“A New Industrial Age”

“A NEW INDUSTRIAL

AGE”Chapter 12

A New Industrial

Age

I.) WHY SPREAD TO AMERICA?

A. Industrial boom due to several factors:1. abundant natural resources2. govt. supported business3. urban population = cheap labor4. rise in population = market for new products

II.) NEW INNOVATIONSInventor Invention DateJames Watt Reliable/Modern Steam Engine 1775Eli Whitney Cotton Gin 1793Robert Fulton Steamboat 1807Samuel Morse Telegraph 1836Elias HoweIssac Singer

Sewing MachineImproves/Markets Sewing Machine

18441851

Henry Bessemer Process for Mass Production of Steel

1855

Alexander Graham Bell

Telephone 1876

Thomas Alva Edison Phonograph & Light Bulb 1877/1879And the most important………

III.) THE RAILROADSA. Govt. makes huge land grants & federal loans to railroad companies

Outcome: 1. opened new markets for economy2. growth of new towns & cities3. widespread abuse of power by railroads

WHO BUILT THE RAILROADS?

Chinese Workers African-American Workers

Irish WorkersCivil War Vet Workers

B. Transcontinental Railroad: Union Pacific & Central Pacific connect east to west on May 10, 1869

Promontory Point, UtahMay 10, 1869

B. Time Zones: Earths surface divided into 24 time zones to help all railroads share common time 1. United States divided into 4 time zone

-Eastern, Central, Mountain, & Pacific

IV.) RAILROAD ABUSES & REFORMSA. Abuses by the Railroad:

-misuse of govt. land grants-price controls-shipping charges

E. Credit Mobilier: a1864 corruption scheme which Union Pacific stockholders formed a construction company to skim off railroad profits for themselves

Outcome: - Union Pacific officials pocket 23 million

- Kickbacks to govt. officials - Republican Party tarnished

Then…..

B. Granger Laws: laws protecting the farmers

& regulating the railroadsExample: set maximum rate for

shipping goods!!Outcome: Munn v. Illinois(1877)

(upheld the state’s right to regulate the railroads)

C. Interstate Commerce Act: govt. has the right to

supervise railroad activities

- created a 5 member commission to oversee

(ICC)