ESSENTIAL QUESTION:ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

First Turnpike- 1790 Lancaster, PAFirst Turnpike- 1790 Lancaster, PA

By 1832, 2400 miles of road connected By 1832, 2400 miles of road connected most major citiesmost major cities

Cumberland (National Road), 1811Cumberland (National Road), 1811

Conestoga Covered WagonsConestoga Covered Wagons

Conestoga Trail, 1820sConestoga Trail, 1820s

Erie Canal SystemErie Canal System

“Clinton’s Ditch”“Clinton’s Ditch”

Began in 1817Began in 1817

Completed by 1825Completed by 1825

Irish Immigration (dangerous jobs)Irish Immigration (dangerous jobs)

Robert Fulton & the Steamboat

Robert Fulton & the Steamboat

1807: 1807: The ClermontThe Clermont

Principal Canals in 1840Principal Canals in 1840

Inland Freight RatesInland Freight Rates

“Yankee” Clipper Ships“Yankee” Clipper Ships

Railroads (1830)Railroads (1830)

““The Iron HorseThe Iron Horse””

•1830 1830 13 miles of track [Baltimore & Ohio RR] 13 miles of track [Baltimore & Ohio RR]

•1850 1850 9,000 miles 9,000 miles

•1860 1860 31,000 miles!!! 31,000 miles!!!

RailroadRevolution

c. 1850

RailroadRevolution

c. 1850

Immigrant laborImmigrant laborbuilt the N. RRsbuilt the N. RRs

IrishIrish

Slave laborSlave laborbuilt the S. RRs built the S. RRs

Resourcefulness & ExperimentationResourcefulness & Experimentation

p Americans were willing to try Americans were willing to try anything.anything.

p They were first copiers, thenThey were first copiers, theninnovators.innovators.

1800 1800 41 patents were approved.41 patents were approved.

1860 1860 4,357 patents!4,357 patents!

Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin, 1793Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin, 1793

Eli Whitney’s Gun FactoryEli Whitney’s Gun Factory

Interchangeable Parts RifleInterchangeable Parts Rifle

OliverEvansOliverEvans

First prototype of the locomotiveFirst prototype of the locomotive

First automated flour millFirst automated flour mill

John Deere & the Steel Plow (1837)John Deere & the Steel Plow (1837)

Cyrus McCormick& the Mechanical Reaper: 1831

Cyrus McCormick& the Mechanical Reaper: 1831

Samuel F. B. MorseSamuel F. B. Morse

1840 – Telegraph1840 – Telegraph

Cyrus Field & the Transatlantic Cable, 1858

Cyrus Field & the Transatlantic Cable, 1858

Elias Howe & Isaac SingerElias Howe & Isaac Singer

1840s1840sSewing MachineSewing Machine

They all regarded material advance as the They all regarded material advance as the natural fruit of American republicanism & natural fruit of American republicanism & proof of the country’s virtue and promise.proof of the country’s virtue and promise.

The “American Dream”The “American Dream”

A German visitor in the 1840s, Friedrich List, A German visitor in the 1840s, Friedrich List, observed:observed:

“Anything new is quickly introduced here, including all of the latest inventions. There is no clinging to old ways. The moment an American hears the word “invention,” he pricks up his ears.”

Distribution of WealthDistribution of Wealthv During the American Revolution,During the American Revolution,

45% of all wealth in the top 10% of45% of all wealth in the top 10% ofthe population.the population.

v 1845 Boston 1845 Boston top 4% owned over top 4% owned over 65% of the wealth. 65% of the wealth.

v 1860 Philadelphia 1860 Philadelphia top 1% owned top 1% owned over 50% of the wealth. over 50% of the wealth.

v The gap between rich and poor wasThe gap between rich and poor was widening! widening!

Samuel Slater(“Father of the Factory System”)

Samuel Slater(“Father of the Factory System”)

Lowell System:First Dual-Purpose Textile Plant

Lowell System:First Dual-Purpose Textile Plant

Francis Cabot Lowell’s town - 1814Francis Cabot Lowell’s town - 1814

Lowell in 1850Lowell in 1850

Lowell MillLowell Mill

Early Textile LoomEarly Textile Loom

New EnglandTextile

Centers:

1830s

New EnglandTextile

Centers:

1830s

New England Dominance in TextilesNew England Dominance in Textiles

Lowell GirlsLowell Girls

What was their typical “profile?”What was their typical “profile?”

Lowell Boarding HousesLowell Boarding Houses

What was boardinghouse life like?What was boardinghouse life like?

Early “Union”

Newsletter

Early “Union”

Newsletter

Early Union MovementEarly Union Movement

Workingman’s Party Workingman’s Party (1829)(1829) ** 1 1stst Union, NYC Union, NYC

Early unions were usually local, Early unions were usually local, social, and weak.social, and weak.

Commonwealth v. HuntCommonwealth v. Hunt (1842).(1842).

- Unions legal, but only at - Unions legal, but only at STATESTATE level level

Regional SpecializationRegional Specialization

EAST EAST IndustrialIndustrial

SOUTH SOUTH Cotton & SlaveryCotton & Slavery

WEST WEST The Nation’s “Breadbasket”The Nation’s “Breadbasket”

American Population Centers in 1820American Population Centers in 1820

American Population Centers in 1860American Population Centers in 1860

National Origin of Immigrants:1820 - 1860

National Origin of Immigrants:1820 - 1860

Why now?Why now?

Anti-Irish SentimentsAnti-Irish Sentiments

Anti-CatholicismAnti-Catholicism

Know-Nothing Party:

“The Supreme Order of the

Star-Spangled Banner”

Know-Nothing Party:

“The Supreme Order of the

Star-Spangled Banner”

Changing Occupation Distributions:1820 - 1860

Changing Occupation Distributions:1820 - 1860

ECONOMIC?ECONOMIC?

SOCIAL?SOCIAL?

POLITICAL?POLITICAL?

FUTUREPROBLEMS?

FUTUREPROBLEMS?