Traditionally, the American farmer has always been
independent and hard-working. In the eighteenth century farmers were
quite self-efficient. The farm family grew and made almost nothing it
1. ______ needed. The surplus crop
would be sold in order to buy a few items in the local general
store. In 1860, because some of the farm population had moved
to the 2. ______ city, yet eighty
percent of the American population was still in the country. In the late
nineteen century, farm work and life were not much 3.
______ changed from that they had been in old days. The banner arose at dawn
4. ______ or before and had much work to do, with
his own muscles like his 5.
______ chief source of power. He used aces, spades and other complicated
6. ______ tools. In his house cook
was done in wood-burning stoves, and the
7. ______ kerosene lamp was the only improvement on the candle. The
family’s recreation and social life chiefly consisted a drive in the wagon to
the 8. ______ nearby small town to village to transact some
business as well as to chat with neighbors who had also come to
town. The children attended a small elementary school (often of
just one room) to that they had to walk every day, possibly for a few miles.
9. ______ The school term was short so that
the children could help in the farm. 10. ______