History of American Agriculture - Life on the Farm and Rural Areas

Money

A History of American Agriculture 1776-1990
Life on the Farm

Return To History of Farming

16th-18th Centuries	17th century Farmers endured rough pioneer life while adapting to new environment 18th century Ideas of progress, human perfectibility , rationality, and scientific improvement flourished in the New World 18th century Small family farms predominated, except for plantations in southern coastal areas; housing ranged from crude log cabins to substantial frame, brick, or stone houses; farm families manufactured many necessities
1776-99
1800
1810	1810-30 Transfer of manufactures from the farm and home to the shop and factory was greatly accelerated
1820
1830
1840	1840-60 Growth in manufacturing brought many laborsaving devices to the farm home 1840-60 Rural housing improved with use of balloon-frame construction 1844 Success of the telegraph revolutionized communications 1845 Mail volume increased as postage rated lowered
1860	1860's Kerosene lamps became popular 1865-90 Sod houses common on the prairies
1870
1880
1890	1895 George B. Seldon was granted U.S. Patent for automobile 1896 Rural Free Delivery (RFD) started
1900	1900-20 Urban influences on rural life intensified 1908 Model T Ford paved way for mass production of automobiles 1908 President Roosevelt's Country Life Commission was established and focused attention on the problems of farm wives and the difficulty of keeping children on the farm 1908-17 Period of the country-life movement
1910
1920	1920's Movie houses were becoming common in rural areas 1921 Radio broadcasts began
1930	1930 58% of all farms had cars 34% had telephones 13% had electricity 1936 Rural Electrification Act (REA) greatly improved quality of rural life
1940	1940 58% of all farms had cars 25% had telephones 33% had electricity
1950	1950's Television widely accepted 1950's Many rural areas lost population as many farm family members sought outside work 1954 70.9% of all farms had cars 49% had telephones 93% had electricity 1954 Social Security covverage extended to farm operators
1960	1962 REA authorized to finance educational TV in rural areas 1968 83% of all farms had phones 98.4% had electricity
1970	1970's Rural areas experienced prosperity and inmigration 1975 90% of all farms had phones 98.6% had electricity
1980-90	Mid-1980's Hard times and indebtedness affected many farmers in the Midwest