Growth of Industry

Child Labor and Working Conditions

  • The cartoon "Child Labor Richards in Philadelphia" shows poor working conditions during the Industrial Revolution.

The Gilded Age

  • Time Period: 1870 to around 1900

  • Definition: A time of apparent wealth but hidden poverty and corruption.

Groups that Suffered during the Gilded Age

  • African Americans:

    • Faced denial of basic rights.

    • Lynching was common in the South.

  • Native Americans:

    • Forced into reservations.

    • Children were made to accept American culture.

  • Farmers:

    • Dealt with overproduction issues.

    • Large companies charged unfair prices.

  • Immigrants:

    • Faced discrimination.

    • Lived in poor city conditions.

  • Women:

    • Often denied the right to vote.

    • Had fewer job opportunities than men.

  • Children:

    • Worked instead of getting an education.

Presidents of the Gilded Age

  • Presidents had less influence than big business leaders.

  • Key Presidents: James Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison.

  • Government favored large corporations, leading to industrial growth.

The Industrial Revolution

  • First Industrial Revolution: Started in the early 1800s, focused on manufacturing and transportation.

  • Second Industrial Revolution: Brought new technologies that replaced hand tools with machines.

Factors Encouraging Industrial Growth (Late 19th Century)

  • Natural Resources:

    • Abundant materials like coal, iron, and oil.

  • Population Growth:

    • Larger families and many immigrants meant more workers and higher demand for goods.

  • Technology:

    • Improved transportation and communication created new industries and job opportunities.

  • Government Role:

    • Laissez-Faire policies meant less government involvement in business, allowing free enterprise to flourish.

  • Patents:

    • Protecting inventions encouraged innovation.

Transportation and Communication Advances

  • Railroads:

    • Key for moving materials and products, boosting industry and jobs.

  • Telegraph:

    • Samuel Morse's invention improved communication speed.

  • Telephone:

    • Alexander Graham Bell’s invention changed personal and business communication.

  • Electric Power:

    • Thomas Edison opened the first electric power plant in 1882, making electricity widely available.

Innovations and Inventors

  • Elijah McCoy:

    • Created an automatic oiling device used in railroads.

  • Granville T. Woods:

    • Advanced telegraph communication for moving trains.

  • Bessemer Process:

    • Developed by William Kelly and Henry Bessemer, made steel production faster and cheaper, aiding railroad growth.

Environmental Impact of Industrialization

  • Steel mills caused pollution, including soot and contaminated rivers.

  • Urbanization led to overcrowded, poor living conditions.

Significant Figures

  • Henry Flagler:

    • Key in developing Florida; built railroads and hotels, aiding tourism and agriculture.

Conclusion

  • The technological and industrial advancements during the Gilded Age helped the U.S. become a major industrial power.