Module 4.3 - Review Q&as

What were the economic and environmental effects of the Erie Canal?

It boosted trade and agriculture by lowering transport costs but caused environmental disruption and spread invasive species.

How did increased immigration change U.S. city life in the early 1800s?

It caused rapid urban growth, job competition, ethnic diversity, and overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions.

What challenges did early 19th-century urban residents face?

Poor sanitation, disease, overcrowding, poverty, and limited access to clean water and waste systems.

What values did the new middle class promote in the early 1800s?

Self-discipline, hard work, upward mobility, education, and domestic order.

How did the roles of middle-class men and women differ?

Men were wage earners in public life; women managed households and upheld moral values at home.

Why did farm families and young women find the Lowell system attractive?

It offered steady wages, structured housing, and a chance for independence before marriage.

In what ways did the Lowell system exploit female workers?

It imposed long hours, low pay, strict rules, and harsh working conditions.

How did workingmen respond to the decline of craft work?

They formed unions and political groups, but were limited by employer resistance and legal barriers.

What limited union success in the early 1800s?

Economic downturns, anti-union laws, employer retaliation, and lack of unity.

What were the effects of the Panic of 1837 in the North?

Immediate bank failures and job loss; long-term wage drops and calls for reform.