APUSH Unit 7: Market Revolution

Who was Eli Whitney?

Eli Whitney was a tutor working on the plantation of the widow of General Nathaniel Greene and in 1793 he invented a machine that picked the seeds out of cotton

What was the impact of the Cotton Gin?

The cotton gin revolutionized the cotton industry in the South by increasing it eightfold. Cotton soon became the most popular cultivated crop, specifically in the South. The cotton gin also created a wedge between the North and the South, as the North became more industrial, the South continued to stay agriculturally based. 

Who was Robert Fulton?

Robert Fulton was an inventor who perfected the Steamboat alongside his partner Robert R. Livingston. Their steamboat sailed up the Hudson in 1807. 

What are turnpikes?

The turnpike era took place from 1792-1845 and marked a time when turnpikes (expressways) were being constructed by companies after they saw the success of the first turnpike. 

What was it like living in cities?

 Living in cities and urban areas was vastly different from rural areas in 18th century America. Cities produced affluence and attracted affluent people. Very quickly city life began to change with these influences and soon urban life was full of entertainment like theater, music, dancing, and horse racing. 

What was the Second Bank of the United States?

The second bank of the United States was chartered by congress as a way to deal with the problem of currency in America. Unlike the first national bank, the second national bank had more capital, therefore it grew in size and power that allowed it to dominate the state banks.

What were textile mills?

The first textile mill was founded in 1813 by Francis Cabot Lowell. Textile Mills allowed for a more efficient way of spinning and weaving cotton. 

What was the Protective Tariff?

The Protective Tariff was passed by congress in 1816. This tariff limited foreign competition on a number of items, the most important one being cotton cloth. This tariff was not favorable for agricultural interests because they would have to pay higher prices for manufactured goods. 

Steamboats

Steamboats were invented by Robert Fulton in 1807. By 1816, they were used as cargo ships as they would travel the Mississippi river. 

Reasons for Westward Movement

Many people began moving west because of a population increase in the East that was mainly due to immigration and natural increase. In the South, the plantation system was very popular which did not leave much land or opportunities for newcomers. The last reason why many people began moving to the West was due to the war of 1812 that had diminished Native American opposition. 

What caused the expansion of slavery?

The growth of Southern settlement contributed to the expansion of slavery. Wealthy planters would move westward with their families, livestock, and enslaved people. The families would ride in carriages and had separate carriages for their goods.

What was the Market Economy?

The Market economy was a time economic transformation in America that was the backbone of the industrial industry in the US. The government did not intervene with the market economy which allowed private ownership to prosper and determine business decisions.

What caused the German and Irish Immigration?

European immigration to the US began to increase and there was a specific rise in Irish and German immigration. Many people left Germany because of the widespread poverty that had been caused by the economic dislocations of the industrial revolution. Many Irish immigrants left their country due to the ongoing oppressiveness by the English Empire and because of the potato famine. 

What were the effects of German and Irish Immigration?

The increase of Irish immigration led to a higher workforce in eastern cities while the increase of German immigration led to more businesses and farms in the Northwest.

What is Nativism?

 Nativism is a fear or hostility by native born people that is directed towards foreign born people, in the case of America, many American citizens grew fearful of the rise of immigration. 

What was the Know Nothing Party?

The Know Nothings were members of a movement that was known as the “Know Nothings” because of a secret password that was used by the Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner which was a nativist group. The Know-Nothings turned their attention to politics and created the American Party after the election of 1852. They participated in the elections of 1854 and gained control of the state government of Massachusetts. 

What was the Erie Canal?

The Erie Canal was opened in October of 1825 and was one of the greatest construction projects that America has had. It was an engineering and financial success that provided direct access between New York and Chicago and provided a route to the Great Lakes. 

What were early railroads?

 Railroads were the primary transportation system in America. Their usage began to rise due to technological developments such as the invention of tracks and steam powered locomotives. The railroad industry began to gain popularity with companies that saw the success that they brought. By the 1830s there still wasn’t a set railroad system. Instead, there were many small railroad lines in comparison to what they would become, and many of them did not connect to each other. In the 1830s and 1840s railroads began to have improvements with the use of heavier iron rails and improved railroad beds

What were Interchangeable Parts?

Interchangeable parts were identical parts that could be substituted for each other in the manufacturing process of a variety of products like clock and watch making, steam engines, locomotives, and farm tools. 

What were changes in Agriculture?

The development of technology, farming equipment, and transportation systems drastically changed American Agriculture. For the first time people could begin importing produce from other regions, and the new developments were less labor intensive. Due to the new developments of the agricultural industry many farmers living in the East began leaving and moved to regions with favorable land, and rural people moved from away from the East to work in factories. 

What was the Lowell System?

The Lowell system was an American labor system that heavily relied on young unmarried women. The working conditions of the Lowell System were more favorable for women because of the good working and living conditions, unlike the work and hardships that English women experienced during the Industrial Revolution. 

What did Women Workers experience?

Women workers suffered loneliness and disorientation due to the repetitive and unvarying tasks that they had to complete from sunrise to sunset every day. This made it harder for many women to adjust to the new way of work because they were accustomed to working on farms. Women were confined to working in mills due to the limitation of jobs that they could have. 

What were the effects of Women Workers?

Women workers were important to the evolution of women's roles in society and because they worked in an era where it was frowned upon for women to have jobs, they were restricted to one job opportunity which was factory working. 

What were the Advantages of Immigrant Labor?

 In the eyes of laborers, immigrant labor was favorable because of the way they could take advantage of them. Immigrants were arriving to America in large numbers and because they were new to the country they were not able to advocate for themselves which is why they experienced terrible working conditions (worse than those of women) and were left doing the harder work on canals, turnpikes, and railroads. They would receive low wages in their seasonal jobs which meant that for months there wouldn’t be any work available which then led to them not being able to support their families. 

What caused the increasing gap between the rich and the poor?

The Industrial Revolution further pronounced the disparity of wealth between the common people (slaves, Native Americans, unskilled workers) of America and the elite. In Boston 4% of the citizens were estimated to have owned 65% of the wealth and in Philadelphia about 1% of the people had half of the wealth in the city.