Forging the National Economy, 1790-1860 Cover Slide The American Pageant Chapter 14 Forging the National Economy, 1790-1860

Rapid Population Growth in US By 1860, 13 original states  33 states Population doubling every 25 years U.S. 4th most populous western country Rapid urbanization Massive influx of Irish and Germans Europe running out of room and the Irish Potato Famine

Irish Immigration Impact of “the Famine” Became largest immigrant group to U.S.

Discrimination Against Irish Role of Religion / Poverty Forced to create very close-knit communities  Formed secret societies to combat bigotry The Ancient Order of Hibernians The Molly Maguires Extreme WASP views of Irish N.I.N.A.

Irish v. Blacks Irish fiercely resented blacks Shared society’s basement Competed for scarce jobs Race riots between black & Irish dock workers Irish did not support the abolitionist cause

Success of the Irish Acquired modest amounts of property Political activism Soon controlled powerful city machines (Tamany Hall in New York) Strong, motivated workforce

German Immigration Over 1.5 million came 1830-60 Today ~ 25% of all Americans have German ancestry Most were farmers, displaced by crop failures & by other hardships Some were liberal political refugees Had modest means, but more than Irish “Forty-Eighters”

Germans in America Most pushed out to the mid-west Very Independent Less politically potent Anti Slavery Introduced beer

THE AMISH Distinct religious settlements in PA, IN, & OH Swiss Anabaptist Jacob Amman (Amish) They “shun” extravagance Baptism for adults, were persecuted in Europe for this No modern conveniences For 200 years they have preserved their traditional way of life

Nativism Feared immigrants would outbreed, outvote, and overwhelm Protestant natives

Nativism Fear of “papal power” 1849 Order of the Star Spangled Banner became known as the… "Know-Nothing" party (The American party) -opposed immigration and the election of Roman Catholics

Birth of America's Industrial Revolution The Textile Industry began the Industrial Revolution in the U.S. Why did New England become center of the Industrial Revolution? Why was the South slow to industrialize?

Economic Inventions Samuel Slater- father of the Factory System in America Eli Whitney's Cotton Gin 1793 raising cotton became highly profitable Shift from tobacco to cotton Higher demand causes increase in # of slaves Westward expansion into AL & MS Stimulated American Industrial Revolution by supplying cotton to New England textile mills

Economic Inventions Elias Howe/Isaac Singer –Sewing Machine Significance: gave strong boost to Northern Industrialization Samuel F. B. Morse- talking wires Significance: instant communication

The Textile Industry in the U.S. Francis Cabot Lowell (Mrs. Dumont’s home town!) Local farmers' daughters hired to work in the factories and children! Textile factories sprang up all over New Eng. and mid-Atlantic. states

Why did New England become center of the Industrial Revolution? Textile factories Transportation improvements

Why was the South slow to Industrialize? Few roads, canals, or steamboats South was isolated Demand for cotton kept the area agrarian

Agricultural Northwest Ohio-Indiana-Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, MN Grain farming of corn and wheat Used to feed booming Cotton Kingdom Key Inventions: John Deere=steel plow, McCormick=mower reaper Farming changed from subsistence to large-scale, specialized, cash-crop agriculture Farmer Debt Increased (land & machinery) Farmers demand new markets  transportation revolution will connect them to Northeast

Cult of Domesticity/Republican Motherhood Women have vital role as wives and mothers Women should be educated to raise virtuous citizens Women should be concerned with domestic, family and religious affairs Shift of women from fields back into homes

The Transportation Revolution Prime Motive: Connect East to West Turnpikes Canals Rivers / Steam Power Railroads Clippers The Pony Express Country tied together by transportation web

Forging the National Economy, 1790 - 1860 The Transportation Revolution The Continental Economy European Immigration Forging the National Economy, 1790 - 1860 Irish in America The Market Economy & the Family Nativism & Assimilation Germans in America