common views of Railroads changed the common views of the region and encouraged settlementthe region and encouraged settlement

Cornucopia on the PacificCornucopia on the Pacific

Americans rushed to California to earn Americans rushed to California to earn their share of the Gold Rush but usually their share of the Gold Rush but usually ended up farmingended up farming

Fresh fruits and vegetables became Fresh fruits and vegetables became California's largest exportCalifornia's largest export

The Mining WestThe Mining West Thousands of settlers rushed west to join Thousands of settlers rushed west to join

the mining craze of the 1840sthe mining craze of the 1840s Silver, iron, copper, lead, zinc, and tin Silver, iron, copper, lead, zinc, and tin

were as important as goldwere as important as gold Real mining required a large labor force Real mining required a large labor force

and expensive machineryand expensive machinery Most independent miners panning Most independent miners panning

streams never made their fortunesstreams never made their fortunes

Exploiting Natural Exploiting Natural ResourcesResources The clear cutting of the nation’s forests The clear cutting of the nation’s forests

were a byproduct of aggressive mining were a byproduct of aggressive mining techniques and construction of towns and techniques and construction of towns and railroadsrailroads

Removal of the forests changed the nature Removal of the forests changed the nature of soil composition, water flow, and the of soil composition, water flow, and the habitats of native animalshabitats of native animals

Many Americans became uneasy and Many Americans became uneasy and called for government intervention and called for government intervention and conservationconservation

III.III. Resolving the Indian Resolving the Indian QuestionQuestion

The Plains IndiansThe Plains Indians The American government’s perspective The American government’s perspective

was that all Native Americans must was that all Native Americans must relocate in one of two areas: Oklahoma relocate in one of two areas: Oklahoma and South Dakotaand South Dakota

Confined to reservations, the tribes would Confined to reservations, the tribes would be transitioned into the white culturebe transitioned into the white culture

Some tribes refused to comply and were Some tribes refused to comply and were systematically extinguishedsystematically extinguished

IV. The New SouthIV. The New South

Cotton Still KingCotton Still King

A new agricultural South with new class A new agricultural South with new class and economic arrangements emergedand economic arrangements emerged

High cotton prices immediately after the High cotton prices immediately after the war persuaded southern farmers to grow war persuaded southern farmers to grow as much cotton as possible; prices as much cotton as possible; prices quickly spiraled downward, throwing the quickly spiraled downward, throwing the entire region into more debt and povertyentire region into more debt and poverty

The Nadir of Black LifeThe Nadir of Black Life

In the late 1800s, many Congressional In the late 1800s, many Congressional bills from Reconstruction aimed to bills from Reconstruction aimed to support and assist the newly freed slaves support and assist the newly freed slaves were cast aside by a new generation of were cast aside by a new generation of politicianspoliticians

V. Farm ProtestV. Farm Protest

The GrangeThe Grange The earliest effort to organize white farmers was The earliest effort to organize white farmers was

fronted by Oliver Kelley in 1867fronted by Oliver Kelley in 1867 Called the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, the Called the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, the

social club grew quickly to include more than 800,000social club grew quickly to include more than 800,000 Now known as the National Grange, Kelley’s Now known as the National Grange, Kelley’s

organization sought to reform the ways in which organization sought to reform the ways in which agricultural business was done; striving to bypass the agricultural business was done; striving to bypass the middlemen such as railroad shippers and grain elevator middlemen such as railroad shippers and grain elevator ownersowners

Their lobbying led to legislation regarding how railroads Their lobbying led to legislation regarding how railroads could be regulated for the common good of the countrycould be regulated for the common good of the country