11) america's economic revolution

the american population, 1820-1840

reasons for population increase

• improvements in health

• high birth rate

• immigration

agriculture in the northeast

it stays flat because it couldn’t compete with larger, richer farms of pennsylvania and the west

farmer’s responses to agriculture declining

• sold farms, moved to cities, and became factory workers

• sold farms, moved west to acquire larger, better farms

• continued farming, supplying local towns and cities with fruit, vegs, butter, milk, and cheese (truck farming)

agriculture in the old northwest (midwest)

growing industrialization but still completely tied to agriculture as well

old northwest became an agricultural powerhouse, selling most of its products to the northeast

• produced a strong tie/linkage between all sections of the north and further contributed to the isolation of the south

immigration

rapid urbanization - factories

surging immigration - 2 main groups

• irish 40-50%

• german 20-25%

irish

come due to potato famine where 0.5 to 1.5 million people starved

mostly roman catholic

poor, unskilled, and uneducated

urban centers of northeast

join the democratic party

cheapest labor

germans

not called “german” till reaching america

european revolutions of 1840s

mixture of catholic and protestant ~50/50

skilled, educated, and economically sound

farming and rural interests

the rise of nativisms

the native american (white) party - against democrats, white people who dont want people coming in

the know-things - secretive, would answer “i dont know” to questions about their party

the canal age - period of technology

steamboats were invented

economic advantages of canals

the erie canal - more people were settled near it

early railroads

technological basis of the railroad

competition between railroads and canals

early steam railroad - the rocket, 1829

single pair of driving wheels

multi-tubular fire tubes for steam production

cylinders close to horizontal and coupled directly to the driving wheels

separate firebox

avg speed - 12 mph

max speed - 28 mph

the triumph of the rails

railroads were more common compared to canals and spread out throughout the us

consolidation

new york to chicago

1800 - about 6 weeks

1830 - about 3 weeks

1850s - under 2 days

innovations in communications and journalism

the telegraph - samuel morse, morse code

the associated press

commerce and industry

the expansion of business, 1820-1840

• advantages of the corporation

advances in technology

• interchangeable parts - if something breaks you can just get the part

• technological innovations

the emergence of the factory

recruiting a native work force

transformation of american agriculture

entire family system - everyone did something for the business

the lowell system - business system that used single women as workers

decline - due to women getting married and micromanaging

the immigrant work force

economic advantages of immigrant labor

hard work conditions

the factory system and the artisan tradition

deskiling

national trades’ unions

the declining economic role of the family

family system declines due to factory working

rich and poor

great wealth concentrated in the hands of the few

cities experienced growing poverty and crime

• starvation was a leading cause of deaths

black and irish fared among the worst 

social mobility

social structure remained stable

individuals could improve their social status with work, ingenuity, and luck

geographic mobility served as a safety valve

middle class

fastest growing segment of society

homeowners

servants - irish, women in particular

stoves - no more cooking in fireplaces, better diet and improved transportation

women and the “cult of domesticity”

female education

new roles for women

womens separate sphere - expected to be homemakers

benefits and costs

working class women - maids, cooks, housekeepers, teachers, librarians

factory and industry work

increased regularity and standardization of time

railroads and telegraphs - set time to use and made the time zones for schedules

concept of time - using the sun

invention of time zones - depending on the place, lines drawn according to social and political reasons