Industrialization and the Market Revolution

Road Transportation The 13 colonies relied heavily on access to water for transportation and also to support their economies. Overland transportation was costly and inefficient. To move goods 30 miles in the U.S. was the same cost as shipping them to Europe. States tried to create revenue by charging tolls on turnpikes, but in the early 1800s, only the National (Cumberland) Road, funded by the federal government was well-maintained. Infrastructure (conditions of structures/facilities) cut transport costs by 90-95%. This reduced the price of goods.

Waterways Travel via water also transformed during the early 1800s. The steamboat, invented by Robert Fulton in 1807, made travel upstream easier. They also made it easier for transportation across the ocean. Canals, which linked smaller bodies of water, also increased in number during the early 1800s. These canals helped link farms to major cities. The most famous canal was the Erie Canal, extending from Lake Erie to New York City. The increased access to agricultural goods allowed New York City to emerge as the US’ commercial center.

Railroads Another new type of transportation that emerged during the 1800s was railroads. The technology originated in Great Britain and appeared in the U.S. in the 1820s. They provided several benefits over canals and steamboats: Less costly to build Travel uphill more easily Cut down even more on transport times. Immigrant labor built RRs in the North, and slave labor built RRs in the South.

Technological Growth The Industrial Revolution came to the United States during the 1800s as well. The first textile mill, started by Samuel Slater, utilized nearby rivers for power. They were also built around the concept of the family system– where whole families would work for the mills. Francis Cabot Lowell employed young women in the first fully functioning mill (one that produced all parts of cloth). He chose young women who had no family ties and provided them with board near the mill. These women were known as Lowell girls. The amount of skill and training needed to work in a factory was reduced. Because of the low requirements, many people moved to cities to find work. This caused populations in city to boom.

American Population Centers in 1820

American Population Centers in 1860

Key Inventions Several key inventions transformed industry during the 1800s as well. Interchangeable parts= identical components of machines that could be used in place of one another. Invented by Eli Whitney and made production much more efficient. Electric telegraph= utilized a code of dots and dashes to communicate messages. Invented by Samuel Morse and provided almost instantaneous communication. Farming inventions: Steel plow invented by John Deere in 1837. Mechanical reaper invented by Cyrus McCormick in 1834. These innovations and changes to the economy (shift from farming to industry), became known as the Market Revolution.

The North Embraces Industry The changes in the economy created sectional, or regional, differences between the North, South and West. East industry; South agriculture; West “breadbasket” In response to Jefferson’s embargo of 1807, the U.S. built their own factories in the North to substitute for the missing British manufactured goods. The North was a good location for factories because: Greater access to capital ($$$) Cheap labor supply Many rivers to power factories

Social Changes in the North The rapid industrialization brought with it many changes to the field of industry Less-skilled workers Reduced wages for skilled workers The North was also home to many social changes that accompanied industrialization. Formation of labor unions– organizations of workers advocating for better conditions/wages; Creation of a middle class due to increased managerial jobs; Influx of immigrants from northern and western Europe.

Southern Agriculture and Society Unlike the North, the South remained predominantly agriculture based in its economy. In the South, cotton emerged as the predominant crop of the region. It was even known as ‘King Cotton’. With the dominance of cotton came the continued reliance of the South on slavery for labor. Slaves were needed as plantations grew. As demand increased, small farmers added slaves to increase their supply for market.

Cotton’s Effects on Economy and Culture Southerners did not have the manufacturing advantages of the North, so they were forced to pay high prices for manufactured goods, especially after the passage of the Tariff of 1816. It raised the price of imported goods 20-25% The dispersed population of the South was not attractive to investors or immigrants. Education was not seen as important, so Southern white illiteracy also increased.