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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.