Green Acres: A History of Farmers in America [rebroadcast]

As the fall harvest comes in, BackStory takes a look at how farmers
came to wield so much influence in American politics and life. In
the 18th century, Thomas Jefferson viewed farmers as ideal
citizens,their agricultural lifestyle providing the foundation for
a virtuous republic. Just two percent of Americans live on farms
today, but farmers still occupy a special place in the national
identity. In this episode, BackStory considers why the ideal of the
self-sufficient, independent American farmer is still so powerful
(even as the reality has largely disappeared) and who has invoked
that ideal over time. From railroad companies to anti-imperialists,
the image of the “yeoman farmer” has served many different ends and
anchored one of the most successful government lobbies in
history.

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