Smithsonian. “1870-1900: Industrial Development.” National Museum of American History, 16
Oct. 2015, https://americanhistory.si.edu/american-stories/1870-1900-industrialdevelopment.
The main arguments are highlighting the various innovations and industrializations in the
late 1800’s. It also shows the benefits and detriments of becoming an economic and industrial
power. Special innovations were the completion of the transcontinental railroad, incandescent
lamps, tinfoil phonograph, telephone, print, Winchester rifles, typewriter, and sewing machines.
The point is a listing and description of the technologies that were either newly invented or
massively improved upon. It is meant to then explain their profound impact on the US by
allowing certain tasks to be completed much faster than before. It is a useful source for giving
exact and specific examples of the innovations founded during this time. It is similar to other
sources by giving objective facts, but different because it is more of a listing rather than written
paragraphs. It has reliable information because the source is from the Smithsonian Museum
which is a famous and credible source. It is an object source with the goal of giving simple and
clear facts about various technologies. It was helpful by allowing me to give more exact
examples of inventions and their impacts on American economic life in the 1800’s. It has
affected my view because it gave inventions that were important for household and industrial
uses such as the telephones, typewriters, and incandescent lamps. I also got a more in depth look
at each one’s history and its changes to American life.