Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase: How Thomas Jefferson Secured America’s Agricultural Future

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, This Land of Ours

Introduction: A Turning Point in American Agriculture In the early years of the United States, few decisions carried as much long-term impact as the Louisiana Purchase. While often remembered for dramatically expanding the nation’s borders, the acquisition was driven by practical concerns—especially agriculture, trade, and access to markets. As explained by Mark Oppold in this American Agriculture History Minute, President …

southern agriculture

Southern Agriculture: The Rise of Plantations and Cotton’s Global Impact

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Cotton, Soil, This Land of Ours

Agriculture in the American South Agriculture in the southern United States developed quite differently from that in the Midwest or New England. While northern regions focused on diversified farming, smaller plots, and self-sustaining communities, the South evolved around a plantation-based system that defined its economy, society, and land use for generations. Land Ownership and Social Divides In the southern states, …