AP USH CH12: INDUSTRY AND THE NORTH

Erie Canal

man-made waterway that was completed in 1825, connecting New York. It played a crucial role in opening up the interior of the United States to trade and settlement by providing a direct water route between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes. The canal greatly boosted commerce, lowered transportation costs, and helped New York City become a major economic hub. It was a significant achievement in American infrastructure development.

Market Revolution

refers to the dramatic shift in the American economy during the early 19th century, where a transition occurred from a largely agrarian economy to one based on industrialization, commercial farming, and market-based exchange. Key developments included the expansion of transportation networks (like canals and railroads), the rise of factories, the growth of cities, and innovations like the telegraph. This revolution transformed the way people worked, lived, and interacted with the economy.

Putting out system

a pre-industrial manufacturing method where merchants or manufacturers provided raw materials to rural workers who would then process or make goods in their homes. The finished products were returned to the merchant for sale. This system allowed for production on a smaller scale before the rise of factories and industrialization, especially in textiles and other crafts.

McCormick reaper

1831, was a mechanical device designed to automate the process of harvesting grain. It revolutionized farming by significantly increasing efficiency, reducing the need for manual labor, and enabling farmers to harvest larger areas of crops. The reaper played a key role in the agricultural revolution and the expansion of commercial farming in the United States.

Samuel Slater

an English-born industrialist who is often called the "Father of American Industry." He memorized the designs of textile machinery in Britain and brought them to the United States, where he built the first successful cotton spinning mill in 1790 in Rhode Island. His innovations helped kickstart the American Industrial Revolution, particularly in the textile industry.

Lowell Mills

group of textile factories in Massachusetts, established in the early 19th century. They became famous for employing young women, known as "Lowell girls," who worked in the mills under strict supervision. The mills were part of the American Industrial Revolution and played a significant role in the growth of the textile industry in the U.S. The system was initially praised for offering employment to women, but workers soon faced long hours, low wages, and difficult conditions, leading to labor protests and reforms.

American system of manufactures

a manufacturing method that emphasized the use of interchangeable parts and mechanized production. Developed in the early 19th century, it allowed for the mass production of goods, particularly in industries like textiles, firearms, and clocks. This system significantly boosted productivity and reduced costs, laying the foundation for modern industrial manufacturing in the United States.

Second Great Awakening

a religious revival movement in the United States during the early 19th century, particularly between the 1790s and 1840s. It emphasized personal faith, emotional religious experiences, and the idea of salvation available to all. The movement led to the growth of new religious denominations, such as the Methodists and Baptists, and spurred social reform movements, including abolitionism, women's rights, and temperance. It had a profound impact on American religious and social life.

Charles G Finney

a prominent American preacher and leader in the Second Great Awakening. Known for his innovative revivalist techniques, Finney emphasized personal salvation, moral perfection, and social reform. He was a strong advocate for abolitionism, women's rights, and temperance, and his revivals, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, significantly influenced religious and social movements in the U.S.

Transcendentalism

a philosophical and literary movement in the early 19th century in the United States, emphasizing the inherent goodness of people and nature. It stressed the importance of intuition, self-reliance, and individual conscience, believing that truth could be found through personal experience rather than tradition or institutions. Key figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were central to the movement, advocating for a deep connection with nature, simplicity, and social reform.

Transportation Revolution

refers to the rapid expansion and improvement of transportation infrastructure in the United States during the early 19th century, particularly between 1815 and 1860. Key developments included the construction of canals (like the Erie Canal), the expansion of railroads, and improvements in roadways. These advancements drastically reduced transportation costs, sped up the movement of goods and people, and helped integrate regional economies, contributing to the growth of markets and the spread of industrialization.

Old Northwest

region in the United States that was originally part of the Northwest Territory, which included the lands north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania. It consisted of present-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. The region played a significant role in the expansion and development of the U.S. in the 19th century.

Henry David Thoreau

an American essayist, poet, and philosopher, best known for his work Walden, in which he reflects on simple living in natural surroundings. Thoreau was a leading figure in the Transcendentalist movement and advocated for individualism, self-reliance, and a deep connection with nature. He is also famous for his essay Civil Disobedience, where he argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule their conscience and should resist unjust laws through nonviolent protest. Thoreau's ideas on nature, individual freedom, and social justice had a lasting influence on American thought and activism.

Sentimentalism

an 18th and 19th-century literary, cultural, and philosophical movement that emphasized the importance of emotions, feelings, and empathy in human experience. It celebrated human sympathy, compassion, and personal connections, often portraying emotions as a moral guide. In literature and art, sentimentalism focused on themes of love, friendship, and personal virtue. It was a response to the rationalism of the Enlightenment, emphasizing intuition and emotional expression as important aspects of human life and moral development.