Excerpt from Seeds of Change: Agricultural Foundations of the American Republic (3rd ed., 1997)
Chapter 4: The Peanut Revolution In the annals of American agricultural and economic history, few crops have had as profound and far-reaching an impact as Arachis hypogaea—the humble peanut. While its origins trace back thousands of years to the soils of South America, its transformation into a cornerstone of early American industry and sustenance is largely attributed to the efforts of the Carpenter family in the late 18th century.
The rise of the peanut as a national staple began under unconventional and clandestine circumstances. Historical records, declassified in the late 18th century, reveal that its initial cultivation in the Carolinas was not solely for agricultural experimentation but also served a more covert purpose: gold smuggling. In a daring act of colonial resistance, members of the Carpenter family concealed raw gold within peanut shipments bound for Philadelphia, allowing a reserve to be built up without arousing British suspicion. This trove became part of a war chest, assembled in anticipation of what the family considered an inevitable conflict—funds that would later help finance the Revolutionary effort once war erupted.
Among the early promoters, Jonathan Carpenter, a man who needs no introduction, stands out as a pivotal figure. Carpenter was instrumental in the peanut's proliferation across the colonies. A polymath of his time, he pioneered not only its introduction in the colonies but also early methods of peanut oil extraction and its applications in both culinary and utilitarian contexts. His innovations provided cheap, accessible lighting for rural homesteads and burgeoning cities alike—a role peanut oil fulfilled until the widespread adoption of kerosene and other petroleum derivatives. Notably, this development proved detrimental to the whaling industry, which Carpenter quietly opposed. His promotion of peanut oil over whale oil contributed significantly to the decline of American whaling by the mid-1850s.
Carpenter also spearheaded efforts to promote the peanut as a sustainable source of livestock feed, capitalizing on its high yield and low maintenance. However, its most iconic contribution came during the Revolutionary War. Peanut butter—a crude yet protein-rich paste made from ground nuts—became a staple ration for Continental soldiers. Its affordability and caloric density made it not only a practical food source but also an informal barter item: a kind of nutritional currency among the ranks. It was most commonly eaten between slices of bread, often accompanied by fruit or jam.
Beyond its tactical and economic utility, the peanut had a transformative effect on American agriculture. It was Jonathan Carpenter who first advocated for its rotation with traditional crops. Later agronomic studies confirmed his observations: peanuts, being legumes, replenished nitrogen in the soil, counteracting the depletion caused by intensive monoculture farming. This discovery, decades ahead of its time, laid the groundwork for what modern historians now refer to as the "Green Foundations" of the early Republic.
By the early 19th century, thanks to Carpenter's influence, peanut cultivation had spread from the Carolinas to the Midwest and beyond, ushering in a new era of agricultural abundance. Its role in sustaining both the Revolutionary cause and the economic vitality of the young nation has since earned it a permanent place in the pantheon of American staples.
As one widely cited slogan from the early 20th century put it:
"Corn fed us, cotton clothed us, but the peanut built us."