America Post-Reconstruction How did we change after Reconstruction? SSUSH11

Imagine you are former slave or a Reconstruction supporter Imagine you are former slave or a Reconstruction supporter. Would you want to stay in the South post-Reconstruction? Where would you go? How would you get there?

Expanding Railroads 1862 Congress authorized first railroad to run Pacific to Atlantic Land grants and subsidies given to railroad owners to build railroads Created by Irish and Chinese immigrants Led to wave of new power and wealth Ex. Cornelius Vanderbilt Streamlined operations, lowered costs

Transcontinental Railroad May 10, 1869, with a golden spike the Union Pacific RR and the Central Pacific RR met at Promontory Point, Utah to complete the first railroad that covered the US from coast-to-coast How is this achievement good for farming and business in the US?

Impact from Railroads Railroads led to migration west Sold low cost land to farmers Railroads ship grain and cattle back east

Impact on other Industries High demand for railroads meant to high demand for steel In 1860: 13,000 tons of steel produced in US In 1880: 1,400,000 tons of steel produced Andrew Carnegie (major steel seller) created monopoly by buying all processes in steel production Later gave money away to charities (philanthropy) Led to rise of captains of Industry – business leaders who made fortunes through ruthless practices Robber Barrons

John d. Rockefeller Founded Standard Oil Company Purchased all other oil companies to create a monopoly (trust) Controlled over 90% of the oil market Believed in Social Darwinism, that “only the strong survive” “Pay nobody a profit” He believed that competition ruined business by forcing prices down

Electricity and Edison Thomas Alva Edison Prolific inventor!! Electricity!! Light bulb, phonograph, motion pictures, electric power generator, and many others Led to electrification of factories, urban buildings, streetlights, streetcars, and all of the electric appliances across entire neighborhoods

Where is this cartoon set? Who are the characters to the back? Who are the characters to the front? What is this cartoonist’s opinion?

What was the relationship between big business and government like?

Wealthiest People Ever? $88.1 billion $108 billion $75 billion $72 billion $663.4 billion $178 billion