urbanization 

Course Overview

• The current week features a movie review assignment.
  • Assignment Details: Choose one of four designated movies to watch.
  • Viewing Schedule: Suggested to watch the movie over the weekend or Friday if time allows.
  • Questions to Answer: Five questions related to the movie.
  • First document to choose the movie and outline answers.
  • Must reference page numbers from the textbook for questions two and three.
  • Submission Guidelines: Individual reviews required; group work is not permissible.
  • Due Date: Suggested due date is Sunday. Extensions are available upon request.

Previous Discussions

• Recap of topics discussed in the previous session regarding Andrew Jackson.
  • The PEGIITNA Fear: Context regarding its influence on presidential elections.
  • **Significant Topics: **
  • The NULLIFICATION Crisis
  • State Compact Theory vs. National Theory:
    • State Compact Theory: All power rests with the states.
    • National Theory: All power rests with the American people.
    • National Theory is preferred and accepted widely by Americans.
  • Indian Removal Act and its consequences.
  • Bank Controversy: Reflections on Jackson’s veto against the national bank arguing it only serves the wealthy.
  • Economic Instability: Noted cyclic nature of the economy with booms and crashes every 10-20 years due to the absence of a stable banking system.
    • Historical Crashes: Key years of economic downturns include 1819, 1837, 2008, and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Historical Framework of Andrew Jackson’s Presidency

• Bank Veto: Jackson argues against the national bank’s support of only the rich.
• Economic Fluctuations: Continuation of manic ups and downs in the American economy.
  • Civil War Implications: Return of the National Bank after the Civil War.
  • Notable presence of historical figures on currency.
  • Greenback issues relate back to economic systems post-Civil War.

Political Developments Post-Jackson

• Rise of Political Parties:
  • Transition from one-party to a two-party system.
  • Formation of the Democratic Party (supporters of Jackson) and the Whig Party (opposition).
  • Whigs’ Positioning: Associated Andrew Jackson with a monarchy, labeling him as "King Andrew."
• Martin Van Buren's Presidency (1836): Predominance of the Democratic party during this period; economic issues leading to the Panic of 1837.
  • Economic Crisis: Resulting from supply/demand imbalances due to extensive cotton production and related financial borrowing from banks.

Economic Changes due to Regional Specialization

• Emergence of a National Economy: Gradual integration of the economies across regions; states diverging into specialized economies.
  • Southern Economy: Predominantly agricultural focusing on cotton production.
  • Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin: Key innovation that revolutionized cotton processing.
    • Significant increase in cotton as a cash crop from 7% of exports in 1800 to 58% by the Civil War.
    • Economic growth leads to extensive slavery for labor.
  • Western Economy: Shifts to large-scale farming facilitated by better machinery like the John Deere Steel Plow.
  • Northeast Economy: Development of mechanized labor through factories, notably the Lowell system.

Shift to Urbanization and Industrialization

• From Farming to Factory Work: Shift in living and working conditions with the industrial awakening in the Northeast.
  • Factory Work: Focus shifted to factory settings which brought about challenging work hours (12-14 hours) with a formal schedule.
  • Women’s Labor in Factories: Initial recruitment focused on unmarried women due to lower wages compared to men.
• Urban Growth: Cities like Chicago, San Francisco displayed rapid growth due to industry and immigration, contrasted by slow growth in established cities like Baltimore.

Transportation Networks and Economic Integration

• Development of Roads and Canals: Required for efficient transport of goods.
  • Early challenges led to the creation of canals like the Erie Canal.
  • Limitations of Canals: Limited by geography and the cost involved in construction.
  • Introduction of the Steam Engine: Eliminating prior limitations and enhancing trade capabilities.
• Railroads: Advanced transportation systems providing national reach, overcoming geographical barriers.
  • Railroads created time zones leading to synchronized travel schedules.
  • Funded privately leading to trails mostly between cities, limiting access to rural areas.

Innovations in Communication

• Telegraph: Invention transforming communication across distances, enhancing coordination of economic activities.
  • Morse Code: Dots and dashes representing letters created by Samuel Morse; served as the basis for remote communication.