Lewis 1

Jefry Ghazaleh

Ben Bates

Speech 100

Oct 14th, 2016

The Great Cornholio. America’s Bastard Son

General Purpose: To inform.

Specific Purpose: To inform of the global economic, geological and societal impact on

humanity by corn, the simple yet powerful grass plant.

Central Idea: Corn has moved past the original purpose given by nature into a jumping

point not only for nutritional needs but also serves needs of industrial, refinement and

factory production (Warman). It’s path from wild ancestory; hostile takeover of native

American tribal land; eventual domination of the farm market and owner of the prized

farmland known as the “Midwestern Corn Belt” has awarded corn the farming king’s

crown (Hudson).

Introduction:

Attention Getter: Any supermarket in the United States has approximately 10,000 items

for purchase in its isles. One quarter of that amount or 2500 of the 10,000 items are

products derived from corn (Warman). Such remarkable diversity is rarely found in any

industry yet corn continues to add new and helpful products to its list of uses. Corn’s

effect on history isn’t limited to the physical derivatives of it’s kernels, the book “Making

the Corn Belt: A Geographical History of Middle-Western Agriculture” published in

1994 by John C. Hudson details the vast influence corn’s production has had on the

landscape, land value and social evolution in America.

Minutes of Speaking Time 2:00

 Lewis 2

Introduce Topic: Corn has shaped so many parts of society both for the good as well as

for the bad. Considering the how and why related to corn can shed light on how this

American powerhouse has become an international staple for life.

Statement of Credibility: With an origin hundreds of years old along with its necessity

in pinnacle situations throughout history ── corn has been analyzed, researched,

reviewed and documented in countless media venues. Universities, corporate moguls of

commerce and the science communities have all had a hand in adding credibility to the

facts surrounding corn. (Medley).

Thesis: Native american forests and their abundant resources have afforded the settlers

from europe a land flowing with milk and honey. The rare climate and rich diversity of

life paved the way for corn to make its claim on human markets and trade. The

MidWestern Corn Belt, genetic modification and technological advancement are the how

& why behind corns success.

Preview: Farmland geography, industrial production and many other facets of life have

been facilitated by this marvel of a plant. It’s given us sustenance as a food, wealth and

power for our nation through trade and remains an important and thriving aspect of why

America is the cornerstone of global commerce. Corn is the silent, simple explanation

behind many of the world's most complicated questions.

Body:

Minutes of Speaking Time 2:00

 Lewis 3

Transition: Humankind has benefited greatly from corn, although it has an elusive trail

to its origin.

I. History and Overview

a. What is it? Corn is a monstrous tall grass from the Gramineae family. Its

an annual crop which is sometimes grown more than once each year. Its

scientific nomenclature is Zea Mays which roughly translates as “that

which gives and sustains life” or “life giver”. Its closest ancestral

indigenous relative is Tripsacum which grows exclusively in

America.(Warman).

b. Where did it come from? Corn’s origin has been pondered and analyzed

by a great many over the past few hundred years. Many knew of its

existence in North America as an indigenous plant, although there was

much speculation regarding how it got there. Some believed the Native

American Tribes had conjured it into being by crossing different tall

grasses, while others were convinced that it was brought to America from

another geographic location. Many theories and ideas had relevance yet

the knowledge of genetics and geographic landscape was minimal in the

17th and 18th centuries. After 1930, technology and advancements in

analysis of cell biology shed light on the affirmation of an American

Descent for corn (Warman).

Minutes of Speaking Time 2:00

 Lewis 4

Transition: Eating corn is the most obvious of its uses. Nourishment however is not it’s

only benefit. Corn can be processed, used and modified to house a great wealth of

additional purposes.

II. The awe inspiring effect of corn.

a. “Corn & Capitalism”, a book by Arturo Warman is a complex and detailed

look into the many dealings of corn which most are unaware of. Warman

showcases corns abilities to transform into much needed derivatives for

uses outside its normal market. The plant has had it’s hand in African

Slavery, political unrest and contributed much to the growth of the

American capitalist market, as Warman describes in his book.

b. Unlike the starch derived from wheat, corn-starch is water-soluble. This

advantage is crucial for the commercial refining and production industries.

A water soluble starch such as corn is used to produce adhesives, syrups,

sweeteners and artificial food coloring. Corn oil is extracted from the corn

kernel for human consumption. Corn byproducts are used as culture

mediums for antibiotics and vitamins. It is even used to produce

explosives for oil mining (Warman).

c. Once the true significance of corn as a crop was revealed in the 1800’s and

early 1900’s, American farmers and landowners searched for the best

areas in the country for corn farming──the Midwestern Corn Belt in

North America was born. by 1840, the corn farming industry controlled

the farm and livestock markets by introducing animal feed to livestock

instead of grazing. This practice is still used today, furthermore the

Minutes of Speaking Time 2:00

 Lewis 5

delineated Corn Belt is unchanged, from the Ohio valleys and Bluegrass of

Kentucky, the nashville Basin of Tennessee and the pennyroyal plateau

north of the Kentucky and Tennessee borders stand as a vigil to corns

permanent position in agricultural production (Hudson).

Transition: Modern life for an ancient crop is more promising than the rise to power

experienced in the past.

III. Corn today - strengthened by modern advancement

a. Technological advancement in farming machinery has given computerized

accuracy and monitoring abilities to agricultural production. This can be

witnessed by Minnesota’s projection in 2013 that the september harvest is

expected to be the 2nd largest in state history (The Associated Press). a

2016 report by Alan Bruglar on the USDA Corn totals for Minnesota

shows that the projected expectation in 2013 was accurate. A 6% rise was

noted by the 1.738Billion Bushels harvested in 2013 (Alan Bruglar).

b. With genetic and scientific advancement, scientists have been able to

increase the total sugar concentration in corn by using specific

biofertilizers and organic cultivation systems by almost 2% (Dragana).

Conclusion:

Review: Corn is far reaching, its gaze reaches well beyond the role of a single

commodity. It is universal in utility, and as familiar as the sugar that flows in our blood.

It’s past has had highs and lows which history bares in its pages of time. It is not finished,

Minutes of Speaking Time 2:00

 Lewis 6

nor has it diminished. In fact it has balanced itself into a stable and consistent market

bull, clearly not relinquishing the grasp it holds over the landscape used to grow it, the

products formed by it and the people who service what it requires to thrive.

Concluding Remarks: So If a person finds themselves with more than 4 items in their

cart at the supermarket there is a good chance that, even without being aware of it ─ they

need corn.

Work Cited

Alan Brugler DTN Contributing Analyst. "USDA Report: Corn Stocks Held Tight –

DTN." AgFax. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.

Minutes of Speaking Time 2:00

 Lewis 7

Dragana, Latkovic et al. “The Yield and Sugar Content of Sweet Corn Cultivated in

Organic Production System.” Research Journal of Agricultural Science, vol. 45, no. 3,

2013, pp. 117–122. Academic Search Premier.

Hudson, John C. Making the Corn Belt: a Geographical History of Middle-Western

Agriculture. Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1994.

The Associated Press. “MN Expects 2nd Largest Corn Crop in State History.” AP

Regional State Report, 13 Oct. 2013.

Medley, Kimberly E., Christine M. Pobocik, and Brian W. Okey. "Historical Changes in

Forest Cover and Land Ownership in a Midwestern Landscape." Annals of the

Association of American Geographers 93.1 (2003): 104-20. Academic Search Premier.

Web. 14 Oct. 2016

Warman, Arturo. Corn &Amp; Capitalism: How a Botanical Bastard Grew to Global

Dominance. Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 2003.

Minutes of Speaking Time 2:00