Here are a few!! 1. Land grants given to the railroads: The railroads sold some of their land to farmers, thus helping to increase the amount of farming in the West. Also, since the railroads passed through many farming communities, the goods grown on the farms could more easily be sold & shipped to states across the country.
2. The Homestead Act and related laws passed in the 1870s: In 1862 congress passed the Homestead Act, which offered up 160 acres of free land to any citizen who was head of the household. Around 600,000 people took the government up on this offer, which greatly increased Western expansion.
3. Inventions and improvements in farm technology: In 1837 John Deere invented a plow that could slice through heavy soil. In 1847 Cyrus McCormick began to mass-produce a reaping machine. Other inventions included the spring-tooth harrow to prepare the soil, the grain drill to plant the seed, barbed wire to fence the land, and a corn binder. These inventions sped up the farming process and greatly increased the profits of farmers.
4. The Morrill Land Grant Acts and Hatch Act: The Morril Act gave federal land to the states to help finance agricultural colleges, and the Hatch Act established agricultural experiment stations to inform farmers of new developments. Through these experiment stations researchers developed new and innovative ways of farming that helped the dry eastern plains flourish and become the "breadbasket" of the nation.
