Deere’s second manufactured plow
THE INVENTION OF THE
STEEL PLOW
CHANDLER VAUGHAN
PARTS OF JOHN DEERE’S PLOW
HISTORY OF THE PLOW
• The first plows were used around 4,000 B.C.E. in
Mesopotamia
• Then, they were only large sticks pointed with oxen
horns that were pulled or pushed through the
ground.
Map of where the first plow was used
DEVELOPMENTS
• The plow first developed in Egypt around 2,000
B.C.E.
• To increase tillage speed, the Egyptians added a
wider furrow, or sod cutting portion to the plow.
• In the 11th century B.C.E., the Israelites added an
iron share to the plow, decreasing cultivation time.
THE PLOW IN WESTERN EUROPE
• In England several more advances were made to
the plow:
• Jethro Tull added a cutting portion to the plow to slice the
hard sod along with interchangeable parts
• Robert Ransome added a cast iron plow share and a selfsharpening blade
• Lastly, while serving as Minister to France, Thomas Jefferson
created a mathematical formula to create rows during the
plowing process.
PLOW IN EASTERN AMERICA
• The iron plow was brought over with the settlers to the first
settlement at Jamestown.
• By 1650 the Virginia Colony had over 150 plows.
• The iron plow worked excellent in the east due to the sandy
soil characteristics
Interpretation of the tobacco industry in Jamestown
WESTWARD EXPANSION
• After the Louisiana Purchase, America was free to travel past
the Mississippi River
• After arrival the settlers noticed that the iron plow had several
flaws in breaking and cultivating the soil.
• The soil in the Midwest had a characteristic that caused it to
stick to the iron plow.
Depiction of the
constant scraping to
remove the dirt from
the iron plow
SOLVING THE PROBLEM
• In reality, the first steel plow was not created by
John Deere. It was created by John Lane.
• Lane discovered and created the first steel plow
four years before Deere.
• Lane is not credited with the discovery because he
did not publicize his invention and did not apply for
a patent
JOHN DEERE BEFORE THE PLOW
• John Deere, before inventing the steel plow, lived as a
blacksmith in Rutland, Vermont.
• As his business began to decline, Deere sold his shop to his
father in law and left the sale’s proceeds to his wife and four
children.
• Soon after Deere moved to Grand Detour, Illinois and opened
a new blacksmithing business.
THE INVENTION
• Soon after arrival, Deere heard of the issues of
cultivation.
• To begin the solution, Deere visited a local sawmill
and took a broken steel sawmill blade.
• He then heated and hammered the blade into the
shape of a plow share.
THE INVENTION(CONT.)
• After the shaping process, Deere crafted the steel to the
previously iron plow share and began to test it.
• The first plow was tested at the farm of Joseph Brieton just
south of Grand Detour.
• After several trials, Deere’s plow withstood all tests and did not
retain the sticky traits of the iron plow.
Photograph
depicting the
appearance
of the first
steel plow
PUBLICATION
• Word of mouth advertising quickly spread the news
of the steel plow
• Deere’s business quickly expanded over the next
several years. Plows were sold at twelve dollars a
piece to remain marketable and competitive.
•
•
•
•
In 1840 – forty plows
In 1841 – seventy-five
In 1842 – one hundred
In 1843 – four hundred
EXPANSION OF THE BUSINESS
• For the remainder of the 19th century, Deere’s
business continued to prosper.
• The century was characterized by relocations,
executive changes, mergers, and expansion.
• One major milestone came in 1878, when Deere
and Company experienced its first million dollar
sales year.
JOHN DEERE TODAY
• From his first plow, John Deere created a company that is
today, the largest manufacturer and supplier of farm
implements.
• His sales revenues have grown from under one thousand per
year to today where his worldwide company grosses billions of
dollars per year.
• John Deere’s invention of the steel plow gave the
expansionists the ability to permanently settle the Midwest
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