Expansion of Industry

Technology Transcontinental Railroad East and West meet Promontory Point, Utah Solved East/West transportation issues

Communication Telegraph Telephone

Bessemer Process Made it cheaper to remove impurities from iron Made mass production of steel possible

Electricity Edison invented the light bulb Westinghouse develops the alternating current (AC)

Brooklyn Bridge Suspension design used Longest in the world

Robber Baron Social Darwinism Based on Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” concept Society should not get involved in an individual’s drive to be successful

Powerful Industrialists Andrew Carnegie – Steel J.D. Rockefeller – Oil J.P. Morgan – Banking Cornelius Vanderbilt – Railroads Thomas Edison – Inventions (incandescent light bulb)

Robber Barons sought to eliminate the competition and create MONOPOLIES

The Sherman Anti-Trust Act Passed in Congress, 1890 Prevented industries from forming monopolies

Effects of Industrial Growth Contributed to the wealth of America Caused economic hardships Manufactured too much Lowered prices Lowered wages Fired workers “Boom and Bust” period called the “economic cycle”

Labor Unions Knights of Labor – First labor union American Federation of Labor Founded by Samuel Gompers Used collective bargaining Tool used by unions Negotiate as a group for improvements Fought for “closed shops”… union members only

Strikes Haymarket Strike/Riot Pullman Strike Riot broke out between strikers and police Dozens from each side killed Pullman Strike Rail worker’s strike spread Other unions joined Mail workers joined and the mail stopped The President had to intervene

Eugene V. Debs Socialist Great organizer of labor Unsuccessfully ran for President several times