America’s Economic Revolution
Notes
Comments/ Reaction/ Analysis
-The Market Revolution
-The market economy was growing as result of
an increase in manufacturing that was as good
if not better in some aspects of European
countries that it was capable of challenging
them for competition. It impacted society,
culture and politics.
- Regional Divergences
- S cotton farms flourished because of the
increasing demands from the N textile mills…
the south was less developed economically
than the N because there was no need for them
to be because anything that they needed could
be obtained from the N… it was a constant
trade between the two regions.
-Growing disputes over slavery
-The north was developing a free-labor system
because their way of life began to lack the
requirement of large labor forces because the
machines were taking the place of humans as
well as immigrants that would work cheaply.
The south still greatly depended on slaver y
and the free labor they provided so they began
to defend slavery even more forcibly. This is
the beginnings of sectionalism between the
northern and southern regions as well as
fighting over slavery that would eventually
lead to the civil war.
Summary
America was undergoing many economic alterations during the 1800s. The major
changes involved the growing market revolution which was a result manufacturing increases
because demand for products expanded as well as the need for more efficient forms
transportation; the production rates had to increase and occur faster in order to quench the supply
demand. The northern and southern regions began to dispute over slavery, which rocks the boat
of nationalism once again. Slavery was a factor that continually got in the way of America’s
nationalism.
Key Terms: pg 260-279
The Changing American Population
The American Population, 1820-1840
Reasons for population Increase (260) – Public health was improving and the US was not being
faced w/ any plagues or other epidemics tht would decrease the population & high birth rate, as
well as longer life expectancy & immigration increase particularly the Irish= growth of cities
Immigration and Urban Growth, 1840-1860
Rapid Urbanization (261) – Growth of cities because of immigration= people migrating were
poor, couldn’t afford to live anywhere but cities… reflection of growing national population
Surging Immigration (261) – foreign born outnumbered native born, lived mainly in the N. and
MI regions (ex: ½ residents of NY city= immigrants)
German and Irish Immigrants (261) – majority of immigrants, 45% Irish, 20% German…
*Germany= widespread poverty cause of industrial revolution, had some $= able to move NW to
become farmers and start own businesses, members of family groups or single men
*Ireland= oppressive British rule drove them out & potato famine (1845), practically no $, could
only work in factories, no $ to start own business, mainly single women
The Rise of Nativism
American Views of Immigration (263) – Industrialists and employers= good, cheap labor…
Land Speculators & investors in the W= good, hoped it would expand population… Political
leaders in W= hoped immigrants increase pop, and political influence as result… Nativists= no,
hostile to immigrants, said unfit to live w/ them, said wrecked urban areas by choice rather than
cause of poverty… Workers= no, immigrants were taking their jobs cause they worked for
cheaper and demanded less
Native American Party (264) – 1845, made up of nativists, secret societies tht were created cause
of tensions and prejudice w/ immigrants
Supreme Order of the Star-Spangled Banner (265) – Formed by many nativist groups, demanded
banning of Catholics, and foreign holding public office, and adopted strict code of secrecy used
in lodges= password, “I Know Nothing”
The Know- Nothings (265) – created a political party, American Party, during election of 1852
Transportation, Communications, and Technology
The Canal Age
Steamboats (266) – rivers more important in 1820s, steamboats improved, carried corn and
wheat from western farmers and cotton and tobacco from SW plantations, carried people up and
down rivers 2
Economic Advantages of Canals (266) –could transport more and same amount of time as
carriages, expanded water routes and fixed problems such as geography if traveled by land…
expensive and hard work to make though
The Erie Canal (267) –4 ft deep, 40 feet wide, towpaths along banks, 88 locks= biggest
construction project US ever took on, route to Great Lakes= gave NY access to trade in the W,
connected Lake Erie w/ Chicago River , Oct. 1825
The Early Railroads
Technological Basis of the Railroad (268) – invention of tracks, steam-powered engines, and
railroad cars (passenger and freight) made trains possible
Competition between Railroads and Canals (269) – Chesapeake and OH Co. prevented OH
railroad and Baltimore Co. advance, railroads had many advantages and competed freely and
prevailed.
The Triumph of the Rails
Consolidation (269) – short lines rather than long ones= 1 railroad line to point a, then get on b
to point c… easier
Innovations in Communication
The Telegraph (270) – 1844, Samuel Morse, wire system used to communicate LONG
DISTANCES.
The Associated Press (271) –1846, Richard Hoe, steam system rotary press= printed newspapers
cheap and fast
Commerce and Industry
The Expansion of Business, 1820-1840
Advantages of the Corporation (271) – Corporation could only receive charter in past w/ special
act by state legislature, legal obstacles removed now= states began to pass laws that made it
possible to get charter only by paying a fee. In 1830s
Inadequate Credit (272) – Investments depended on creditability, still poor though cause US $
made of gold and silver and there wasn’t much= gov gave out bank notes backed by gold and
silver; gov could still issue currency= led to bank failures cause eventually there were so many
notes not backed up by anything.
The Emergence of the Factory
Transformation of the Shoe Industry (272) – Factories mainly had shoes being made by hand, but
they had people who specialized in certain aspects working on each feature, result = factories
producing large #s of identical shoes, no left or rights, just shoes
The Industrial Northeast (273) – had more than 50% of the mills and factories in US
Advances in Technology
Interchangeable (273) – Creations of better machine tools cause of part changing led to better
manufacturing of clocks, steam engines, farm tools all the same, mass production= led to bikes,
sewing machines, cash registers, typewriters, and later cars
New Energy Sources (273) – Coal replaced wood and water in factories, made it possible to
locate mills away from rivers/ streams= expanded more widely.
Technological Innovations (273) – *1839, Goodyear, discovered how to treat rubber to make it
stronger and give it elasticity= rubber industry * 1846, Howe, sewing machine, improved by
Singer= ready to wear manufactured clothing
Innovations in Corporate Organization
Decline Merchant Capitalism (274) – cause of British competition that was gaining more
popularity and greater opportunities than trade in manufacturing
Men and Women at Work
Recruiting a Native Work Force
Transformation of American Agriculture (274) – led to beginnings of industrial labor=
agriculture opened new lands for farming, led to improvements of transportation system, and
new farming machinery= food production increase… new machines, decrease # of workers
needed, and region could import food from other regions (didn’t have to rely on only themselves)
Two System Recruitment (275) – * whole families brought from farms to mill (parents worked
on looms alongside their children) * enlisted young women (mainly farmers daughters)
The Lowell System (276) – relied on young unmarried women, they lived in boarding houses or
dorms maintained by the factory owners, well fed and supervised, low wages, but generous for
time because women generally didn’t work/ weren’t allowed 2
Women Workers (276) – women well treated, but switch from farm life to factory hard, nothing
was familiar, they lived w/ strangers, work from dawn till dusk (did tht on the farms anyway,
difference was tht their chores didn’t vary and they were doing the same job every day), work in
mills only opportunity other than returning to farms cause women weren’t supposed to travel the
country alone to look for opportunities
Decline of the Lowell System (277) – Bust time, hard to maintain high living standard, wages
declined, hours lengthened= women protested= immigrants began to be used more, complained
less cause expected/ used to less
The Immigrant Work Force
Economic Advantages of Immigrant Labor (277) – Large source of labor tht was also cheap,
working conditions worse than before, not even enough $ to support themselves or families,
mainly Irish immigrants worked there
Harsh Working Conditions (277) –Factories large, noisy, unsanitary, and dangerous places to
work, men lucky to earn $6 a week, women less
The Factory System and the Artisan Tradition
Deskilling (277) – Some Artisans made good transition into sml scale industry, others unable to
compete w/ new factory made products tht sold for fraction of artisans price
National Trade Unions (278) – 1820s/ 1830s, craft societies began to combine w/ city central
organization, workers realized advantages to joining forces and established the union in 1834,
fought to preserve/ gain control over productive lives
Fighting for Control
Commonwealth vs. Hunt (278) – MA 1842, result= unions were lawful organizations, industrial
worker victory
Female Protective Unions (278) – women established own union cause excluded from craft
union cause of gender even though they participated in almost all industries and crafts,
established in 1850s, important role= mutual aid societies for women
America’s Divided Working Class (278) – manufacturers replaced striking workers w/
immigrants and natives easily= led to internal conflicts amongst themselves rather than combine
against employer
Key Terms: pg 279- 290
Patterns of Industrialism Society
The Rich and the Poor
Increasing Inequality in Wealth (279) –
The Urban Poor (279) –
African-American Poverty (280) –
Social Mobility
Social Mobility (281) –
Middle-Class Life
Rapidly Expanding Middle Class (281) –
New Household Inventions (281) –
Growing Class Distinctions (282) –
The Changing Family
Declining Economic Role of the Family (282) –
Falling Birth Rates (282) –
Women and the “Cult of Domesticity”
Female Education (283) –
New Roles for Women (284) –
Women’s Separate Spheres (284) –
Benefits and Cost (285) –
Working Class Women (285) –
Leisure Activities
Minstrel Shows (285)P.T. Barnum (288) –
The Agricultural North
Rise of Commercial Agriculture (288) –
Northeastern Agriculture
Tuck Farming in the Northeast (288) –
The Old Northwest
Industrialization in the Old West (288) –
Agricultural Specialization (289) –
Growing Ties between Northeast and Northwest (289) –
New Agricultural Techniques (289) –
McCormick Reaper (289) –
Rural Life
Importance of Religion in Rural Communities (290) –