6.5 Technological Innovation

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the effects of technological advances in the development of the United States over time.

INTRODUCTION

• New invention were vital to the development of the United States

  • Communications, transportation, industries, electricity, urbanization

    - all improved through technological innovations

INVENTIONS

• Radical change in communication

  • Telegraph (Samuel F. B. Morse) and transatlantic cable (Cyrus W Field)

    - allowed for faster and broader electronic communication

    - communication revolutionized and internationalized markets

  • Telephone (Alexander Graham Bell), register, calculators, typewriter

    - other noteworth inventions that transformed the 19th century

    - became essential tools for business

  • Kodak camera (George Eastman), fountain pen, safety razor & baldes

    - used widely by consumers

THE STEEL INDUSTRY

• New processes for making large quantities of steel—→ rise of heavy industry

  • Bessemer Steel Process

    - Henrey Bessemer & William Kelly developed steel (more durable)

    - blased hot air through molten iron

    - Great Lakes region had abnudant coal ore (center for steel)

EDISON AND WESTINGHOUSE

• Thomas Edison

  • Established labratory after success from early inventions (Menlo Park)

    - important contribution to science and industry

    - introduced idea of teamwork to mechanics and engineers

    - created more than a thousand patented inventions (phonograph, electric power, mimeograph machine, motion picture camera, lightbulb)

    - electric light revolutioned life and way people worked

  • George Westinghouse

    - Responsible for developing air brakes for railraods and AC

    - allowed for lighting of cities and operation of streetcars, subways, powered machinery, and applicances

  • Both inventors dominated electrick technology

    - various electric trades employed millions (fast and growing industry)

TECHNOLOGY AND THE GROWTH OF CITIES

• Movement, lifestyle, and architecture all developed (cities grew out & upwards)

CHANGES IN TRANSPORATION

• Improvement to urban transporation—→ growth of cities

  • Originally people had to live within walking distance to shops & jobs

    - streetcar allowed residents to commute easier and farther

    - horse-drawn and cable cars were replaced (trolleys, railraods, subways)

    - bridges and infasturcture made longer commutes possible (Brooklyn Bridge)

SKYSCAPERS

• Cities began to soar upward

  • Construction of taller and taller building was profitable

  • Chicago had the 1st skyscraper

    - 10 story steel building

    - made possvile with otis elevator and central steam heating system

  • Steel-framed skyscrapers for offices of industry became dominant features of urban skylines

MARKETING CONSUMER GOODS

• Increased output of US factors and new consumer products—→ larger public

  • R. H Macy (New York), Marshall Field (Chicago)

    - developed popular large department stores in urban centers

  • Frank Woolwroth

    - brought chain stores to towns and urban centers

  • Sears, Roebuck and Co., Montgomery Ward

    - mail-order companies (used rail system to ship rural customers products)

PACKAGED FOODS

• Kellogg and Post became common brand names and items

  • Refrigerated railraod cars and canning

    - alllowed packers (like Gustabus Swift) to change eating habits

    - mass-produced meat and vegetables prducts

  • Advertising and marketing

    - premoted conumser economy and culture