The Market Revolution 1815-1845

The Market Revolution (1815-1845)

• Overview: The Market Revolution represents a transformative period in American history characterized by significant changes in production, subsistence, and the rise of new technologies.

• Key Technologies:

  • Railroads
  • Steamboats
  • Telegraph

• Regional Disparities:

  • The Southern United States experienced minimal industrialization.
  • Expansion of plantations and a surge in profits primarily driven by cotton production.

Growth of the Cities

• Efficiency in Agriculture and Factories:

  • Improved agricultural techniques and factory processes increased productivity.

• Transportation Improvements:

  • Enhanced transport systems led to greater audience reach and market expansion.

• Consumer Demand:

  • The shift from self-sustaining agriculture towards a commercial economy marked the essence of the Market Revolution.

Agriculture

• Commercial Farms:

  • The westward expansion saw farms transition into commercial entities.

• Innovators and Innovations:

  • Jethro Tull: Advocated crop rotation.
  • John Deere: Invented the steel plow.
  • Eli Whitney: Created the cotton gin, revolutionizing cotton production.

Transportation

• Infrastructure Development:
  • Construction of roads and turnpikes facilitated city connections along the eastern seaboard.
  • Steamboat advancements made by Robert Fulton increased water transport efficiency.
  • The Erie Canal, linking Buffalo to Albany, cost $7 million to build, showcasing massive infrastructure investment.

Communication

• Postal Services:

  • Post offices doubled in number between 1810 and 1820, emphasizing improved communication.

• Technological Advances:

  • The telegraph was invented by Samuel Morse, and in 1851, Western Union was established for efficient communication.
  • Print technology, including lithographs by Currier and Ives, emerged as significant cultural markers.

Industrialization

• Factory System Emergence:

  • Shift from artisan crafts to mass manufacturing reshaped labor dynamics.

• Labor Changes:

  • Workers began operating by the clock, facing poor wages and the division of home and work life.
  • Purchasing power of workers increased despite wage issues.

Lowell Mill Girls

• Industrial Town:

  • A Massachusetts industrial town consolidated cloth production industries.
  • Workers, primarily women, lived in boarding houses and worked long hours (13 hours a day, 6 days a week).

• Labor Actions:

  • Women organized strikes against wage reductions, highlighting early labor rights movements.

Urbanization

• City Populations:

  • By 1860, 20% of the U.S. population resided in urban areas.

• Societal Issues:

  • Growing urban slums and tenement housing emerged; fueled largely by waves of immigration.
  • New York City developed into the largest city in the U.S.

Immigration

• Irish Immigration:

  • Triggered primarily by the Irish Potato Famine of 1845.

• German Immigration:

  • Driven by poor agricultural yields and political revolutions of 1848.

Southern Society

• Paternalism:

  • Social and economic hierarchies shaped by class and race.

• Slave Ownership:

  • A mere 1% of the population owned over 100 slaves.
  • Yeoman farmers were positioned as a lower tier compared to wealthier plantation owners.

Slavery

• Regional Discrepancies:

  • The growth of slavery paralleled the rise of the cotton industry, particularly in the deep South (the Black Belt).

• Cultural Aspects:

  • Developed distinct slave cultures tied to the regions.

Life of the Enslaved

• Social Conditions:

  • High infant mortality rates and lower life expectancy characterized the enslaved population.
  • Marriages were often unrecognized; however, some were encouraged.
  • Enslaved women faced the threat of sexual assault.

• Cultural Resistance:

  • The 1830s saw attempts to convert enslaved individuals; a blend of African tribal practices and Christianity was evident.

Nat Turner Rebellion

• Overview:
  • In 1831, a significant slave uprising led by Nat Turner resulted in the deaths of 55 whites.
  • The rebellion lasted two days and led to severe retaliation against enslaved individuals.
  • In the South, Turner was labeled as evil, while he was viewed as a martyr in the North.