North and South: The effects of their different economies 1820-1860

Industrialization Industrialization of the North developed in three phases: Manufacturers made products by dividing tasks among workers Manufacturers built factories to bring workers together Workers used machinery to perform most of their work The first mills in the U.S. ran on water or steam power. Samuel Slater built the first cotton mill in Rhode Island after stealing the technology from the British. The power driven loom took over the task of weaving. Workers tended a machine instead of weaving. This took less time. Textiles (cloth/fabric) were now able to be mass produced. Elias Howe invented the sewing machine in 1846. Clothing was now produced on a much larger scale.

Improvements in Transportation During this period, there were many improvements in transportation: Steamboat: Invented by Robert Fulton could carry goods and people more cheaply and quickly upriver as well as down Clipper Ships: “Clipped” ocean-bound travel time by ½ Locomotives: Peter Cooper invented the first steam locomotive in 1830 called the “Tom Thumb” In 1840 there were 3,000 miles of railroad track in the U.S. By 1860 there were 31,000 (North & Midwest). Canals and railroads allowed goods to be moved east- west instead of just north-south. With goods traveling farther and faster, manufacturers were able to offer them at lower prices.

Communication The growth of industry and the new pace of travel led to a need for faster communication. Samuel F. B. Morse invented the telegraph, first used in 1844. The telegraph used electric signals to transmit messages. Messages were transmitted in Morse Code. By 1852 there were 23,000 miles of telegraph lines in the United States.

Agricultural Advancements Railroads gave farmers access to new markets. The tougher soil in the Midwest worried farmers. The wooden plows broke in the hard ground. Several advancements were made in agriculture: Steel-tipped plow: Invented by John Deere was better and sturdier than wooden plows Mechanical Reaper: Invented by Cyrus McCormick; no longer had to use handheld sickles Thresher: Invented by Andrew Meikle; Separated the grain from the stalk Even though there were many agricultural advancements, the North continued to increase its industrialization.

The Factory System Between 1820 and 1860 much of the manufacturing moved to factories and machines. Francis Cabot Lowell invented the factory system, bringing all steps of textile manufacturing under one roof, from raw cotton to finished rolls of fabric. His factories were known as “Lowell Mills” Mostly young females worked in these factories, known as “Lowell Girls”. They even created their own magazine, the “Lowell Offering”. As the factory system developed, working conditions worsened. Workers worked longer hours to produce more goods. By 1840 the workday was 11.4 hours on average. This led to increased accidents and injuries. Workers often lost fingers broke bones, and suffered greatly in hot factories.

Workers Unite… well some of them There were no laws to regulate working conditions or protect workers. If workers complained, they were fired. In the 1830s, workers organized to improve working conditions. They formed trade unions. Workers staged strikes (refusing to work) to put pressure on employers. They demanded Higher wages A ten hour limit on the workday. Striking was illegal, and many workers were fired. Laws were later passed that allowed workers to strike. While there was virtually no slavery in the North by 1830, there was still prejudice and discrimination against blacks. African Americans could not attend public schools or use public facilities (like hospitals). Most were very poor. Women were also discriminated against. They were paid less than men and not allowed to join unions.

Immigration Immigration increased drastically between 1840 and 1860. Manufacturers welcomed them because they were willing to work long hours for low pay in their factories. The largest group of immigrants came from Ireland. Between 1846 and 1860, one and a half million Irish settled in the United States, mostly in New England. Many of them were forced to leave Ireland because of the Irish potato famine of 1844-45, in which over one million people died of starvation. The second largest group to migrate to the United States was from Germany. Many came for opportunity and democracy. They settled in Pennsylvania and the Midwest. Immigrants changed the character of the country. Many of their customs and traditions filtered into American life. Most of the Irish immigrants and around ½ of the German immigrants were Catholic.

Anti-Immigrant Sentiments In the 1830s and 1840s, anti-immigrant feelings increased. Many feared change. Those that were opposed to foreign immigration were called Nativists. They felt immigrants threatened the future of “native” American-born citizens. Nativists formed secret anti-Catholic groups and said immigrants stole their jobs and brought diseases to the United States. They also formed a political party called the American Party. But when asked of their activities, they would respond with “I know nothing.” The party became known as the Know-Nothing Party. They called for stricter citizenship laws, including increasing the wait time from five to twenty-one years. They also wanted to ban foreigners from holding public office. The Know-Nothing Party eventually split over the issue of slavery.

Cotton Takes Over the South The economy of the South was concentrated in the Deep South (GA, SC, AL, MS, LA, & TX). Slavery grew stronger than ever. European mills wanted cotton, which caused it to overtake rice, indigo, and tobacco as the main crop in the South. When Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793, he revolutionized cotton production. The cotton gin cleaned cotton so fast, more slaves were needed to pick the cotton & keep up. This also caused the value of slaves to increase.

No Room for Industry in the South The South was overwhelmingly rural (small towns-farms), and its economy was increasingly different from the North. Why did the South have so little industry? Agriculture was so profitable Lack of capital (money) to invest in new businesses Small market for manufactured goods (1/3 slave population) Many Southerners did not want manufacturing Some Southerners worried they were too dependent on the North for manufactured goods and called for more industries. But few industries existed. The South used natural waterways for transportation. They had few canals, poor roads, and insufficient railroads. The railroads were short and local and many were not connected to each other. Southern cities grew slowly because of this. By 1860, only 1/3 of the nation’s rail lines were in the South. This would have devastating consequences for the South during the Civil War.

People of the South Despite what many think, most white Southerners were either small farmers without slaves or planters with a handful of slaves. Most white Southerners fell into four categories: Yeomen: Famers who did not own slaves; largest group of whites in the South. Tenant Farmers: Worked land owned by another and paid rent in cash or crops. Rural Poor: Lived in crude cabins; farmed and fished. Plantation Owners: Measured their wealth by the number of slaves they owned; Only 4% owned 20 or more slaves. There were a few African Americans in the South who owned slaves. Most of them had purchased their family members in order to free them.

The Hardships of Slavery Most slaves worked as field hands who were supervised by an overseer. Most slaves lived with very few comforts. Slaves constantly worried that members of their family could be sold to other plantation owners. Even though they could not legally marry, slaves had marriage ceremonies. They also established large extended families. For many African Americans, Christianity became a source of hope and resistance. They prayed for freedom and sang spirituals. Spirituals were also a source of secret communication for slaves.

The Dreaded Slave Rebellion Life became even more difficult for slaves with the establishment of stricter slave codes- created to control slaves. Slaves codes existed in order to prevent white Southerners biggest fear: the slave rebellion. Slave codes Prohibited slaves from gathering in large groups Kept slaves from leaving the plantation without a note Made it a crime to teach slaves to read or write Slaves who could read and write could lead others to rebellion. Some slaves did rebel. Nat Turner led a group of followers on a violent rampage. He killed 55 whites. He was captured and hanged. But his rebellion caused white Southerners to pass more severe slave codes. Instead of rebelling violently, many slaves would resist by working slowly or pretending to be ill.

Freedom for Some Some slaves were able to escape to the North. Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were two African American leaders who were born into slavery. They gained their freedom when they escaped to the North. It was very difficult to escape slavery, especially from the Deep South. Slaves who were able to escape often used the Underground Railroad, a network of “safe houses” owned by free blacks and whites who opposed slavery. However most slaves were captured and returned to their owners. They were punished for their actions. Some free African Americans lived in Southern cities. Southern states passed laws that limited the rights of free African Americans.