Chapter 17, Section 3 Farming and Populism

Many Americans started new lives on the Great Plains. 1862: Congress passed two laws that opened up the West –Homestead Act Offered govt. land to small farmers Gave land to unmarried women –Morill Act Gave 17 million acres to states States had to sell land and use $ to build schools/colleges 1879: 20k-40k African Americans moved to Kansas –Called “Exodusers” 1890s: Plains farmers began “dry farming” –Grew fewer water-dependent crops like corn –Grew more hardy crops like red wheat Women were an important force in settling frontier –Out west earned a strong voice in public affairs 1869: Wyoming allowed women to vote CA: Annie Bidwell promoted suffrage and temperance movements

Economic challenges led to the creation of farmers political groups. Overproduction resulted in lower prices for crops –Number of farms tripled –machines increased productivity 1880: ¼ of farms were rentals –Farmers lost farms to foreclosure and had to rent Farmers formed associations –To protect & promote their interests –1867: National Grange est. A social and educational organization Free Silver movement –Suggested we back paper money with silver Raise prices for food 1892: farmers form Populist Party –1893: financial panic increased support for Populists –1896: Republican McKinley wins election Populist Party collapses McKinley against Free Silver movement

By the 1890s, the western frontier had come to an end. 1870: only a small portion of the plains was unsettled March 1889: Oklahoma Land Rush –Former Indian Territory –By April: 50,000 settlers moved to OK –11 million acres claimed –OK was the last chapter in westward movement.