Capitalism, Crops, and Cultural Change Through the Lens of the W. Atlee Burpee Seed Company, 1876 - 1915

Authors

Maureen S. Thompson, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

History

First Advisor's Name

Kenneth Lipartito

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Gail Holland

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Catherine Mas

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Daniel Royles

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Fifth Advisor's Name

Terrence Peterson

Fifth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

business history, capitalism, seed industry, sociocultural change, late 19th - early 20th centuries

Date of Defense

2-16-2023

Abstract

The W. Atlee Burpee Seed Company originated in 1876 during a period of industrial and economic growth predicated upon laissez-faire capitalism. Over the nineteenth century, technological advances fueled by capital produced effective farming equipment that replaced human labor. As a result, agrarian societies declined while urban centers grew. As demographics shifted, so did kinship networks and rural customs associated with saving and exchanging seed. Instead, growers increasingly purchased seed from anonymous mail-order companies, which should be considered the equivalent of twenty-first century online shopping.

In 1910, the title of Burpee Seed Company’s catalog was changed from Burpee’s Farm Annual to Burpee’s Annual, reflecting a changing consumer base that included home gardeners, market growers, and canners. Burpee captained his business into the early twentieth century, a time when the United States government asserted control over monopolies and issued laws governing privately-owned businesses. Burpee joined trade associations, corresponded with political figures, and traveled to Washington, D.C. to represent the seed industry’s interests. His actions challenged government mandates as he campaigned for both the W. Atlee Burpee Seed Company and the overall seed industry.

Identifier

FIDC011091

Recommended Citation

Thompson, Maureen S., "Capitalism, Crops, and Cultural Change Through the Lens of the W. Atlee Burpee Seed Company, 1876 - 1915" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5241.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5241