Bonanza farms
Definition
Bonanza farms were very large farms in the United States performing large-scale operations, mostly growing and harvesting wheat. They emerged during the late 19th century.
Analogy
Imagine a giant factory producing thousands of cars each day. Now replace those cars with wheat - that's what bonanza farms were like. They weren't small family operations; they were big businesses focused on mass production.
Related terms
Homestead Act: An act passed by Congress in 1862 granting public lands to settlers for farmland at little to no cost.
Mechanized Agriculture: The process of using agricultural machinery to mechanize work, significantly increasing productivity.
Sharecropping: A system where tenant farmers give a part of each crop as rent instead of cash. This system became widespread in Southern states following the Civil War when many former slaves became sharecroppers due to lack of other options for work.
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