Northern Economy America Growing Apart

Objective: Analyze the Market Revolution’s influence on agriculture and industry in the North

Northern Sections Northwest: –“Old Northwest”, the land N and W of the Ohio River Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota –Agriculture Economy Northeast –Old New England and Middle Colonies –Industrial Economy

New Technologies John Deere –Steel Plow Cyrus McCormick –Mechanical reaper

Farming in the NW Produced corn, wheat, and grains –Grew well, but spoils if not processed quickly –Corn fed to pigs and grains turned into Whiskey –Cincinnati (“Porkopolis”) and Chicago

Farming in the Old NW Transporting Goods –Used new railroads and ships to get their crops on the market –Mississippi River to New Orleans Then to the Caribbean, the Atlantic Coast and Europe

Industries of the NE Farms to Factories –As time marched on, areas became more urban (one or more cities with high populations) Industrialization increased –CT by 1850 had more people in manufacturing than farming –PA: coal mining, lumber, ships, iron, leather, and textiles –MA: shoes, carpet and bricks

Factories Francis Cabot Lowell –Began a textile mill in CT that was the first to be centralized—town of Lowell –Hired young, unmarried girls promising a moral environment and a stable income $3.25 for 72 hrs. - $1.25 for room and board = $2.00 a week---a great wage for the time

Do the Math…. Wages for Women in Lowell’s mills in the 1930s: –72 hour work week: $3.25 How much an hour? –1 week’s Room and board: -$1.25 –Total Weekly Earnings: $2.00 So Again why Women... –½ the price of men for the same work –North didn’t have slaves...by the 1840s though, women will be losing jobs to men and immigrants.

Growth of Cities The NE was crowded with young looking for work –High population in the NE left no more room for farming –Some headed W, but most went to find work in factories NYC: 33,000 in 1790 to 131,000 by 1820

Urban Life Most were poor and crowded into cheap housing -tenements Tenements: crowded apartments with poor sanitation, safety and comfort Cities were unable to handle the increasing populations –Opportunities for the spread of diseases

Labor Disputes Most Factories paid little and provided no benefits -Workers demanded rights Complaints: Long hours, low wages Many went on strike : 150 strikes National Trades Union (NTU) –Wanted to protect rights –Died out though because owners got a law passed banning labor organizations –Willingness to stand up against injustice

In Review: How did farming develop in the Old Northwest? What new Industries arose in the Northeast? What caused the growth of cities, and what problems arose as they grew? What kinds of labor disputes arose in factories?