The North

Essential Questions How did farming develop in the old northwest? What new industries arose in the northeast? Why did cities grow, and what problems came with them? How and why did workers stand up to factory owners?

The North New England Old Northwest The Northeast Appalachia The Mid-Atlantic

Farming the Old Northwest The Old Northwest had developed into farmland after the Revolutionary War. The Ohio River fed to the Mississippi, and the land around the Ohio was perfect for farming.

Farming the Old Northwest New inventions, especially the John Deere plow and the McCormick Mechanical Reaper, made farming in the old northwest easier and more profitable.

Farming the Old Northwest Specialized businesses arose to handle the large volume of farm business. Slaughterhouses Distilleries Shipping Companies Banks All arose to accommodate the needs of the northwest farmers.

Farming the Old Northwest When the Erie Canal was built, goods were no longer shipped down the Mississippi, but instead straight to New York. From New York, they were sold all over the world. The railroad would make transportation even faster and cheaper than the canal.

The Rise of Industry In the northeast, mills and factories allowed goods of all kinds to be manufactured quickly and cheaply. Eventually, the factories would run on coal mined in western Pennsylvania. Although most people lived in rural areas, away from the city, more and more were moving to the cities for work.

Rise of the Cities As the population outgrew the rural areas, people had two choices: -Go west, for open spaces. -Go to the city and get a job. Cities grew quickly as many people came looking for work. Although most Americans still lived outside of urban areas, cities continued to grow.

Labor vs. Management At first, business owners paid workers as little as possible. Working conditions were unsafe. From 1834 to 1836, more than 150 strikes shut down factories across the country. Close to 20% of the Lowell girls went on strike when the factories tried to cut pay by 15%.

Labor vs. Management In 1834, the National Trades Union was formed. This early labor union wanted to protect the rights of, and get better conditions for, skilled workers. Close to 300,000 joined the NTU. However, the courts took the side of the business owners, and the unions had limited effectiveness.