The Market Revolution #12

What does “Market Revolution” refer to in early U.S. history?

The shift from a local, agrarian economy to a national, market-oriented commercial and industrial economy.

What kinds of innovations helped drive the Market Revolution?

Improvements in transportation (roads, canals, later railroads), communication, and new production technologies.

What major changes did the Market Revolution bring to work and production?

Rise of factories, wage labour, mass production, and decline of small-scale farms/workshops.

How did the Market Revolution affect where people lived?

More people moved toward urban centres — growing cities, rather than rural farm life.

What new social/economic classes emerged from the Market Revolution?

A wage-earning working class, entrepreneurs/business owners, and a broader class-based stratification.

How did the Market Revolution impact the U.S. economy overall?

It laid the foundation for a modern capitalist economy, with larger national markets and industrial/commercial growth.

How did the changes of the Market Revolution affect social structure in America?

It altered social relations — creating class divides, reducing reliance on subsistence or localized economies, and transforming livelihoods.

Why is the Market Revolution historically significant for the future of the United States?

Because it set economic, social, and infrastructural patterns that shaped U.S. growth, regional dynamics, and later conflicts.