1.  Why did industrialization grow so fast?  Many natural resources.  Experienced workforce to supervise unskilled industry workers.  Capital accumulated prior to the Civil War from shipping.  Institutions to mobilize capital like banks and stock exchanges.

2.  Transportation like canals and railroads move produce and resources.  Homestead Act of 1862 make land available.  New farming methods like fertilizer are used.  New machinery makes it easier.  This sparks Steel production for farm machinery.  Shipbuilding to export farm produce.  Railroads for all of the above.

3.  Republicans put policies into effect during the Civil War.  Higher protective tariffs on exports/imports.  Homestead Act.  Support for higher education like the Land- Grant College Act of 1862.  Land grants to railroads.  All of these things allowed for towns, and later cities to pop up.

4.  Industrialization expands agriculture and governmental policies for growth after the Civil War.  Many times this goes up or down with business.  1873 there is a depression which is long-lasting and severe.  The Railroads are a perfect model for big business.  Creates a market in the west for products.

5.  New industries looked to the Railroad as a model.  Development of bureaucracy.  Concepts of business administration.  Raising capital through the sale of stocks and bonds.  Competition, price wars, and the race to win are all problems the Railroad faces.  Market is divided.

6.  A rebate is instated for preferred customers.  Higher rates for short hauls.  Government can’t regulate because of lobbying, free passes, and bribery.  Chicago has the biggest Railroad transformation.  Mail-order business became popular.  Meatpacking also booms in Chicago.

7.  At first there are many businesses.  Tends toward fewer large corporations.  Andrew Carnegie is the leader of this.  1875 in Pittsburgh he builds the larges and most complex steel company.  Vertical integration is what he uses to do this.  He owned the iron ore mines, and a fleet of ships to transport the ore.  He owned coal lands as well.

8.  Social Darwinism is applying Darwinian evolutionary principles to human society.  Competition will ensure the survival and improvement of civilization.  Industrial entrepreneur then will survive.  According to Carnegie the wealth contributed to society by returning wealth to the community.  Carnegie and Rockefeller were philanthropists.

9.  Most adults came from rural society.  Pace controlled by the machine and the manager.  Broke the manufacturing into smaller parts.  Unskilled workers could be used.  Immigration skyrocketed between 1865 and 1914 for jobs.  Children worked in the industry.  Mostly these jobs were textile.

10.  Also employed women who worked in textiles and offices.  Usually paid lower wages than men.  Skilled workers created the first unions.  Membership limited to white males.  Craft union controlled apprenticeship training.  Could strike effectively because they were needed.  In 1866 tried to go national, and by 1872 they were done.

11.  Political Parties dominate in this era.  Each has similar organizations and purposes.  Invention of the caucuses, which were local at first.  Campaigns were almost entirely party oriented.  Loyal supporters could get government jobs if their candidate was elected.  These were sought after, especially if they involved handling money.

12.  Some people didn’t agree with this.  Some people even thought that this government ignored principles and revolved around greed.

13.  Rules:  Be prepared to participate  Don’t raise hands  Invite others into the discussion.  Refer to the text to support your comments.  Comments must be appropriate/respectful/focused.  Listen to and build on one another’s comments.  Don’t interrupt

14.  Why do you think the Republicans chose the economic policy they did. What outcomes did they expect to result from it, and why were those outcomes attractive?

15.  Who do you think were the most prominent Americans before the Civil War?  Now do the same for the time from 1865-1900.  How do they differ?  Why do you think that is?  Today who owns any of the “big” companies…do we know?  Why is that?

16.  Of the things we talked about/heard about tonight, which was the most important?  Why?