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Chapter 18 The Reign of King Cotton 1865-1895

Chapter 18 The Reign of King Cotton 1865-1895. Essential Question. Section 1 Postwar Changes to Texas Farming.

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Chapter 18 The Reign of King Cotton 1865-1895

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  1. Chapter 18The Reign of King Cotton1865-1895 Essential Question

  2. Section 1Postwar Changes to Texas Farming After the Civil War, life in Texas changed dramatically. Economic problems led to a return to the small family farm, and the freed slaves faced the problems of earning a living in conditions that were often unfair.

  3. Return of the Small Farm • After Civil War, farming became more a more popular way of making a living • Because of lack of efficient transportation, most people did not try to do Commercial Farming • Commercial Farming: producing crops to sell • Most people practiced Subsistence Farming • Subsistence Farming: growing enough food for their family’s needs • Barter: trade one product for another

  4. The Rise of Tenant Farming • Landowners rented out extra land = Tenant Farming • Tenant Farming: renting out the land where you live and farm • Most of the tenant farmers could not pay their rent with money, so the were called Sharecroppers • Sharecroppers: people who paid their rent with a portion of their crops

  5. Tenant Farming, con’t • Landlord: person that owned the land that then tenant farmers rented • Many farmers had to buy other food and clothing on credit….they had to pay back what they owed • Mortgage: something you would have to give to person you borrowed money from if you couldn’t pay money you owed

  6. Social Adjustments after the Civil War • Many freed slaves were now farmers…they had their own farms • Many of these slaves became sharecroppers • This was difficult for both African Americans and whites

  7. Section 2Railroads Lead to Commercial Farming To sell their crops, farmers needed a reliable and inexpensive way to transport goods. Railroads solved this problem. Soon, commercial farming became a major Texas industry

  8. Transportation Problems in Texas • Commercial farming was hard because there were no easy ways to get crops to places so they could be sold • Texans were isolated from Commerce • Commerce: Things that could be transported somewhere else and sold

  9. Railroads Provide a Solution • After country settled down after the Civil War and Reconstruction, railroads expanded quickly • By 1890, Texas had more than 8000 miles of railroad tracks • Railroads helped farmers and the growth of cities • Railroads helped farming expand into West Texas

  10. Major Railroads, 1900

  11. Farmers Discover a Water Source • When railroads helped open up West Texas for farming, farmers realized they needed water • Soon water was discovered underground and had windmills to pump the water from the ground • Windmills became a symbol of civilization on plains of Texas

  12. Technology Revolutionizes Farming • Other things that helped farming: • Steel plow • The “Blue Kelly” • Robert Munger developed a better method for processing cotton

  13. Section 3Cotton: The King of Texas Crops The success of cotton production changed the face of Texas. It created a growth in industry and caused an entire culture to spring up around cotton farming.

  14. Cotton Demands on Time and Resources • Cotton production ruled farming industry in late 1800s • Railroads helped farmers get cotton out and meet the high demands for cotton around country and world • No crop made more money

  15. Cotton Demands, con’t • Growing cotton changed lives of farmers • Spent more time in fields • Spent less time on household activities • More of a demand for ready-made items • Leather goods • Clothes • Supplies • This demand for ready-made items led to growth of cities and manufacturing • Manufacturing: making things by hand or machine that could be sold in large numbers

  16. A Cotton Culture Emerges • In late 1800s, Texas farm life centered around the cotton season • Planting in Spring • Cultivating the crop in Summer • Harvesting in August • In good crop years, people had extra money to spend • In bad crop years, people really struggled • Drought • Boll Weevils • People had to borrow money on credit to buy seeds, etc…started a chain of borrowing that was hard to get out of…led many into poverty

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