AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Growth of Commercial Agriculture (Day 95/309)

Welcome to today’s explanation of the Growth of Commercial Agriculture in my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Roads, Canals, and Rails in the 1800s National Geographic

During the Market Revolution, transportation developments including railroads, canals, and roads, increasingly connected the regions of the U.S. As the movement of goods became more efficient, trade between the states increased significantly.

Wikimedia Commons: Cotton Gin, Steel Plow, Mechanical Reaper

Technological inventions and innovations, including the cotton gin, steel plow, and mechanical reaper, increased agricultural productivity and made the cultivation of large areas of land possible.

Cotton Crop for the U.S. 1798-1850, FRED

With the increase in industrialization, both domestically and internationally, the rapid growth of textile factories massively increased the demand for raw materials, especially cotton. 

Visualizing 200 Years of U.S. Population Density, Visual Capitalist

As southerners sought to fulfill the demand for cotton, they overused the soil and depleted it of necessary nutrients. This led to further westward expansion in an effort to find more fertile lands and continue to make high profits.

In the early republic, the market revolution stimulated an increase in commercial agriculture. New technologies and an increased demand for cotton fueled expansion westward for new lands to cultivate.

Join me tomorrow as I explain American Indian Affairs in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!