The Industrial Revolution, Agriculture, and the American System American Ways of Work The Industrial Revolution, Agriculture, and the American System

The Industrial Revolution in America What is it? The Industrial Revolution was a change in the way goods were manufactured. The use of interchangeable parts started in the manufacture of muskets and made them easier to make and repair.

The Industrial Revolution in America What is it? Industry moved out of homes and into factories, where machinery made mass production possible. This led to a massive change in social and economic organization.

The Industrial Revolution in America Before the War of 1812 America was not a manufacturing nation. It made its money by trading. The War of 1812 forced many Americans to get out of the business of trading and into manufacturing, since no goods were coming from Great Britain.

The Industrial Revolution in America Though the ports re-opened in 1809, the War of 1812 meant that Americans had to invest their capital into ventures other than trading and commerce. In New England, shipping and trade had been the most important sources of income. Since they did not depend on agriculture (like the South), they were the most likely place to industrialize.

Two Agricultural Systems Regional differences: While investors in the Northeast started looking to industry as a major source of income, southerners had focused on a new and profitable crop, cotton. Because of this, two distinct farm economies began to emerge in the South and the Northwest.

Two Agricultural Systems Agriculture in the North: Farmers who moved into the Northwest territory generally set up small farms, which grew only food for themselves, and not crops to be sold. But as cities started to grow (because of industrialization) this changed. Farmers found that they could grow certain crops or livestock (for example corn and beef cattle), sell those in the city, and buy whatever they wanted.

Two Agricultural Systems Agriculture in the North: Since these were not labor intensive crops, there was not much demand for slaves. As a result, slavery began to die out in the North and Northerners began to express moral and religious opposition to slavery.

Two Agricultural Systems King Cotton in the South: The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney had made cotton the most important crop for southern planters. This made short staple cotton very profitable. Before the cotton gin, removing the seeds from cotton made much of it unprofitable. Now the plantations of the south could supply textile mills in England and the Northeast.

Two Agricultural Systems King Cotton in the South: With this invention, a huge wave of settlers was able to settle in the modern-day states of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi and transform them into a Cotton Kingdom. The cotton gin was a large contributor to the extension of slavery into western territories.

Two Agricultural Systems Slavery becomes entrenched: In order to keep cotton profitable, planters needed a large labor force and slavery was the most economical method they had. In the 1820s, demand for slaves began to increase, even though the international trade had ended in 1808.

Two Agricultural Systems Slavery becomes entrenched: Cotton made slavery profitable. The growing reliance on slave labor in the South as slavery died out in the north was one of the most powerful sectional differences that emerged.

The American System Background While north and south became increasingly different, President Madison saw the need for a plan to unify the country. In 1815, he proposed a plan to unite the different regions of the country and create a strong, stable national economy that could make the country self-sufficient.

The American System Madison’s Plan and Clay’s vision Madison’s plan had three parts: Establishing a protective tariff Rebuilding and increasing the power of the National Bank Sponsoring transportation systems and other internal developments.

The American System Madison’s Plan and Clay’s vision The plan even impressed Madison’s opponents, men like Henry Clay, who began calling it the American System. Clay thought that the North would produce industrial goods to be purchased by farmers in the South and West, while farmers would produce the grain, meat, and cotton needed in the North.

The American System The Erie Canal and other Improvements In order to move goods from place to place reliable transportation systems like roads and canals were needed. The Federal government in 1811 began the construction of the Great Road connecting Maryland and Illinois, and soon started on other projects.

The American System The Erie Canal and other Improvements One of the biggest projects was the 363-mile “Big Ditch,” the Erie Canal, which connected the ocean and the Great Lakes. By the 1830s over 3,000 miles of canals were built.

The American System Feeling good? In 1816, James Monroe, another Virginian, was elected President. Early in his Administration he went on a tour to New England. A Democratic-Republican, Monroe was warmly welcomed in Federalist-dominated New England, prompting some to declare that America had entered into an “Era of Good Feelings.”