Industrial Revolution Eventually created more regional divide between North and South. North – Embraced technology South – Clung to tradition

Population Grows Early immigration to U.S. had been slow Too many wars and insecurity about U.S. future Immigration increases after Napoleonic Wars Economic hardship in Europe Atlantic travel safer, more frequent, and cheaper Immigrants settle in eastern cities Large, cheap labor source for growing industry “Native” Americans migrate west for cheap land Medical advancement = larger population Women have less children, but more survive

New Transportation More Turnpikes, but they were slow Steamboats interconnect major cities, but limited to major rivers Not fastest route, geographic problems, still costly Canals could create direct routes, mules could pull cargo faster Erie Canal: connect Lake Erie to New York City Great lakes would connect New York to Chicago New York ultimately surpasses New Orleans as top port city.

Canals Replaced by Railroads Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad was the first company to develop rail lines. Private companies had to pay – states wanted to protect their canals Ambitious entrepreneurs and local gov’ts began paying for railroads 1830-1840 nearly 3,000 miles of track laid Northeastern states laid FOUR TIMES more track than the South

Communication Telegraph – invented by Samuel Morse (Morse Code) Lines accompany every railroad – connect small towns easily Associated Press (AP) – collection of writers that share news through telegraph Rotary Press sped the printing process = daily newspapers Largest newspapers mostly located in North = more informed population

Corporations Increase States changed corporate charter laws Could now start corporation by simply paying fee Limited Liability Laws Investors could only lose the amount they invested Encouraged more people to invest in corporations Textile factories in New England – use waterwheel power By 1860 – Amount of manufactured goods = agricultural goods 1.3 million factory workers – 900,000 in north.

Technology Advances Turret Lathe – cut screws and metal parts, sped production process and innovations. Whitney’s interchangeable parts – clock making, steam engines, farm tools, sewing machines, bicycles, etc… Greater use of coal = factories away from rivers. Better farming tools = more crops with less help Can afford to feed more people in cities with less farmers Cities recruit entire families to work in mills Lowell Girls: farm girls in Massachusetts, recruited to work in textile mills

Working Conditions Still better than European factories Initially very good Example: Lowell girls were standard – clean factory, nice boarding houses, and chaperones to protect the girls. Boom and bust cycle of markets caused conditions to deteriorate. Efforts to unionize or strike were met with such resistance, they usually failed. Still better than European factories

Northern Aristocracy Industrialists from northeast consolidate wealth Technology, resources, cheap labor, geographic location Could use their wealth to influence gov’t policies Smaller aristocracy of the south was tied to land Less influence in national politics.