America at the Turn of the Century 19th to 20th Century

Overview: What will we learn? Central Idea – America entered a period of dramatic economic and social transformation at the dawn of the 20th Century. This transformation began to modernize America As America began to modernize, many problems threatened to tear society apart.

What are we looking at in this picture? What has changed to the New York City skyline in a hundred years?

Let’s Review… You are 15 years old in 1900 You were born in 1885 Your parents were born when Abraham Lincoln was President You grew up on a farm You had no running water You had no electricity Your only source of light was the sun and whale oil lamps Your relatives and friends all lived in the same town and all were farmers You travelled by horse You’ve never been to a big city

No one could imagine how fast things would change.

America begins to modernize What does the term “modernize” mean? To modernize means to advance or to change into something new In order to understand this rapid change, you have to know what America was and what it began to change into

Change # 1: The Economy of America Key Idea: The American economy changed from Agricultural to Industrial Before 1900: The United States had an agricultural economy, meaning wealth came from the planting, selling and exporting of crops What were the cash crops of America? After 1900: The United States economy changed to Industry and Manufacturing (making things with machines)

Why did this happen? 1. Fuel 2. Demand for Goods Factories ran on the Steam Engine. Coal powered the industry of America 2. Demand for Goods The population of American dramatically increased during this time. Millions of immigrants flooded into the country This increased demand kept prices of goods low and affordable to most of the population.

Overview: What will we learn? Central Idea – America entered a period of dramatic economic and social transformation at the dawn of the 20th Century. This transformation began to modernize America As America began to modernize, many problems threatened to tear society apart.

Change # 2: Quality of Life Key Idea: New inventions and innovations changed the lives of Americans 1. Economic Innovations: Corporations and Trusts Before 1900: Farmers and small independent Business Owners dominated the American Economy. There were no corporations or large businesses After 1900: Businesses formed into corporations. A corporation is a company that focused on providing goods and services for one area of the economy. The shift from agriculture to industry made these corporations into Trusts - business empires that dominated an industry and influence like no other entity ever in American history

Before 1900: only 10% of Americans lived in a city 2. The Rise of Cities Before 1900: only 10% of Americans lived in a city The goal was always to move west After 1900: 40% of Americans live in a city Cities became the focal point of American life Skyscrapers Department Stores Entertainment Sports Teams.

3. New Inventions and Innovations Before 1900: There were few inventions that drastically effected the daily lives of Americans. After 1900: Inventions affected almost every aspect of an American’s life.

New Inventions and Innovations Please rank in importance to you the following inventions: Skyscrapers Telegraph Phonograph Electric Lights Department Stores Elevators Sports Teams Elevated Trains/Subway Nickelodeons Indoor Plumbing

Problems Solving Activity The citizens of Galveston Texas were more prepared for the hurricane that hit than any other Americans in recent times. New inventions measuring barometric pressure, wind speed and rainfall let meteorologist predict the size and intensity of hurricanes. Also, communication like the telegraph allowed these weathermen to communicate their findings out insuring that no one would be caught off guard when the storm hit. However, when the Galveston storm hit, over 12,000 people would die, making it the worst natural disaster in American History In a one paragraph response, provide a reason for why this happened.

Steps to complete assignment 1. Form a Weather Bureau of at least three students. 2. Read the article on the Galveston hurricane. 3. Discuss the central problem. 4. Come up with solutions to the problem. 5. Provide evidence that supports your solution. 6. Write down your solution and supporting evidence.