There were many problems farmers faced when they went to settle on the Great Plains. One of the problems was the land. The soil was much more difficult to farm in the Great Plains. Regular plows could not break the sod. Thus, new machines were needed. Steel-tipped plows were invented to help farmers turn over the soil. Additionally, seeds had to be planted deeper in the earth to reach the area where moisture could be found in the soil. As a result, farmers needed the seed drill to plant seeds deeper in the earth.
Farmers also faced attack from Native Americans. Native Americans were concerned with white expansion based on events surrounding their removal from land east of the Mississippi River in the 1830s. Thus, there were attacks on farmers by Native Americans who viewed the farmers as a threat to them and their way of life.
Farmers also faced climatic issues. Droughts were common. Winters could be very cold and snowy while summers could be incredibly hot and humid. These factors made farming very difficult at times.
It's believed that the failure of France to put down a slave revolution in Haiti, the impending war with Great Britain and probable British naval blockade of France – combined with French economic difficulties – may have prompted Napoleon to offer Louisiana for sale to the United States
