The Rise of Industry, the Triumph of Business 19.1 The Rise of Industry, the Triumph of Business

Revolutions in Technology and Transportation The post-Civil War era saw a tremendous boom in business and technology. Inventors like Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison brought new products to Americans. Railroads stimulated development, creating a national market. Refer to “Edison’s Menlo Park,” p. 553

MAP 19.1 Patterns of Industry, 1900 Industrial manufacturing concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest, while the raw materials for production came mostly from other parts of the nation.

Mechanization Takes Command The second industrial revolution was based on new technology to increase labor productivity and the volume of goods. By the early 20th century, the United States produced one-third of the world’s industrial goods. Assembly line production, beginning with meat-packing, spread throughout American industry.

Expanding the Market for Goods 1. New techniques for marketing and advertising distributed the growing number of goods. Places like Sears and Montgomery Ward offer Free delivery Chain stores and Department stores developed Advertising firms helped companies reach customers. Mail order catalogues

Integration, Combination, and Merger Business leaders tried to gain control over the economy and to enlarge their business empire. Periodic depressions wiped out weaker competitors and enabled the survivors to grow to unprecedented heights. Businesses employed: vertical integration to control every step of production horizontal combination to control the market for a single product. Refer to “Standard Oil,” p. 555

Business and Social Darwinism “Survival of the Fittest”

The Gospel of Wealth Captains of industry seemed to fulfill the lessons of Charles Darwin—survival of the fittest. American business leaders saw their success as an indication of their own personal virtues. Andrew Carnegie, a self-made multimillionaire who brought efficiency to the steel industry, preached about the Gospel of Wealth

Horatio Alger Emphasized the individual work ethic “Rags to Riches” Good virtue Hard work will pay off

Labor in the Age of Big Business 19.2 Labor in the Age of Big Business

The Wage System In the late nineteenth century, the American labor force was transformed. The number of Americans working for wages dramatically grew. Immigrants met the demands of new industries.

New Opportunities and Old Obstacles Women workers moved into clerical positions created with the invention of the typewriter and telephone. Racism kept African Americans and Chinese out of most skilled positions. Factory work was a dangerous job, with 10-16 hour workdays. Periodic depressions threw millions of workers out of jobs. Refer to “Chinese,” p. 558

The Knights of Labor The Knights of Labor tried with some success to get workers to take control of their own industries. Included all types of people Workers pushed for an 8 hour workday Refer to “The Knights of Labor,” p. 560

The American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor, led by Samuel Gompers, organized skilled workers The AFL: focused on short-term goals of higher wages, shorter hours and collective bargaining. Unlike other unions, the AFL did achieve a degree of respectability.

19.3: The “New South”

An Internal Colony Northern investors bought up much of the South’s manufacturing and natural resources, often eliminating southern competition. Southern communities launched cotton mill campaigns to boost the textile industry. By the 1920s northern investors held much of the South’s wealth, including the major textile mills. For the most part, southern industry produced raw materials for northern consumption and became the nation’s internal colony.

Southern Labor Most southern factories were white-only or tightly segregated. With the exception of the Knights of Labor, white workers generally protected their racial position. Wages were much lower for southerners than outside of the region, a situation that was worsened by widespread use of child and convict labor. Refer to “Processing Tobacco,” p. 562

19.4: The Industrial City

Foreign Born Population 1880

A. Populating the City In the years after the Civil War, manufacturing moved from rural areas to the city. Millions of people followed these jobs to American cities, making the United States an urban nation. Immigrants and their children accounted for most of the urban population growth. Immigrants came because of economic opportunities. Ethnic neighborhoods are formed and work in similar trades.

The Urban Landscape People were packed into dumbbell tenements in working-class neighborhoods. Wealthy neighborhoods gleamed with new mansions, townhouses, and brownstones. Several cities experienced devastating fires, allowing architects to transform the urban landscape as part of the City Beautiful movement. Streetcars and subways also altered the spatial design of cities. The extension of transportation allowed residential suburbs to emerge on the periphery of the cities. Refer to “The Bowery at Night,” p. 566

The City and the Environment Despite technological innovations, pollution continued to be an unsolved problem. Overcrowding and inadequate sanitation bred a variety of diseases.

The Rise of Consumer Society 19.5: The Rise of Consumer Society

Self-Improvement and the Middle Class A new “middle class” developed its own sense of identity. Aided by expanding transit systems, they moved into suburbs providing both space and privacy but a long commute to and from work. Middle-class women devoted their time to housework. New technologies simplified household work.

Immigrant Culture Despite their meager resources, many immigrant families: attempted to imitate middle-class customs of dress and consumption preserved Old World customs