The Market Revolution

Introduction: The Regional Dimension of Market Revolution Market revolution: national in scope, but with important regional variations Market revolution: national in scope, but with important regional variations –Manufacturing and industrial revolution in New England, northeastern cities –Commercialization of farming driven by transportation revolution in northwest –Cotton Revolution in south Result: regional economies, but with increasing economic integration between northeast and northwest as processes worked in tandem Result: regional economies, but with increasing economic integration between northeast and northwest as processes worked in tandem Laid groundwork for political sectionalism Laid groundwork for political sectionalism

What is a Market Revolution? Not just more economic activity, but a new market orientation Not just more economic activity, but a new market orientation –Detaches people from local markets, connects them to distant commercial markets –For-profit, cash farming displaces subsistence and safety-first farming Leads to rising debt, rising risk, increased opportunities, increased consumption, increased dependency on factors beyond local control Leads to rising debt, rising risk, increased opportunities, increased consumption, increased dependency on factors beyond local control Also new way of organizing work, new kind of relationship between worker and employer Also new way of organizing work, new kind of relationship between worker and employer Gives rise to social reform movements Gives rise to social reform movements Undermines patriarchy, changes gender roles in complicated ways Undermines patriarchy, changes gender roles in complicated ways –New domestic ideal for urban middle class –More women and children in manufacturing workforce –Radicalizes women as workers, reformers, feminists

The Northern Economy before 1815 The eighteenth- century composite farm The eighteenth- century composite farm –Goal: competency –Means: safety-first agriculture, Yankee ingenuity –Households and neighborhoods: the borrowing system –Stable, patriarchal social order

The Northern Economy before 1815 Pre-industrial manufacturing Pre-industrial manufacturing –The workshop system –The putting-out system

Transportation before 1815 Overland travel Overland travel –Bad roads –High freight costs –Long travel times River travel River travel –One way trips easy enough –The steamboat –But benefits uneven: must live near a river

The Transformation of the Northern Economy Sources of transformation: Sources of transformation: –European wars stimulated production of surpluses, raised standard of living, but did not really alter market orientation –Rising population, land shortages made competency difficult to achieve, undermined patriarchal households –New government policies promote national economic development –Transportation improvements and industrialization revolutionized the northern economy

Economic and Political Impact of the War of 1812 Spur to manufacturing and economic independence Spur to manufacturing and economic independence Indians subdued, opening northwest to unhindered white settlement Indians subdued, opening northwest to unhindered white settlement Clay, the National Republicans, and the American System Clay, the National Republicans, and the American System –The Second National Bank –The Tariff of 1816 –Internal improvements Bottom line: government policy underwrote market revolution Bottom line: government policy underwrote market revolution

Transportation Revolution Surge in western population, but limited access to eastern markets Surge in western population, but limited access to eastern markets Canal boom: the Erie Canal, 1825 Canal boom: the Erie Canal, 1825 –364 miles long, 40 ft wide, 4 ft deep –Linked Great Lakes to Albany and NYC –Transformed the northern economy

Transportation Revolution Consequences in old northwest Consequences in old northwest –Population explosion –Boom in canal-building, commercial farming –Mechanization: the McCormick reaper –Raised standard of living, increased dependency on credit, distant markets

Transportation Revolution Consequences in the northeast Consequences in the northeast –End of safety-first farming –Enabled urban growth, manufacturing –Provided growing domestic market for manufactured goods –Integrated northeastern and northwestern economies, which grew in tandem Impact on communities and households Impact on communities and households

Industrial Revolution: British Origins What made it possible? What made it possible? –Capital from merchant class –Mass markets –Mechanized production –Cheap free labor (wage labor)

Timing of Industrialization in U.S. Comes later, develops more gradually Comes later, develops more gradually Unique demographic and cultural conditions Unique demographic and cultural conditions –Plentiful land –Low population density –Jeffersonian distaste for industry

The Lowell Mills Francis Cabot Lowell Francis Cabot Lowell Integrated productive processes (cleaning, spinning, weaving) under one roof at Waltham mills Integrated productive processes (cleaning, spinning, weaving) under one roof at Waltham mills By 1836, 17,000 workers, mostly women and girls By 1836, 17,000 workers, mostly women and girls The “culture” of the Lowell Mills The “culture” of the Lowell Mills

Impact of Industrialization Destroyed artisan class Destroyed artisan class Segregation of work from life Segregation of work from life –Preindustrial workshops  Masters and workers “like a family”  Work and living space the same  Social lives integrated –Industrial system  Masters absent, workers in boarding houses  Neighborhoods segregated  Socializing segregated: class- based values, conflict surrounding forms of leisure (esp. drinking)

Impact of Industrialization Undermined patriarchal family Undermined patriarchal family –Children earning own wages, more independent –Altered outlook and lives of women Time and work discipline Time and work discipline –Adjusting to industrial rhythms –Led to further calls for reform Religious ferment, social reform, utopian experimentation Religious ferment, social reform, utopian experimentation

Revolutionary Religion in the North: Reformers, Sectarians, Millenarians

Market Revolution and Community Northern responses to industrial and commercial transformation Northern responses to industrial and commercial transformation –Some profited from it –Some rejected it –Many victimized by it –It gave rise to new forms of community, new religious movements

The Second Great Awakening Series of intense religious revivals in upstate NY, Ohio territory Series of intense religious revivals in upstate NY, Ohio territory –Focused on personal conversion, changed lives, individual perfection –But also turned religious energies outward toward social reform  National religious societies and denominational colleges  Curing social ills: prostitution, mental health, prison reform, Sabbath-breaking, slavery  The temperance movement

The Second Great Awakening and Social Reform Why this outward emphasis? Why this outward emphasis? –Industrialization was bringing real social ills with it –Religion a means of understanding, ordering, and controlling a changing world: Protestantism and capitalism –Millennialism... in an age of optimism

Fringe Religious Movements: The Shakers Mother Ann Lee, English visionary Mother Ann Lee, English visionary Known for ecstatic worship, celibacy, simplicity, perfectionism Known for ecstatic worship, celibacy, simplicity, perfectionism Represented rejection of industrial workways and poor quality Represented rejection of industrial workways and poor quality

Fringe Religious Movements: The Millerites William Miller, numerology, and the Second Coming William Miller, numerology, and the Second Coming The Great Disappointment: March 1844 The Great Disappointment: March 1844 End for Miller, but beginning of Seventh Day Adventist movement End for Miller, but beginning of Seventh Day Adventist movement Product of the times: authority of science (numbers) and prophecy (Bible) Product of the times: authority of science (numbers) and prophecy (Bible)

Fringe Movements: The Oneida Community Oneida Community Oneida Community –Started by John Humphrey Noyes –Believed millennium had arrived in AD 70, and God’s kingdom on earth should duplicate heaven –Rejected private property, lived communally –Practiced complex marriage (every man married to every woman)

The Mormons (Latter Day Saints) Beginnings: Joseph Smith’s troubled soul Beginnings: Joseph Smith’s troubled soul First vision: the Father and the Son First vision: the Father and the Son Second vision: the angel Maroni Second vision: the angel Maroni The Golden Plates unearthed and translated using Urim and Thumim, 1830 The Golden Plates unearthed and translated using Urim and Thumim, 1830

The Mormons: Beliefs Beliefs Beliefs –Recognize the Bible, but see Book of Mormon as equally authoritative –Nephites and Lamanites –Doctrine: addressed every controversy of the day

The Appeal of Mormonism Appeal of Mormonism Appeal of Mormonism –New revelation in an age of prophets –Brought America into God’s redemptive plan –Explained origins of Indians, doctrinal problems, lost tribes –People could live out Bible, not just read it

The Mormons: Persecution and Migration More followers and more detractors More followers and more detractors Moved to Kirtland, OH, then Missouri, then Nauvoo, IL Moved to Kirtland, OH, then Missouri, then Nauvoo, IL Gained enemies at every turn Gained enemies at every turn Intense persecution, Smith finally murdered Intense persecution, Smith finally murdered Brigham Young leads the trek to Utah Brigham Young leads the trek to Utah

The Women’s Movement Review: women’s status in the early republic Review: women’s status in the early republic New domestic ideology for middle class women New domestic ideology for middle class women –Separate spheres –The ideal woman as moral guardian of family: pious, pure, submissive, domestic

The Women’s Movement From home to society From home to society –The private is political –Engagement in social reform activity An outlet in public sphere: new skills for new women An outlet in public sphere: new skills for new women Bonds of sisterhood: bound together, bound down Bonds of sisterhood: bound together, bound down

The Seneca Falls Convention, 1848 Led by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Katy Stanton Led by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Katy Stanton The Declaration of Sentiments The Declaration of Sentiments Demanded right to vote, hold property, hold public office, equal wages, access to education, and more Demanded right to vote, hold property, hold public office, equal wages, access to education, and more