The McCormick Reaper revolutionized agriculture, making it possible to harvest large areas of grain much faster than could have been done by men wielding scythes. Because farmers could harvest more, they could plant more. So McCormick's invention of the reaper made the possibility of food shortages, or even famine, less likely.

The invention of the mechanical reaper, driven by early innovators and perfected by Cyrus Hall McCormick, ushered in a new era of agriculture. Its impact on farming efficiency, competition, and global adoption reshaped the world’s agricultural landscape.

The McCormick reaper speeded the process of harvesting wheat and other small crops by replacing the manual process of cutting of grain crops using scythes and sickles to harvesting with a machine. This invention saved farm workers from hours of back breaking labor, increased productivity and revolutionized farming methods.

He tapped the power of advertising and began exporting his machines to Europe. The impact of McCormick's reaper was profound. Crops could be cut far faster than before, and with fewer farm hands to pay. By some estimates, about 75% of the U.S. labor force was connected to agriculture in 1820; by 1968, that number had dropped to just 5%.