Traditionally, the American farmer has always been# u% J/ J- n# o% a0 r8 i q. U
independent and hard-working. In the eighteenth century farmers
, r% |1 G5 {4 T2 x+ v were quite self-sufficient. The farm family grew and made almost
! k I/ |9 n5 }# l7 o nothing it needed. The surplus crop would be sold to buy a new __1__# l/ O7 E) C3 p
items in the local general store.. @7 n+ Q T! a5 y- j i5 S
In 1860, because some of the farm population had moved to __2__
! Y0 ]% ?9 ]2 ]8 K3 I' ~ the city, yet eighty percent of the American population was still in
1 O+ P5 n4 E( \% c' ]% c the country. In the late nineteen century, farm work and life __3__
$ ~$ @, q* Y. E were not much changed from that they had been in old days. The __4__ x3 Q% c# [8 d2 i3 b$ I
farmer aroused at dawn or before and had much work to do, with __5__
& M' ~" s7 ]1 f, D his own muscles like his chief source of power. He used axes, __6__
# }7 Q3 j1 W, q2 |* X, {3 { spades and other complicated tools. In his house cooking was done __7__. w' W, A0 V1 F2 B, F5 D
in wood-burning stoves, and the kerosene lamp was the only/ Z9 w0 M. `& I+ C
improvement on the candle. The family's recreation and social life
& W, l, Q: p3 O/ W chiefly consisted a drive in the wagon to the nearby small town or __8__
0 D- E3 C8 p8 r9 c& J village to transact some business as well as to chat with neighbors) P& c, X; Y: ?% g8 |' V
who had also come to town.
8 Q$ j( @, N' ^( M2 \5 {+ x* k* U The children attended a small elementary school (often of
# y: F3 `5 z$ U' T8 ?$ y5 @ just one room) to that they had to walk every day, possibly for a __9__
, U% o) h/ d$ u2 h! Y1 e few miles. The school term was short so that the children could
8 v* _* K0 `7 x: H* [ not help on the farm. Although the whole family worked, and life __10__
& m6 `& p$ N8 X# B was not easy, farmers as a class were self-reliant and independent. |