Hurt or Helped Regulate Farmers
By: Olivia Mason
Homestead Acts
The Homestead Act was passed by Congress in 1862. It promised 150 acres of free land to anyone who would cultivate the land for five years after the initial claim.
The Homestead Act helped farmers, because it basically gave them free land to farm on. So everything they farmed on the land was pure profit.
The Transcontinental Railroad
It was the first railroad that stretched from one side of the country to the other.
It helped farmers in a huge way by making it easier to transport there crops and other resources to the people and the cities.
High RailRoad Shipping Costs
Farmer Alliances and Granges
The farmers started to believe that they were being overcharged by the railroad companies, so they began to work together and form farming alliances. It helped improve farmers financial conditions.
The granges helped farmers by allowing farmers to pool their resources in order to purchase machinery and supplies.
The Populist Movement
The Populist party supported "free silver", a graduated income tax, and direct election of U.S. Senators.
The Populist Party favored farmers and the working classes of the northeast. They supported easing the burden on farmers.
Bimetalism
It is the monetary use of two metals which are gold and silver. The Democratic nominee William Jennings Bryan, supported bimetallism, and ran for election in 1896.
Farmers supported it because more money would be in circulation so that means that the farmers could work to pay off their debts.
Interstate Commerce Commison
In 1887 Congress passed the Interstate Commerce Act that provided for the creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroad rates among other things.
The Interstate Commerce Commission Act targeted railroad abuse and discrimination. It also prevented discrimination against small markets (farmers) was made illegal, which helped the farmers.