American history didn’t unfold in lecture halls or government buildings alone—it grew from the land. Long before highways, supermarkets, and global supply chains, daily life revolved around soil, seasons, labor, and food. Many U.S. presidents weren’t removed from this reality—they were shaped by it.
Presidents & the Plow invites students to explore American history through the shared human experience of agriculture. This unit examines ten U.S. presidents whose lives and leadership were deeply influenced by farming, rural communities, food systems, and land stewardship. Some worked the land themselves. Others shaped agricultural policy, conservation efforts, trade, or food access—but all reveal how closely leadership and the land have always been connected.
Written in the spirit of Born in the Country: A History of Rural America, this unit moves beyond dates and elections. Students encounter the real-life challenges of rural America—crop failures, soil care, innovation, scarcity, market risk, and resilience—and see how agricultural decisions shaped families, communities, and the nation as a whole.
This unit is intentionally non-political and historically grounded, focusing on agriculture as a unifying lens rather than ideology. By centering food, land, and rural life, students gain a deeper understanding of American history—and a greater appreciation for the people who feed the nation.
