Traditionally, the American farmer has always been
( {4 J& B- }3 b j! r independent and hard-working. In the eighteenth century farmers# ^% ~0 r' R* F* P2 S& B* Y
were quite self-sufficient. The farm family grew and made almost& W5 p2 U% C1 i7 c/ J
nothing it needed. The surplus crop would be sold to buy a new __1__$ ]1 s! F/ a9 j9 z
items in the local general store.7 G5 n; D/ b4 l# j+ t* \: K
In 1860, because some of the farm population had moved to __2__$ A4 L7 B6 B, @7 _/ b( B
the city, yet eighty percent of the American population was still in
$ s" a1 q8 o6 l9 l$ Y the country. In the late nineteen century, farm work and life __3__
" ?5 O, y2 U" @9 L1 U were not much changed from that they had been in old days. The __4__. D7 T5 W0 n m- n) g! i' X
farmer aroused at dawn or before and had much work to do, with __5__
) P. A- @ l* L his own muscles like his chief source of power. He used axes, __6__
0 [$ U/ K2 t3 X4 e# V spades and other complicated tools. In his house cooking was done __7__0 o& Q( ^4 [# B+ s/ a
in wood-burning stoves, and the kerosene lamp was the only& O/ f% Q1 o2 R; m( }
improvement on the candle. The family's recreation and social life
- f6 I) n- `, _2 n# } m chiefly consisted a drive in the wagon to the nearby small town or __8__* |# ^! i/ z" V3 k' `7 e7 K5 B
village to transact some business as well as to chat with neighbors
9 o) E, ?+ A& x( y" u who had also come to town.+ Y8 u+ l) G: S R3 P% t
The children attended a small elementary school (often of
( x! O0 g& H, N# g9 Q6 q; r just one room) to that they had to walk every day, possibly for a __9__6 z; T5 F% T8 c3 t i
few miles. The school term was short so that the children could& H( u7 ~' e; m5 d# F; C$ P
not help on the farm. Although the whole family worked, and life __10__% E+ }4 i! k3 Y. m$ ^4 J
was not easy, farmers as a class were self-reliant and independent. |
发表于 2012-8-14 11:29:10
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