After Reconstruction and the Industrial Revolution The End of Reconstructions and the Turn of the Century

Reconstruction (1865-1877) We know that as the Union worked to politically and socially rebuild the South that: Radical Republicans, moderate presidents, and Southern Democrats disagreed about the integration of newly freed blacks Congress (under the Radical Republicans) had freed the slaves, given them equal protection under the law, and allowed them to vote (enfranchisement) Several establishments, organizations, and efforts either worked to help new freed blacks; and some that hindered their progress Morehouse College Freedman’s Bureau 40 Acres and a mule Black Codes Ku Klux Klan Eventually, political power returned to the Southern Democrats after the election of President Hayes in 1876 Russia sells Alaska to the US

After the Fall of Reconstruction According to scholars, there were three main causes for the failure of Reconstruction: Northern whites were only superficially concerned with the equalitarian purposes of Reconstruction Well-organized, and often violent resistance and opposition of Southern whites The illiteracy, inexperience and poverty of the freed men The South faced many obstacles: 4 million new additions to the population Building a new economy  industrialization politics However, while the South was working to deal with their issues; the rest of the country was rapidly modernizing

Industrialization in America is on the Rise Railroads Impacted the steel industry; steel was used to lay railroad tracks The railroads, as the single largest business in the United States at this time, also changed the way businesses were organized. (Central Pacific Railroad) Creation of nation-wide businesses  government subsidies to railroads and private investments Professionally trained employees were needed New methods of accounting Internal organization led to the consolidation of many railroads The construction of the transcontinental railroad would not have been possible had a large labor supply of immigrant labor not been available and without the public investment in railroads by land grants and guaranteed construction costs Irish and German laborers; trouble working on railways because of nearby gold in California Chinese laborers replaced them; paid lower wages  many died during dangerous work

Development of the West The federal government granted vast areas of western land to railroad owners Railroad right-of-ways were 10 miles wide, plus 400 feet so the railroads could sell the land to help finance the cost of construction The railroads earned money by transporting settlers west and goods east

New Technology Advances Industry and Life The effects of technological advances made after Reconstruction forever changed how people lived The most famous inventor of the period is Thomas Edison. He invented the electric light bulb, the phonograph, motion pictures, a system for distributing electrical power, and many other technologies powered by electricity Edison also established the concept of industrial research, and he founded a research laboratory staffed by engineers and technicians in New Jersey Edison’s technological achievements were used by other inventors, as evidenced by the development of long-distance electricity transmission, which enabled Edison’s electric light to illuminate buildings, streets, and neighborhoods across the United States