John Deere's Steel Plow

"John Deere's Steel Plow" by Edward C. Kendall is a historical story about the creation and influence of John Deere's steel plow. The story looks at the problems early American settlers had with farming on the prairie, showing how the steel plow made farming much better. It uses historical facts to study how the materials and building methods were used in this important invention of the 1800s. The story goes over how John Deere’s plow design changed over time, talking about the struggles farmers had with old wooden and cast-iron plows that got stuck in the prairie soil. Deere's plow had a shiny steel part that cut through the tough soil and stopped it from sticking, which helped farmers grow crops more easily. The book mixes historical stories, technical details, how Deere's inventions were important, and sets aside misunderstandings of the devices, to explain the agricultural changes that the plow brought about.