1. Farming the Plains
Chapter 8
Section 2

2. Geography of the Plains
Great Plains
Extends from the Mississippi River westward to the Rocky Mountains
Stephen Long
One of the first explorers to call the Great Plains the “Great American Desert”

3. The Beginnings of Settlement
Railroad companies sold land along the rail lines at low prices and provided credit to prospective settlers
Homestead Act
Homesteaders could gain title to the land by living there for five years (160 acres)
Homestead
A tract of public land available for settlement

4. The Wheat Belt
Many inventions and new farming methods revolutionized agriculture
Dry Farming
Farmers planted seeds deep in the ground where there was enough moisture for them
Wheat Belt
Productive farm area that began at the eastern edge of the Great Plains
Wheat had an advantage on the Great Plains because it could withstand drought better than other crops

5. The Wheat Belt Commercial Farming Farmers Fall on Hard Times
New machines allowed a single family to bring in a substantial harvest of wheat
Bonanza farms
Often brought their owners huge profits
Farmers Fall on Hard Times
Prolonged drought began in the late 1880’s
Some homesteaders gave up and returned back east, but others arrived to take their place

6. Closing the Frontier
In 1890, settlement throughout the West was so rapid that there was no longer a frontier line
Some were concerned; they believed the frontier created a “safety-valve of social discontent”
The idea that Americans could always make a fresh start
Fredrick Jackson Turner
Believed that the opportunities and challenges of frontier life created a uniquely American lifestyle