The Industrial Age ( )

Railroad Expansion After the Civil War, railroad system grew quickly and drove economic growth in the U.S. After the Civil War, railroad system grew quickly and drove economic growth in the U.S. 650% increase in miles of track from 1860 to % increase in miles of track from 1860 to 1900 Enough miles of track in U.S. in 1900 to go around Earth 7.75 times Enough miles of track in U.S. in 1900 to go around Earth 7.75 times Consolidation- many railroad companies driven out of business by larger companies, eliminating competition Consolidation- many railroad companies driven out of business by larger companies, eliminating competition Cornelius Vanderbilt - owned most of railroads from NYC to Great Lakes. Very aggressive (unfair) business tactics not regulated by government Cornelius Vanderbilt - owned most of railroads from NYC to Great Lakes. Very aggressive (unfair) business tactics not regulated by government After the Civil War, railroad system grew quickly and drove economic growth in the U.S. After the Civil War, railroad system grew quickly and drove economic growth in the U.S. 650% increase in miles of track from 1860 to % increase in miles of track from 1860 to 1900 Enough miles of track in U.S. in 1900 to go around Earth 7.75 times Enough miles of track in U.S. in 1900 to go around Earth 7.75 times Consolidation- many railroad companies driven out of business by larger companies, eliminating competition Consolidation- many railroad companies driven out of business by larger companies, eliminating competition Cornelius Vanderbilt - owned most of railroads from NYC to Great Lakes. Very aggressive (unfair) business tactics not regulated by government Cornelius Vanderbilt - owned most of railroads from NYC to Great Lakes. Very aggressive (unfair) business tactics not regulated by government

$155 Billion in 2011 Either Second or Third Wealthiest American of all Time (Behind John D. Rockefeller and maybe Andrew Carnegie)

Railroads Stimulate Economy Carried raw materials to factories, finished goods to marketCarried raw materials to factories, finished goods to market Drove up demand for steel (tracks), lumber (ties), coal (fuel)Drove up demand for steel (tracks), lumber (ties), coal (fuel) Provided work for thousands in construction/operationProvided work for thousands in construction/operation New Technologies for trains - air bakes, refrigerated cars, Pullman sleeping carsNew Technologies for trains - air bakes, refrigerated cars, Pullman sleeping cars Rebates - secret discounts given to important customers forced smaller companies out of businessRebates - secret discounts given to important customers forced smaller companies out of business Pools - Several RR lines work together to “fix” prices artificially high and increase profits. Illegal but government does nothing (laissez-faire).Pools - Several RR lines work together to “fix” prices artificially high and increase profits. Illegal but government does nothing (laissez-faire). Carried raw materials to factories, finished goods to marketCarried raw materials to factories, finished goods to market Drove up demand for steel (tracks), lumber (ties), coal (fuel)Drove up demand for steel (tracks), lumber (ties), coal (fuel) Provided work for thousands in construction/operationProvided work for thousands in construction/operation New Technologies for trains - air bakes, refrigerated cars, Pullman sleeping carsNew Technologies for trains - air bakes, refrigerated cars, Pullman sleeping cars Rebates - secret discounts given to important customers forced smaller companies out of businessRebates - secret discounts given to important customers forced smaller companies out of business Pools - Several RR lines work together to “fix” prices artificially high and increase profits. Illegal but government does nothing (laissez-faire).Pools - Several RR lines work together to “fix” prices artificially high and increase profits. Illegal but government does nothing (laissez-faire).

Inventions of the Late 1800s Be Thinking of Which You Feel is Most Important

Invention Boom 1860 t saw 400,000 new patents Patent - government approval of a product that prohibits others from copying it

Patent Certificate

Communications Telegraph (1844) - used wires to transmit electric pulses in Morse Code Transatlantic Cable (1866) - Telegraph cable placed at the bottom of the Atlantic to connect Europe to North America Telephone (1876) - Alexander Graham Bell creates the phone. By 1890s, he had sold over 200,000 (businesses)

TelegraphTelegraph

Transatlantic Cable

Bell and his Telephone

Business Inventions Typewriter (1868) - allows for faster and neater writing Adding Machine (1888) - allows businesses to quickly and accurately add sales and inventory

Early Typewriter

Adding Machine

Personal Inventions Kodak Camera (1888) - allows for regular people to take pictures. Invented by George Eastman of Rochester, NY Vacuum Cleaner (1899) - eases housework and allows carpets to be cleaned quickly Light Bulb (1879) - Thomas Alva Edison creates the first practical light bulb - safer than lanterns, candles

Kodak Camera George Eastman was from Rochester, NY

Early Vacuum Cleaner See how happy she is!

Inventors Thomas Alva Edison - “Wizard of Menlo Park” - runs and invention factory in Menlo Park, NJ. Company creates the phonograph (record player), motion picture projector, storage battery, light bulb. Had 1093 patents. George Westinghouse - Competitor to Edison. Created alternating current (AC) in 1885, allowing for safe electricity for lighted buildings, factories, trolleys, street lamps, and cities.

Changing Society Gasoline powered automobile (1888) - Karl Benz develops the car in Germany. Early cars only for very wealthy Model T - Henry Ford develops this affordable car for the masses. Identical for 18 years of production (black) Assembly Line - Ford creation. Product moves past workers who add parts. Boring and hard on workers, this kept costs down by making many products quickly.

Karl Benz’ Automobile

Assembly Line

Changing Society Mass Production - producing large numbers of identical products to keep costs down. Usually uses machines. Mail Order (1863) - Stores sell items via catalogs and mail items to consumers. Montgomery Ward and Sears and Roebuck do this well. Chain Stores - Woolworth’s and Kresge’s open “5 and 10 Cent” stores across the U.S. to sell cheap merchandize. Hurts small businesses (think Wal-Mart)

Sears and Roebuck From 1897

Kresge’s Katalog Sears Competition!