Farm Life
Life as a farmer was by no means easy. There were a lot of problems and strains, but it had its good points. The Homestead Act passed in 1862 by Congress gave 160 free acres of prairie land to anyone who would live on it for five years. A lot of farmers also bought land from the Railroad Company so they could be close to the transcontinental railroad tracks, which made transportation better. Though the land was free, the problems nearly outweighed the advantages. The first was housing, which gave people two options. One was the sod house. Strips of sod were plowed and chopped into blocks, then laid down to start the walls. It was layered up, with
If you're considering this lifestyle, think long and hard whether it's worth it. NOTE: this paper was written like a newspaper article from the 1870'sBibliography Jordan, Winthrop; Greenblatt, Miriam; Bowes, John. Those who could handle it were strong, both physically and in will. Overall, farm life was difficult. There were miles between families or signs of civilization, and there was no recreation. The first was barbed wire, which prevented livestock from wandering off and stray animals from wandering across crops. Very few families could handle this life and moved back east before the five-year period was up. Third, the steel plow made possible the growth of larger quantities of crops. The sod was good for insulation in the winter, but they leaked badly in the rain. The second type was the dugout home. Farm life took a turn for the better with the introduction of four new inventions.
Common topics in this essay:
Railroad Company,
Homestead Act,
Easy Life,
Company Illinois,
farm life,
Americans History,
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