1. A Technological Revolution

2. Daily life 1865 Indoor electricity did not exist Indoor electricity did not exist Activities depended on the rise and set of the sun Activities depended on the rise and set of the sun No refrigeration- ice was a high cost No refrigeration- ice was a high cost Long distance communication was slow Long distance communication was slow –10 days for mail to reach Midwest from east coast –3 weeks from coast to coast –Months to get mail from Europe

3. Investing in technology Patents- license that gave inventor exclusive rights to product Patents- license that gave inventor exclusive rights to product –1790-1860- 36,000 patents –1860-1890- 500,000 patents –Typewriter, telephone, and phonograph Business leaders began to invest in inventions Business leaders began to invest in inventions Create new industries and expand old ones Create new industries and expand old ones 1900 American standard of living was one of the highest 1900 American standard of living was one of the highest –Result of industrial productivity- amount of goods and services created in a certain period of time

4. Oil 1858 Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company sent Edwin L Drake to drill for oil 1858 Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company sent Edwin L Drake to drill for oil –Previously by melting fat from a whale or digging large pits  Expensive and time consuming 1859 Drake struck oil and became a major industry 1859 Drake struck oil and became a major industry –Made kerosene out of oil –Gasoline (byproduct) was seen as a waste and thrown away

5. Thomas Edison Left his job in 1876 to become an inventor Left his job in 1876 to become an inventor –said he could produce a minor invention every 10 days and a big invention every 6 months created the light bulb in 1880 created the light bulb in 1880 needed to have a generator to use electricity needed to have a generator to use electricity –1882 created a power plant in NYC that lit dozens of buildings –By 1890 power plants spread across the nation

6. Lewis Latimer-patented an improved method for the filament of a light bulb Lewis Latimer-patented an improved method for the filament of a light bulb –Wrote a book about electric lighting George Westinghouse- used alternating current instead of direct current George Westinghouse- used alternating current instead of direct current –Could travel longer distance –Transformer to boost electricity  Easier for home use of electricity

7. General Electric and Westinghouse Electric were created General Electric and Westinghouse Electric were created –Electricity helped improve productivity of many business  Ex. Clothing- use of electric sewing machine –Created jobs Use of home appliances grew in cities- but not all people could afford to buy appliances Use of home appliances grew in cities- but not all people could afford to buy appliances Rural areas took longer Rural areas took longer

8. Communication Samuel F.B. Morse created the Morse code Samuel F.B. Morse created the Morse code Companies joined together to make the Western Union Telegraph Company Companies joined together to make the Western Union Telegraph Company –1870- 100,000 miles of wire and 9 million telegraph messages –1900- 900,000 miles of wire and 63 million telegraph messages

9. Telephone Alexander Graham Bell created the telephone that used long distance telephone lines Alexander Graham Bell created the telephone that used long distance telephone lines –Started with only connecting to two places –Created switchboards that would connect an entire city  1878- 21 customers  1900-1.5 million customers

10. Railroad NO standard for train tracks NO standard for train tracks Often only went from one city to the next and mostly in eastern part of the nation Often only went from one city to the next and mostly in eastern part of the nation Transcontinental Railroad- railroad that went from east coast to west coast Transcontinental Railroad- railroad that went from east coast to west coast –1862- east coast to Mississippi River and from Omaha to Sacramento –Us government had to fund the rest of the track because private companies did not want to  Government believed that it would strengthen the economy –Hired Central Pacific Railroad- laid track east from Sacramento –Union Pacific Railroad worked west from Omaha  After 7 years they met in what is now Utah

11. 1870- railroads could transport goods and passengers 1870- railroads could transport goods and passengers –Noisy, dirty, and uncomfortable New technologies New technologies –Steel rails replaced iron –Track gauges and signals were standard –Improved safety-Westinghouse improved breaks –Telegraph system so trains would not collide Towns were built around railroads Towns were built around railroads Time zones set up due to confusion of passengers Time zones set up due to confusion of passengers Shipping costs decreased Shipping costs decreased –1865- $3.45 to go from Chicago to New York –1895-$0.68

12. Railroad Revolutionized businesses Faster and more practical way of transporting goods Faster and more practical way of transporting goods Lower costs of production Lower costs of production –Trains were the cheapest way to transport goods to goods were set at a lower price Creation of national markets Creation of national markets –People could now sell products around the nation –Resources needed to produce goods could be obtained from anywhere in the country

13. Model for big business Model for big business –Professional manager and specialized department came from railroad industry Stimulation for other industries Stimulation for other industries –Bessemer Process- cheaper and easier way to remove impurities from iron –Made mass production possible

14. Brooklyn Bridge Many people who worked in Manhattan lived in Brooklyn Many people who worked in Manhattan lived in Brooklyn –The only way to get to Manhattan was to ferry across the East River  Became hard in the winter John A Roebling designed the suspension bridge to cross the river John A Roebling designed the suspension bridge to cross the river –Died shortly after the start so his son took over the process Started in 1869 and finished in 1883 Started in 1869 and finished in 1883 Became a symbol of American Success Became a symbol of American Success