Ohn Deere was born in Rutland, Virginia, on February 7, 1804. At age 17, he became an apprentice blacksmith to Captain Benjamin Lawrence, and he opened his own shop four years later. Trouble with creditors plagued him, however, and he sold his shop and moved to Illinois after only a few years to avoid declaring bankruptcy. Deere’s time in Illinois was to prove life changing. He noticed that the wrought-iron plows used by local farmers were ineffective in the tough Illinois soil. In 1837, he developed and manufactured the first effective cast-steel plow. He sold the first of his plows to a neighbor, and by 1841, he was manufacturing 75-100 plows each year.
By 1868, Deere turned his success with “the plow that broke the plains” into the financially successful Deere & Company. He also focused on civic activities. He served as mayor of Moline, Illinois, and he improved much of the city’s infrastructure by installing street lights and fire hydrants and creating a city park. John Deere passed away at his home in 1886, and his company remains one of the foremost manufacturers of agricultural machinery in the world.
11
There is enough evidence in the third paragraph to conclude that
A.
financial problems plagued Deere until his death.
B.
John Deere was active in his community.
C.
John Deere sold Deere & Company in 1868.
D.
Moline, Illinois, named a park after Deere.