Texans ran their own farms and raised their own cattle, because land was cheap and available. The amount of farms raised from 12,000 to 43,000. Some farmers focused on food crops such as corn, wheat, oats, and sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, those would not make a lot of profit. But you know what did? Cotton! Cotton was farmed mainly in east Texas, along the Gulf, and some parts of central Texas. Ranching was also important to the Texas economy beginning in the 1850s.

Rural life in Texas