US HISTORY US HISTORY Economic and Social Economic and Social Change Change Mid-1800s Mid-1800s
Jan 02, 2016
ECONOMIC CHANGEECONOMIC CHANGE
WestWest: more settlement, growth of farming : more settlement, growth of farming (corn, wheat), land exploitation(corn, wheat), land exploitation
NorthNorth: industrialization: industrialization SouthSouth: greater reliance on farming : greater reliance on farming
(cotton) and slavery (cotton) and slavery becausebecause of of industrializationindustrialization
Center of America Center of America moving westmoving west
In 1790, only NYC In 1790, only NYC and Philadelphia had and Philadelphia had over 20,000 peopleover 20,000 people
By 1860, there were By 1860, there were 43 substantial cities43 substantial cities
Life on the farming frontierLife on the farming frontier
Loneliness, hardship, Loneliness, hardship, disease, deathdisease, death
Rugged individualismRugged individualism Tobacco exhausts land; go Tobacco exhausts land; go
WESTWEST John Deere—steel plowJohn Deere—steel plow Cyrus McCormick—Cyrus McCormick—
mechanical reapermechanical reaper Beaver, buffalo, sea otters Beaver, buffalo, sea otters
depleteddepleted Destruction vs. preservationDestruction vs. preservation
Industrialization of AmericaIndustrialization of America
Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution started in Englandstarted in England
At first, people in US At first, people in US moved west rather moved west rather than industrializethan industrialize
War of 1812 and War of 1812 and embargo on imports embargo on imports aided American aided American industryindustry
New inventionsNew inventions
Samuel SlaterSamuel Slater: : textile mills and textile mills and spinning jennyspinning jenny
Howe/SingerHowe/Singer: sewing : sewing machinemachine
Eli WhitneyEli Whitney: cotton : cotton gin (which makes gin (which makes slavery grow), slavery grow), interchangeable parts interchangeable parts (which allows for (which allows for assembly line in assembly line in factories)factories)
Lives of workersLives of workers
--Child labor--Child labor
--Young women working at Lowell, --Young women working at Lowell, MA, in mills (until marriage)MA, in mills (until marriage)
--boring, repetitive work--boring, repetitive work
--craftsmanship is gone--craftsmanship is gone
--workers are more easily --workers are more easily replacedreplaced
--dangerous working conditions --dangerous working conditions around fast-moving machinesaround fast-moving machines
--people divided into rich, middle --people divided into rich, middle class, poorclass, poor
--immigration supplements work --immigration supplements work forceforce
Mid-1800sMid-1800s
Major wave of immigrants who could work in Major wave of immigrants who could work in factories and farm in the Westfactories and farm in the West
Irish immigrants– 1 ½ millionIrish immigrants– 1 ½ million
Come because of Come because of potato faminepotato famine
Catholic religion and Catholic religion and beer (for which they beer (for which they are often persecuted)are often persecuted)
Settle in cities, often Settle in cities, often in povertyin poverty
Take lowest jobs Take lowest jobs (canal and RR (canal and RR building)building)
How Irish get aheadHow Irish get ahead
Often vote DemocraticOften vote Democratic
Political machinesPolitical machines
Jobs in police force or in Jobs in police force or in politicspolitics
German immigrants—German immigrants—almost as manyalmost as many
Come for political reasonsCome for political reasons
Often settle out west (farms, or in cities like Milwaukee), Often settle out west (farms, or in cities like Milwaukee), more skilledmore skilled
Also bring beerAlso bring beer
Introduce Conestoga wagon, Christmas tree, kindergartenIntroduce Conestoga wagon, Christmas tree, kindergarten
General conditions in large citiesGeneral conditions in large cities
Large # of immigrants Large # of immigrants swell city sizesswell city sizes
SlumsSlums
Bad lightingBad lighting
Dirty water/diseaseDirty water/disease
RatsRats
Garbage issuesGarbage issues
Innovations in transportation
Toll roads
National Road:
Cumberland Road Canals Railroads Pullman
RR cars