Inventions and Innovations Westward Expansion

Inventions and Innovations Westward Expansion

How did new technologies make settlements in the west successful?

The Steel Plow

• This gadget helped many farmers cultivate their land in order to produce crops.

• John Deere invented the first plow in 1837. This plow was known as the cast-steel plow and was designed for Midwest soil, which was known to be dry and rocky.

• As soon as Deere sold his first plow, word of his invention spread quickly and every farmer in the area wanted one.

Barbed Wire

• Heavy wires, twisted together in a way that created sharp points at regularly spaced intervals.

• Joseph Glidden invented Barbed wire in 1873.

• The lack of trees on the Great Plains was a serious problem for anyone who needed to build a fence. Farmers could now protect their fields and ranchers could keep their animals contained!

Windmills

• A Windmill is a tall object built to harness the wind. It has revolving blades that move as they are pushed by the wind.

• They were used to pump water and later to generate electricity.

• Daniel Halladay invented in 1854

Multiple Choice

What is this?

• Weedwaker

• Steel Plow

• Steel Shovel

• Steel Scoup

Cattle Raising

• Cattle raising provided jobs for Cowboys who would watch over the cattle and then sell them.

• This huge production of beef was a result of several inventions and innovations coming together at the right time.

• Cow Towns grew along the railroad lines where the cattle would be loaded on the railroad.

Wheat Farming

• Farming on the Great Plains was difficult. There was very little rain to support a crop. Many plants couldn't survive the climate.

• Wheat was a great option and could survive with little water. When the steel plow became available, dry farming began.

• Farmers could use the steel plow to dig deeper into the soil and reach moisture.

Open Ended

Why was this important?

Sod Houses

• Building materials like wood and stone were almost totally absent from the Great Plains.

• Sod houses were made of "bricks" that settlers cut out of the soil. These pieces of soil were held together by the roots of the thick prairie grasses.

• Sod houses provide shelter, but were not comfortable to live in.

Open Ended

How did the Windmill work?

Poll

Would you live in a sod house?

• Yes

• No