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Tobacco In Kentucky History Essay

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Role of Tobacco in Kentucky History
Tobacco existed in Kentucky long before the establishment of the commonwealth Kentucky. Native Americans; such as the Shawnee, utilized tobacco medicinally and ceremonially. European settlers brought it with them to central and, eventually, western Kentucky, and until the late 1920s, Kentucky produced more tobacco than any other state. Kentucky remained the largest burley and dark tobacco producer, and ranked second, in total pounds produced, to North Carolina.
Aside from recreational and ceremonial use, some Native American tribes and European Americans remedies involved tobacco, including pain–easing salves, fighting labor pains, using smoke for colic and asthma, and chewing to soothe toothaches (Campbell). In 1964, the US Surgeon General released its first report regarding smoking hazards. Later reports offered specific warnings about tobacco use, including heart and …show more content…

For two years, beginning in 1905, masked men known as "Night Riders" raided communities around the state, most notably in Western Kentucky. They burned buildings, and destroyed fields and machinery in order to coerce hesitant farmers into joining them. They even beat and murdered non–participating farmers to intimidate others! The government finally dispersed the ATC’s monopoly in 1911.
During World War I, prices rose with the growing popularity of blended cigarettes, but dropped soon after. Kentucky burley farmers responded with an initially successful Burley Tobacco Growers Co–operative Association that was inactive by 1926. The Great Depression worsened the situation, costing some farmers their land! Work programs and legislation provided some relief. The New Deal introduced the federal tobacco program (strengthened through subsequent legislation), which stabilized prices. Farmers raised yearly quotas in exchange for "price supports" (minimum price per

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