Chapter 14: Forging the National Economy (1790-1860)

Westward Migration

Westward Migration

The movement of people to the western and mid-western states to find new opportunities (ex. jobs, land, and gold). 1/2 of Americans were 30, restless, energetic, and moved west by 1850. Frontier life was tough and crude for men, pioneers were ill-informed, superstitious, provincial, individualistic

Ecological imperialism

An aggressive and often heedless explotiation of the west. settlers often killed species to the point of extinction, and they farmed the lands dry. it was a hard land to live on, and this was sometimes the only way to survive and make a profit.

As people moved west, the environment...

Faced mas exhaustion; land was exhausted in tobacco regions, leading to rise of Kentucky Bluegrass and fur-trading empire based on a "rendezvous" system; whites traded beaver pelts w/ Indians and other trappers. Nearly killed the beaver and buffalo. Sea-otter pelts and buffalo robes traded too.

George Catlin

A painter who was among the first to advocate the preservation of nature as a national policy

March of Millions

Period where by the mid-1800s, the population 2X every 25 years. By 1860, there were 33 states and the U.S. was the 4th most populous country. Increased population and larger cities brought about disease and decreased living standards. 1840-1850s: more European immigrants came to the Americas because Europe seemed to be running out of room. Immigrants also came to America to escape the aristocratic caste and state church, and there was more opportunity to improve one's life. Transoceanic steamboats also reduced ocean travel times.

Irish Potato Famine (1840s)

A famine in 1845 when the main crop of Ireland, potatoes, was destroyed by disease. Irish farmers grew other food items, such as wheat and oats, but Great Britain required them to export those items to them, leaving nothing for the Irish to live on. As a result, over 1 million Irish died of starvation or disease, while millions of others migrated to the United States.

"Biddies" and "Paddies"

1- Hardly literate Irishwomen who took jobs as kitchen maids
2- Boad shouldered Irishman who took jobs as digging canals and building railroads

Irish Immigrants

Immigrants that came to the U.S. because of the Potato Famine. Many worked in factories in harsh conditions for little pay. Scorned by Americans who felt that they were taking their jobs; many Protestant Americans in Boston disliked their Catholicism. "NO IRISH NEED APPLY." They will hate blacks in job competition. Low-skill but owned property owned "city-machines," and were politically potent. Worked in NY police stations and Tammany Hall. 2M by 1860. Helped create pluralistic economy

German Forty-Eighters

Refers to the 1.5m German immigrants who moved to America (1830-1860) after the failed Revolution of 1848- poor farmes. They moved midwest in Wisconsin and Mississippi and were less politcally potent. Created xmas tree, Kentucky rifle, Constoga wagon, stimulated arts. But were harassed as "Damned Dutchmen," so they settled in compact colonies to preserve themselves. Highly educated, supported public schools, abolitionist. Helped create pluralistic economy

American nativists

People who believed that immigrants were taking their jobs and would outvote natives and ruin culture; ex. Roman Catholic and American Protestant religious groups had completely separate education systems-- nonetheless, America is still becoming more and more ethnically and racially diverse

Philadelphia Nativist Riots

A series of Anti-Catholic riots that broke out in Philadelphia in 1844 would lead to several Catholic Churches burning and strong anti-nativist backlash

Order of the Star Spangled Banner

An oath-bound secret society in NYC created by Charles Allen in 1849 to protest the rise of the Irish, Roman Catholic, and German immigration into the U.S. Known as the "Know-nothings" because they kept the society a secret. Wanted to restrict immigration and naturalization, and DEPORT immigrants

The Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid growth in the use of machines in manufacturing and production that began in the mid-1700s, in Great Britain "world's workshop," from textile-producing machinery. Transformed agriculture, communcation, transporation

Why did the Industrial Revolution spread later?

Parliament enacted laws to prevent the exporting of machines to continental Europe.

Samuel Slater

British mechanic that moved to America and in 1791 invented the first American machine for spinning cotton. He is known as "the Father of the Factory System" and he started the idea of child labor in America's factories.

Eli Whitney

Inventor of the cotton gin and interchangeable parts- identical parts used for acetain purpose. He accidentally helped the South with the increase in slavery, but helped the North more. The South will become "king cotton." He helped manufacture firearms for the army, including muskets.

Northern vs. Southern Economy

North was industrial, had lots of factories, and railroads. The South was agricultural, mainly cotton, and had prevalent slavery. Was based on industry and trade vs. agriculture (cash crops) and slave labor

Isaac Singer

Inventor of the sewing machine, which was perfected by Elias Howe. This invention gave another boost to northern industrialization, specifically the read-made clothing industry, It made clothes fit better and less expensive than homespun clothes. It also opened up a new line of employment for women, who began working in clothing factories.

Limited liability

A form of business ownership in which the owners are liable only up to the amount of their individual investments. Example: Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Samuel Morse

United States portrait painter who patented the telegraph and developed the Morse code (1791-1872).

Spindle Cities

Cities that the low wage workers would cluster to because they contained high amounts of factories that would allow more jobs for more people who needed them. "Wage Slaves"

Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)

Case heard by the Massachusetts Supreme Court. The case was the first judgment in the U.S. that recognized that the conspiracy law is inapplicable to unions and that strikes for a closed shop are legal. Also decided that unions are not responsible for the illegal acts of their members.

Strikes in 1830s-1840s

Advocated for a 10-hour work day, higher wages, and "smoking?" 300K members joined strikes by 1830 but damaged by the Panic of 1837.

What did women and girls do in the economy?

Began to spin yarn, weave cloth, made candles, soap, butter, cheese, worked 6 days (12-13 hours a day), joined unions, and took "self-supporting opportunities" of nursing, domestic service, teaching. Domestic feminism and limited birth control

Revolution in the Fields

The West got stacked on bread. Pioneer families cleared forests to grow corn & yellow grain, exporting easily; flowing cotton down Ohio-Mississippi river for Western $

John Deere

American blacksmith that was responsible for inventing the steel plow. This new plow was much stronger than the old iron version; therefore, it made plowing farmland in the west easier, making expansion faster.

Cyrus McCormick

Irish-American inventor that developed the mechanical reaper. The reaper replaced scythes as the preferred method of cutting crops for harvest, and it was much more efficient and much quicker. The invention helped the agricultural growth of America.

Lancaster Turnpike

Road that was built in the 1790s by a private company, linking Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, over 62 miles. Had to pay tolls, leading to rich trade in Philadelphia and stimulated Western development, with high expense

National Road (Cumberland Road)

The first highway built by the federal government. Constructed during 1825-1850, it stretched from Pennsylvania to Illinois. It was a major overland shipping route and an important connection between the North and the West.

Robert Fulton

American inventor who designed the first commercially successful steamboat and the first steam warship (1765-1815). He installed a steam engine in The Clermont; went from NYC to Albany via Hudson River in 32 HOURS (150 mi)

Clinton's Big Ditch

The popular nickname given to the Erie Canal in the 1800s; NYC mayor and gvrnr. DeWitt DClinton led construction of Erie Canal, connecting Great Lakes and Hudson River (1817-1825 construction). Less time, connected cities- $100 to $5. Sped up industrialization

The Railroad

One of the major technological advances in the 19th century; Georgia was one of the leaders in railroad development in the 1830s and many of Georgia's towns and cities were established due to the railroad. First appearing in 1828, it was faster, reliable, and cheaper than canals to construct. Did not freeze during winter. Temporaily closed in 1833 by NY because financers feared losing money from Erie Canal construction.

Railroad obstacles

Flying sparks setting fire to haystacks and houses, and had feeble brakes; brakes fixed w/ frequent changes of trains, improved brakes, and standardized gauges. Safety devices adopted.

Cyrus Field

American businessman who laid the first telegraph wire across the Atlantic. This cut down the time it took for a message to be sent from Europe to American and vice-versa. Went from Northatlantic waters in Newfoundland to Irelan (1858) but that cable died after 3 weeks. A permanent one was established in 1866

Clipper ships

American boats, built during the 1840's in Boston, that were sleek and fast but inefficient in carrying a lot of cargo or passengers.

Pony Express (1860)

System that carried mail speedily the two-thousand lonely miles from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. Daring, lightweight riders, leaping onto wiry ponies saddled at stations approximately ten miles apart, could make the trip in an amazing ten days.

Principle of division of labor

Underlined productivity and products on a national scale; South exports cotton to the UK and New Engalnd, West fed grain and livestock to the East & Europe, and the East made machines and textiles for South and West, North exported manufactured goods to each side

Market Revolution

The major change in the US economy produced by people's beginning to buy and sell goods rather than make them for themselves. National network of industry and commerce