2110.20 Chapter 10 Jacksonian Democracy2 History

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Chapter Overview

Chapter 10: Jacksonian Democracy (1820-1840)

The Market Revolution

• Following the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, the United States experienced a significant economic boom, characterized by the transition from rural self-sufficiency to increasingly complex national market relations.

• This transformation not only reshaped the economy but also had profound social implications, marking a shift in how Americans engaged with production, consumption, and each other.

Transportation Innovations

Road Improvements

• The period saw an expansion in the improvement of road systems, leading to better connectivity across the nation.

• A proliferation of stagecoach companies emerged, facilitating commerce and travel.

Water Travel Transformation

• The introduction of steam-propelled boats fundamentally changed transportation dynamics. Robert Fulton’s Clermont, launched in 1807, was pivotal in this development.

• By the 1830s, the river systems were crowded with over 700 steamboats, enhancing the movement of goods and people.

• However, this boom came with risks, reflected in high fatality rates from steamboat accidents, which saw nearly 3,000 deaths in an infamous incident in 1838.

• The development of canals, notably the Erie Canal completed in 1825, connected New York City to the Great Lakes, significantly boosting trade.

Railroads

• The 1830s witnessed the emergence of private railroad companies, setting the stage for an extensive rail network that would facilitate faster and more efficient transport of goods and people across vast distances.

Manufacturing

Textile Mills

• The rise of textile mills marked a significant technological advance, with water-driven machinery becoming the norm. Samuel Slater’s mill established in the 1790s in Rhode Island was among the first.

• By 1815, New England saw a proliferation of such mills, which employed primarily single young women, tapping into a new labor demographic.

• Millworkers typically endured grueling work weeks, often totaling 70 hours, with wages ranging from $2 to $3 weekly, reflecting the economic realities of the time.

Elections and Political Landscape

The Election of 1816

• The political landscape experienced a dramatic shift following the Federalist Party’s collapse during and after the Hartford Convention, leading to a period of one dominant political party in the postwar era.

• The election of 1816 was indicative of this shift, as it set the stage for the subsequent rise of new political dynamics and parties