Make a list of significant agricultural changes/innovations that influenced the North Dakota economy. Start with what students already know. What did farming and ranching look like in North Dakota in the late 1800s? Who was farming and ranching? Where were they farming and ranching? How big were farms and ranches? How big are farms and ranches today? What are some key differences between a “ranch” and a “farm?” What did they produce? What types of tools and equipment were available to them in the 1800s compared to today? What were some of the bigger issues and trends they faced? How do students know what they already know? Talk about what their knowledge is based on. Did they grow up on a farm or have family who farm? Have they read about it before, or saw it in a movie or television show?
Activity: Comparing the Farm Economy at Statehood and at the Centennial
Compare agricultural statistics for North Dakota in 1890 (closest census to statehood) and 1992 (closest census to the state’s centennial), found online at United States Census of Agriculture, part of the website of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This site contains a wealth of information about agriculture in North Dakota during different decades, like a snapshot in time. Working in groups, review either the 1890 or 1992 census. Share back to the whole class what your group has learned, and then, as a class, compare and contrast the data.
Under the menu you can find various information and data on farming. The teacher may want to gather specific data for students to look at or have the students find information on their own.
Report back to the class what each group discovered in their examination of the census data. Create a graphic organizer to collect data and compare and contrast the information from both censuses.