CHAPTER 5 PREVIEW
The Industrial Revolution Began in U.S.in early-1800s Gained momentum after Civil War (1865) By late-1800s, U.S. is world’s leading industrial nation
The Steel Industry
Why Did It Happen Here? Vast natural resources A large workforce Timber, coal, iron, copper A large workforce 1860-1910: population of U.S. triples
New Inventions The telephone Alexander Graham Bell The typewriter Christopher Sholes The lightbulb Thomas Edison The Camera George Eastman
Impact of Technology The way we live is changed Refrigeration Clothing industry Communication: telegraph across Atlantic
Free Enterprise Laissez-faire “let people do as they choose” Government involvement in economy should be very limited Entrepreneurs People who risk their capital (money) to run businesses
How Government Helped Low taxes High tariffs (taxes on imported goods)
Connecting the Nation Transcontinental Railroad
Who Were Some of the Big Players? Robber Barons
The Rise of Big Business Corporations Owned by many people stockholders
How To Get All These Goods To Us? Large illustrated ads in newspapers and magazines Chain stores Department stores Catalogs
Unions Emerge Protect workers’ rights Industry oppose
Political Opposition to ‘New’ America Rise of “Marxism” Workers will eventually revolt and take over
Ch 5 Essential Questions What economic policies allowed industries to expand after the Civil War? Explain how those policies worked How did the railroads encourage settlements of the Plains and the West? Why did many Robber Barons expand their businesses through new ways of organization? Why did workers form unions?