Farming Frontier

Definition

The farming frontier refers to the advancing boundary region in the 19th century American West where pioneers transitioned from hunting and trapping to farming and ranching.

Analogy

Think about when you level up in a video game. You've mastered one area (hunting/trapping), so now you're moving on to a new challenge (farming/ranching). It's exciting but also comes with its own set of difficulties.

Related terms

Homesteading: A lifestyle centered around subsistence agriculture, where families grow their own food and often make their own clothes and tools as well.

Sodbusters: These were farmers on the Great Plains who had to break through thick soil, known as sod, before they could plant crops.

Transcontinental Railroad: This was a train route across the United States that greatly reduced travel time between coasts and facilitated western expansion.