Antebellum Industry and Expansion

Antebellum Industry and Expansion

Chapter 14

Objective #1

• Describe the movement and growth of America’s population in the early nineteenth century.

Objective #2

• Describe the early development of the factory system and Eli Whitney’s contributions.

Objective #3

• Explain the effect of early industrialism on workers, including women and children

Objective #4

• Describe the impact of new technology and transportation systems on American business and agriculture.

Objective #5

• Describe the sequence of major transportation and communication systems that developed from 1790 and 1860 and indicate their economic consequences.

Objective #6

• Describe the effects of the market revolution on the American economy, including the new disparities between rich and poor.

Economic Growth (1820-1860)

• Move away from agriculture towards industry and technology

• Agriculture still dominates overall

• Per capita income doubles between 1820-1860

• Population still doubling every 25 years

• Had 33 states by 1860

Factors that led to growth

• Abundance of natural resources and raw materials

• New workers/consumers– Women– Immigrants

• Transportation improvements allowed for more distant markets, expansion

First Turnpike- 1790 Lancaster, PA

First Turnpike- 1790 Lancaster, PA

By 1832, nearly 2400 mi. of road By 1832, nearly 2400 mi. of road connected most major cities.connected most major cities.

Cumberland (National Road), 1811

Cumberland (National Road), 1811

Robert Fulton & the Steamboat

Robert Fulton & the Steamboat

1807: The 1807: The ClermontClermont

Erie Canal SystemErie Canal System

Erie Canal, 1820sErie Canal, 1820s

Begun in 1817; completed in 1825Begun in 1817; completed in 1825

Principal Canals in 1840Principal Canals in 1840

Inland Freight RatesInland Freight Rates

Clipper ShipsClipper Ships

The “Iron Horse” Wins! (1830)The “Iron Horse” Wins! (1830)

1830 1830 13 miles of track built by Baltimore & 13 miles of track built by Baltimore & Ohio RROhio RR

By 1850 By 1850 9000 mi. of RR track [1860 9000 mi. of RR track [1860 31,000 31,000 mi.]mi.]

TheRailroad

Revolution,1850s

TheRailroad

Revolution,1850s

Led to growth Led to growth of big cities of big cities (Chicago)(Chicago)

Encouraged Encouraged expansion, expansion, while binding while binding U.S. togetherU.S. together

Resourcefulness & Experimentation

Resourcefulness & Experimentation

Americans were willing to try Americans were willing to try

anything.anything.

They were first copiers, thenThey were first copiers, theninnovators.innovators.

1800 1800 41 patents were 41 patents were approved.approved.

1860 1860 4,357 4,357 ““ ““ ““

Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin, 1791

Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin, 1791

OliverEvansOliverEvans

First prototype of the First prototype of the locomotivelocomotive

First automated First automated flour millflour mill

John Deere & the Steel Plow(1837)

John Deere & the Steel Plow(1837)

Cyrus McCormick& the Mechanical Reaper:

1831

Cyrus McCormick& the Mechanical Reaper:

1831

Agricultural Specialization

• New England= Dairy

• Midwest = Grain

• South = Cotton, Tobacco

Changing Occupation Distributions:1820 - 1860

Changing Occupation Distributions:1820 - 1860

Elias Howe & Isaac SingerElias Howe & Isaac Singer

1840s1840sSewing MachineSewing Machine

Samuel F. B. MorseSamuel F. B. Morse

1840 – Telegraph1840 – Telegraph

Cyrus Field & the Transatlantic Cable,

1858

Cyrus Field & the Transatlantic Cable,

1858

z They all regarded material They all regarded material advance as the natural fruit of advance as the natural fruit of American republicanism & proof American republicanism & proof of the countryof the country’’s virtue and s virtue and promise.promise.

The “American Dream”The “American Dream”

A German visitor in the 1840s, A German visitor in the 1840s, Friedrich List, observed:Friedrich List, observed:

Anything new is quickly introduced Anything new is quickly introduced here, including all of the latest here, including all of the latest inventions. There is no clinging to inventions. There is no clinging to old ways. The moment an old ways. The moment an American hears the word American hears the word ““invention,invention,”” he pricks up his ears. he pricks up his ears.

Industrial Advancement

• Innovations in transportation, agriculture, communication meant increased urban population

• Embargoes, Non-intercourse and War of 1812 and tariff fueled US industry

• 1820-1860: Production reorganized into factories (mechanization)

• Market Revolution: National network of industry and commerce

1820 Manufacturing

• 2/3 of clothing made in home• Domestic System

– Gain raw materials used in production– Distribute materials to workers– Pay them piecemeal

• Very slow• Pay is low• Prices of goods are high

Changes in Manufacturing

• Factories allow for all steps of production to be centralized

• Cheap land to build factories

• Immigration brings workers

• Efficiency = less expensive goods

• Use of power drive tools

Samuel Slater( “Father of the Factory Syste

m ”)

Samuel Slater( “Father of the Factory Syste

m ”)

Eli Whitney’s Gun FactoryEli Whitney’s Gun Factory

Interchangeable Parts RifleInterchangeable Parts Rifle

Factory Working Conditions

• Long hours

• Low pay

• Unsafe and unsanitary

• Government did very little to regulate

• Unions were usually outlawed in 1820s

• Children made up a high percentage of workers

Jackson and Van Buren

• Politicians begin listening to “common man” as they participate more in politics

• Van Buren establishes 10-hr. day for federal employees in 1840

• More unions in 1830s• Over 300,000 strikes 1830s• Unions usually unsuccessful due to strength

of employers, ease of finding replacements• Panic of 1837 killed labor movement

Commonwealth v. Hunt

• 1842: U.S. Supreme Court legalized unions stating they were honorable and peaceful

Improved technology in Printing

• Adopted and improved upon British inventions

• Drives cost of books down

• Increased number of books

• Increased literacy

• Book business was $10 million/yr. business by 1850

In the South

• Majority of cotton went to England, but larger amounts going North

• Cotton dominates

• Increased need for slavery

Textile Manufacturing

• Leading U.S. industry 1820-1860• Centered in New England and Mid-Atlantic

– Swift streams– Ease of trade– Large urban populations– Poor farmland

• 71% of manufacturing went on in New England by 1860

New EnglandTextile

Centers:

1830s

New EnglandTextile

Centers:

1830s

New England Dominance in Textiles

New England Dominance in Textiles

The Lowell/Waltham System:

First Dual-Purpose Textile Plant

The Lowell/Waltham System:

First Dual-Purpose Textile Plant

Francis Cabot LowellFrancis Cabot Lowell’’s town - 1814s town - 1814

Lowell MillLowell Mill

Lowell in 1850Lowell in 1850

Early Textile LoomEarly Textile Loom

Women Working Outside of Home

• Usually worked as nurses, domestic servants or teachers

• 1850: 10% of women worked outside of home

• “Cult of Domesticity” glorified role of women as homemaker

Lowell Women

• Made up 70% of work force

• First women to labor outside of home in large numbers

• Gave unmarried women the chance to leave the farm

• 60% of Lowell’s workers were women between 15-29

Lowell’s Working Conditions

• Paid relatively well ($2.40-$3.20/wk)– Domestic servants (&.75/wk)– Seamstresses ($.90/wk)

• 12 hour days/6 days per week

• Women often viewed this as a temporary job

Lowell GirlsLowell Girls

Lowell Boarding HousesLowell Boarding Houses

What was boardinghouse life What was boardinghouse life like?like?

Strict living Conditions

• Curfews

• Little Privacy

• 4-6 girls in a room

• Doors locked

• Windows nailed

• Bad lighting and ventilation

• Very little job mobility

1834: Hard Times Hit Lowell

• Falling prices, poor sales, lower profits

• Owners cut salaries by 15%

• Attempt to unionize and strike failed– Ease of replacements– Some wanted job– Short tenure of workers

Lowell turns to Immigrants

• Immigration meant glut of workers

• Would work less than women

• By 1860: 50% of workers were Irish immigrants (8% in 1845)

Irish Immigrant Girls at LowellIrish Immigrant Girls at Lowell

American Population Centers in 1820

American Population Centers in 1820

American Population Centers in 1860

American Population Centers in 1860

Immigration Increases

• 1820: 128,000 immigrants

• 1860: 2.8 million

• Increases mean more job competition

• Increased nativism

National Origin of Immigrants:1820 - 1860

National Origin of Immigrants:1820 - 1860

Why now?Why now?

Know-Nothing Party:“The

Supreme Order of the

Star-Spangled Banner”

Know-Nothing Party:“The

Supreme Order of the

Star-Spangled Banner”

Antebellum Cincinnati, OH

• 1840: 3rd largest industrial center • Wide variety of industries: machine parts,

hardware, furniture, cigars, meat industry, riverboat builders, blacksmiths, artisans, etc.

• New and old ways co-existed– Most were artisans– 20% of work force worked in factories

• Will follow same patterns as rest of country: more factories, gap between rich and poor growing, etc. by 1860

Impact of Immigration on Cincinnati

• By 1850, 50% of Cincinnati residents were German or descended from Germans.