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1. Introduction to the Market Revolution

• The concept of "market revolution" suggests a significant transformation in American society.

• Questions to investigate:

  • What has changed?

  • Why is it termed a revolution?

  • When did it occur?

  • What caused it to unfold?

2. Personal Accounts and Historical Context

• Margaret Dwight (1810)

  • Journey from New Haven, Connecticut to Ohio took four weeks, facing difficult and rocky roads.

  • Described her experience as a "terrible ordeal", showcasing the challenges of early American travel.

  • Asserts that few return from the West not due to its desirability, but because the journey is harsh.

• Francis Trollope (1829)

  • A contrasting account of travel from Cincinnati to the East Coast.

  • Encountered the newly built National Road, which facilitated her journey across the Allegheny Mountains, describing it as "a scenic delight".

  • Reflects on improvements in transportation infrastructure over just 19 years.

3. The Market Revolution Defined

• A new economy emerged in early 19th-century America, marking a shift from agrarian to market-oriented practices.

• Described as an acceleration of earlier developments rather than a new phenomenon.

• Key innovations that facilitated this revolution included transportation and communication advancements.

4. Innovations in Transportation

4.1 Infrastructure Improvements

• Development of roads and canals significantly reduced transportation costs and times, enabling farmers to bring goods to market efficiently.

• The map illustrating roads and canals depicts a nation interconnected by these infrastructures.

4.2 Impact of Canals and Railroads

• Steamboats and Canals

  • Robert Fulton's Clermont allowed for upstream navigation, essentially making rivers two-way highways.

  • The Erie Canal (opened in 1825) connected New York City to the Great Lakes, greatly enhancing trade.

• Railroads

  • The first commercial railroad (Baltimore and Ohio, 1828) illustrated rapid expansion, growing to over 30,000 miles by 1860.

  • Railroads opened new territories to settlement beyond the previously established waterways.

5. Innovations in Communication

• The Telegraph, invented by Samuel Morse, offered instantaneous communication, vital for coordinating transportation systems and enhancing economic exchanges.

• By 1860, about 50,000 miles of telegraph lines linked distant markets and regions.

6. The Rise of the West

• The market revolution led to significant westward migration; between 1790-1844, 5 million crossed the Appalachian Mountains.

• Settlement maps from 1800 to 1820 show substantial population movement.

• Migrants typically moved in groups, utilizing routes such as the Erie Canal for traveling westward.

• The Cotton Kingdom: The emergence of the cotton economy saw a dramatic increase in cotton production reliant on enslaved labor.

  • Eli Whitney’s cotton gin (1790) revolutionized cotton farming, resulting in extensive labor needs in the Deep South.

7. Personal Experiences of Migration

• Harriet Noble's account (1824) showcases the harsh realities of travel and settlement in Michigan, illustrating the struggles faced by women and families during westward expansion.

• The collective nature of settlement created tight-knit communities that worked together in farm labor, challenging traditional gender roles.

8. The Ideology of Manifest Destiny

• As settlers moved west, they developed the ideology of Manifest Destiny, believing it was their God-given right to expand across the continent.

• Visual representations (e.g., paintings) emphasized a narrative of civilization versus savagery in justifying westward expansion.

9. Conclusion

• The Market Revolution drastically reshaped America's economy, driven by advancements in transportation and communication.

• The interconnectedness created by roads, canals, railroads, and telegraphs led to fundamental transformations in society and the rise of the West.