Chapter 14: Forging the National Economy (1790-1860)

Heading West Hard, filled w/disease and loneliness, DEATH Frontier people – superstitious & ignorant Molded the Environment Kentucky Bluegrass thrived – ideal pasture land Settlers trapped beaver, sea otters, Bison sent it back East Nationalism led to appreciation for American Wilderness Artist George Catlin – national parks (Yellowstone 1872)

By 1860 there are 33 states, American Population was 4th in the World 43 cities by 1860 had populations greater than 20,000 W/Growth came: Poor sanitation – later sewage systems & piped-in water came about 1850’s – millions of Irish and German migrated to the U.S. WHY: Land, Free Religion, No Aristocracy, 3 Meat meals a day, plus transoceanic steamships cut down time travel

Irish Potato Famine – Mid 1840’s killed over 2 million Known as the “Black Forties” – came to Boston & New York * They were : Illiterate, discriminated a/g Lowest paying jobs Hated by Protestants Americans HATED the Irish (NINA) No Irish Need Apply Ancient Order of Hibernians – estab. To help Irish Liked: Politics, became Police Officers

German 48’s Millions of Germans came to U.S. B/W 1830’s – 1860’s BECAUSE; crop failures & revolution/war of 1848 More Money than the Irish bought land West (Wisconsin) Contributed to U.S. Culture: Christmas Tree & Isolationism Urged Public Education (Kindergarten) HATED SLAVERY Americans resented the Germans b/c: Kept to themselves Clung to their old ways Kept speaking German & Kept Religion Brought BEER? Seriously?

Why People Hated Immigrants Nativists – Older Americans who were prejudiced (HATED) immigrants because they threatened their JOBS, Politics, Religion Catholicism becomes a major new faith again only after how many years ……….. 1840’s -50’s Started building Catholic Schools this challenged Protestantism so a group of Racist Bully’s formed a group “Order of the Star Spangled Banner” AKA the “Know-Nothings” Fought for: Restrictions on Immigration, naturalization, & deportation Wrote books about Corruption in Churches Mass Violence: PA 1844 (burnt churches, schools, people killed) Eventually time passes and they will be accepted

Industrial Revolution Samuel Slater – Factory System built the 1st cotton thread spinner 1791 (Rhode Island) Eli Whitney – Built Cotton Gin: The South thrived & expanded the cotton westward helped the North w/textiles Eli Whitney also introduced machine-made inter-changeable parts (MUSKETS) 1850 The assembly line took off in the North-boosted Economy Elias Howe & Issac Singer 1846 – Sewing Machine During the 1860’s – 28,000 patents were achieved Samuel Morse– Invented the telegraph connected the business world

Eli Whitney

Issac Singer

Wage Slaves Factory System – let to impersonal relations Benefit went to factory owner: long hours, low wages, unsafe conditions & unhealthy WHY (No UNIONS) 1820’s & 1830’s Conditions Improved thanks to the mass vote 10 hr wk day, higher wages, tolerable conditions, public education, ban of imprisonment for debt 1840’s van Buren estab. 10 hr wk day for Federal employees Many workers went on Strike but it was pointless – they just hired SCABS Commonwealth v. Hunt = MA Supreme Court ruled (1842) legalized unions for peaceful and honorable protest

Women & the Economy Lowell MA = Model textile mill had young single women Horrible Working Conditions Many worked In Nursing, Domestic Services, & Teaching (encouraged by Catherine Beecher) Wk before marriage after became housewives Arranged marriages went away & for love marriages tied families closer Families grew small (6 people) & Fertility rate dropped sharply (Domestic Feminism) Home changed from a place of labor to a refuge

Farmers Reach Revolution Ohio-Indiana-Illinois Became Nations Bread Basket = planted corn & raised hogs Inventions Were Born: John Deere = invented the still plow Cyrus McCormick = mechanical mower-reaper to harvest grain These led to lrg-scale production & growth of cash crops North Begin to grow more food than the South hmm. . . Products flowed from North to South via sea and river

Steel Plow McCormick Reaper

Highways & Steamboats Lancaster Turnpike – Hard Road from PA to Lancaster PA brought economic expansion westward Cumberland Road (AKA National Road) = MD to IL w/ state and Federal Money Robert Fulton Invented 1st Steamboat the Clermont 1807 (Common by 1830’s) Caused an Increase in Trade

Gov. Dewitt Clinton’s Big Ditch = The Erie Canal (between Lake Erie & the Hudson River) Shortened expense and time travel Cities grew along the canal and food was reduced