Final answer:
The Smith-Lever Act, which established the federal-state extension service to provide direct education for farmers, was enacted in 1914. This act was part of historical trends toward federal involvement in education, building on the foundation laid by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Smith-Lever Act was an important piece of legislation that furthered agricultural education in the United States. It established the federal-state extension service, which was a pivotal development in providing direct education for farmers. This act was a significant step toward modernizing agriculture through education and outreach. While the Smith-Lever Act itself was brought into legal existence later, the philosophies and precedents for federal involvement in agricultural education can be traced back to earlier legislations such as the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.
The Morrill Act, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, was included in this historical trajectory because it laid the foundation for the creation of land-grant colleges, which profoundly affected education in agriculture and the mechanical arts. These acts were instrumental in increasing access to higher education for a broader segment of the population, contrasted with the more elitist Ivy League institutions that existed at that time.
While the date of enactment of the Smith-Lever Act isn't explicitly provided in the educational material mentioned above, historically, it is known that the Smith-Lever Act was enacted in 1914 by the United States Congress.