Antebellum Industry and Expansion Chapter 14

Objective #1 Describe the movement and growth of America’s population in the early nineteenth century.

Objective #2 Describe the early development of the factory system and Eli Whitney’s contributions.

Objective #3 Explain the effect of early industrialism on workers, including women and children

Objective #4 Describe the impact of new technology and transportation systems on American business and agriculture.

Objective #5 Describe the sequence of major transportation and communication systems that developed from 1790 and 1860 and indicate their economic consequences.

Objective #6 Describe the effects of the market revolution on the American economy, including the new disparities between rich and poor.

Economic Growth (1820-1860) Move away from agriculture towards industry and technology Agriculture still dominates overall Per capita income doubles between 1820-1860 Population still doubling every 25 years Had 33 states by 1860

Factors that led to growth Abundance of natural resources and raw materials New workers/consumers Women Immigrants Transportation improvements allowed for more distant markets, expansion

First Turnpike- 1790 Lancaster, PA By 1832, nearly 2400 mi. of road connected most major cities.

Cumberland (National Road), 1811

Robert Fulton & the Steamboat 1807: The Clermont

Erie Canal System

Erie Canal, 1820s Begun in 1817; completed in 1825

Principal Canals in 1840

Inland Freight Rates

Clipper Ships

The “Iron Horse” Wins! (1830) 1830  13 miles of track built by Baltimore & Ohio RR By 1850  9000 mi. of RR track [1860  31,000 mi.]

The Railroad Revolution, 1850s Led to growth of big cities (Chicago) Encouraged expansion, while binding U.S. together

Resourcefulness & Experimentation Americans were willing to try anything. They were first copiers, then innovators. 1800  41 patents were approved. 1860  4,357 “ “ “

Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin, 1791

First prototype of the locomotive Oliver Evans First automated flour mill First prototype of the locomotive

John Deere & the Steel Plow (1837)

Cyrus McCormick & the Mechanical Reaper: 1831

Agricultural Specialization New England= Dairy Midwest = Grain South = Cotton, Tobacco

Changing Occupation Distributions: 1820 - 1860

Elias Howe & Isaac Singer 1840s Sewing Machine

Samuel F. B. Morse 1840 – Telegraph

Cyrus Field & the Transatlantic Cable, 1858

The “American Dream” They all regarded material advance as the natural fruit of American republicanism & proof of the country’s virtue and promise. A German visitor in the 1840s, Friedrich List, observed: Anything new is quickly introduced here, including all of the latest inventions. There is no clinging to old ways. The moment an American hears the word “invention,” he pricks up his ears.

Industrial Advancement Innovations in transportation, agriculture, communication meant increased urban population 1820-1860: Production reorganized into factories Market Revolution: National network of industry and commerce

1820 Manufacturing 2/3 of clothing made in home Domestic System Gain raw materials used in production Distribute materials to workers Pay them piecemeal Very slow Pay is low Prices of goods are high

Changes in Manufacturing Factories allow for all steps of production to be centralized Cheap land to build factories Immigration brings workers Efficiency = less expensive goods Use of power drive tools

Samuel Slater (“Father of the Factory System”)

Eli Whitney’s Gun Factory Interchangeable Parts Rifle

Factory Working Conditions Long hours Low pay Unsafe and unsanitary Government did very little to regulate Unions were usually outlawed in 1820s Children made up a high percentage of workers

Jackson and Van Buren Politicians begin listening to “common man” as they participate more in politics Van Buren establishes 10-hr. day for federal employees in 1840 More unions in 1830s Over 300,000 strikes 1830s Unions usually unsuccessful due to strength of employers, ease of finding replacements Panic of 1837 killed labor movement

Commonwealth v. Hunt 1842: U.S. Supreme Court legalized unions stating they were honorable and peaceful

Improved technology in Printing Adopted and improved upon British inventions Drives cost of books down Increased number of books Increased literacy Book business was $10 million/yr. business by 1850

In the South Majority of cotton went to England, but larger amounts going North Cotton dominates Increased need for slavery

Textile Manufacturing Leading U.S. industry 1820-1860 Centered in New England and Mid-Atlantic Swift streams Ease of trade Large urban populations Poor farmland 71% of manufacturing went on in New England by 1860

New England Textile Centers: 1830s

New England Dominance in Textiles

The Lowell/Waltham System: First Dual-Purpose Textile Plant Francis Cabot Lowell’s town - 1814

Lowell Mill

Lowell in 1850

Early Textile Loom

Lowell Women Made up 70% of work force First women to labor outside of home in large numbers Gave unmarried women the chance to leave the farm 60% of Lowell’s workers were women between 15-29

Lowell’s Working Conditions Paid relatively well ($2.40-$3.20/wk) Domestic servants (&.75/wk) Seamstresses ($.90/wk) 12 hour days/6 days per week Women often viewed this as a temporary job

Lowell Girls

Lowell Boarding Houses What was boardinghouse life like?

Strict living Conditions Curfews Little Privacy 4-6 girls in a room Doors locked Windows nailed Bad lighting and ventilation Very little job mobility

1834: Hard Times Hit Lowell Falling prices, poor sales, lower profits Owners cut salaries by 15% Attempt to unionize and strike failed Ease of replacements Some wanted job Short tenure of workers

Lowell turns to Immigrants Immigration meant glut of workers Would work less than women By 1860: 50% of workers were Irish immigrants (8% in 1845)

Irish Immigrant Girls at Lowell

American Population Centers in 1820

American Population Centers in 1860

Immigration Increases 1820: 128,000 immigrants 1860: 2.8 million Increases mean more job competition Increased nativism

National Origin of Immigrants: 1820 - 1860 Why now?

“The Supreme Order of the Star-Spangled Banner” Know-Nothing Party: “The Supreme Order of the Star-Spangled Banner”

Women Working Outside of Home Usually worked as nurses, domestic servants or teachers 1850: 10% of women worked outside of home “Cult of Domesticity” glorified role of women as homemaker

Antebellum Cincinnati, OH 1840: 3rd largest industrial center Wide variety of industries: machine parts, hardware, furniture, cigars, meat industry, riverboat builders, blacksmiths, artisans, etc. New and old ways co-existed Most were artisans 20% of work force worked in factories Will follow same patterns as rest of country: more factories, gap between rich and poor growing, etc. by 1860

Impact of Immigration on Cincinnati By 1850, 50% of Cincinnati residents were German or descended from Germans.