The late 1800s were a time where most Americans began to prosper as the country became more dependent on manufactured goods, and cities grew. However, this change did not benefit everyone, specifically not the farmers of America. Originally, all of the population was made up of famers and their families. All were self-sufficient, but this all changed when the American people began to want more of what were considered luxuries. Farmers found themselves no longer able to support their families on faming alone, and turned away from the countryside to find jobs in the growing cities. The farming population decreased to one third. American farmers were faced with a deflation in the currency system, constantly struggled with debt, and were treated unfairly by merchants and railroad companies because of the radical changes in politics. Deflation in the currency system caused rural farmers to face many hardships they did not have to in past centuries. After the Civil War, the demand for food decreased but the amount of product the farmers had remained the same. The prices for food dropped, but the cost to transport goods to markets was still very expensive. Therefore, farmers began to lose money because they could not grow enough food to make a profit or provide food for their families. They grew more and more crops to try and make up for the …show more content…
These often treated farmers unfairly by charging prices that were far too high. Younger farmers left their lives on the farms to find factory jobs in the cities. Those who did not leave their farms came together and formed cooperatives. Together they bought supplies and faced the unfair costs of merchants and railroads. The National Grange was then formed. They were able to earn the Granger Laws which cut down the costs of railroads and grain elevators. Farmers knew they had to