. Throughout the late nineteenth century, the inventions of steel, the moving assembly line, and the automobile revolutionized American industry and urban society by increasing efficiency in production and furthering the growth of cities, thereby nationalizing the American economy.

By Amy Wang, Phoebe Lai, and Chloe Sofield

1. The Advancement of the Steel Industry

● Processes: Bessemer and open-heartho 1855 Bessemer=blowing air thru molten iron to remove impuritieso 1868 Open-Hearth: makes steel production @ large

● 1870s: new steel furnaces → more production→ prices go down● Close relationship between steel and RR industry

Processing Steel

Bessemer Open Hearth PROFIT

● American economy dependent on urban construction and RRo Steel production increases→ more workers needed in factories→

urban development improves→ economy flourishes● Easier processing of more materials→Allows industry to grow

Influence of the Growing Steel Industry

$ $ $

● Steel-improved RR becomes best nationwide transportation→ Trackage increases dramatically: o Connects suppliers to markets & attracts workers to jobs in cities

Effect of Steel on Urban Life

Year steel invented(begins to rise)

Improved steel furnaceTotal tracks in

1890

2.The Assembly Line

● Moving assembly line first implemented in automobile plantso 1914: first used by Henry Ford

● Cut down assembly time (8x for Ford: from 12 ½ hours → 1 ½ hours)o reduced prices (3x, Model T $950 in 1914 to $290 in 1929)○ Greatly increased efficiency

Effect of Assembly Line on Urban Life

Long lines of simple tasks

Does not require

specialized workers

Opens up job opportunities for those

w/o experience & employs a larger variety

of people in city factories

● Assembly line cut down labor time→ more products can be produced in shorter time period

○ Employers sell more for same amount of employee labor→ able to rise wages + reduce hours for workers

○ prices of goods reduce → easier to purchase off the market→ standard of living rises (esp. for working class)

○ Able to sell more goods in overseas markets→ brings in more $ to nation’s economy

Increased Production Efficiency

$$$$$$$$$$$

3.The Creation of the Automobile

● Began mid-1860s w/ invention of “four-stroke engine” ● Developed quickly after creation of internal combustion machine (1870),

and perfected by Daimler’s engineo 1903: First gasoline driven motor vehicle created by Charley and

Frank Duryea o Automobiles=popularized by Henry Ford→ 1910: cars began to be

used by the everyday public

Effects of the Automobile on Urban Life

First cars are created

(popularized by H. Ford)

More cars in circulation due to steel & assembly line making cars more affordable

Highways = more important due to incr. # of cars→ more highways

created

Transportation=easier & more

efficient

People have a wider range of freedom when traveling

(don’t depend on specific RR routes &

stations)

More jobs accessible in

commutable range (able to travel to

jobs located farther away)

↑ job opportunities for working class

Increased middle class and labor force

Effect of Automobiles on Industry

Automobiles created

New jobs created to keep technology in

working order:

Mechanics

Road Construction Repair Shops

Lower unemployment

rates

Conclusion

The late nineteenth and early twentieth century saw the creation of many new inventions that profoundly affected the United States. The emergence of steel kindled the growth of the railroad industry, which provided businesses access to national markets and connected workers to jobs in cities. Furthermore, the moving assembly line allowed manufacturers to increase production along with the wages of urban workers while reducing the price of manufactured goods for the average consumer. Bolstered by the assembly line and steel, the automobile industry provided a flexible mode of transportation to the American middle class while creating more jobs for the common laborer. The creations of steel, the assembly line, and the automobile revolutionized American industry and urban society by increasing efficiency in production and augmenting the growth of cities, thereby nationalizing the American economy.