Growth of Industrialism: A Slideshow

U.S. History

The Bridge: 1883 Materials needed:

Labor Steel Cement Investment

Connected urban center to outlying areas

Technology depended on: Individual creativity Availability of resources

(close to the Midwest) Easy transportation of

materials Easy availability of labor

The Brooklyn Bridge, NYC was the longest suspension bridge of its time. Each steel

suspension cable was over 16 inches in diameter, supporting a bridge 1,600 feet long

The Impact of Industry

Manufacturing mostly in Northeast and Midwest--due to availability of resources

Few wealthy businessmen made vast fortunes, while millions worked under dangerous conditions for little money

The growth of industry was unbridled, unchecked, rapid, and without government regulation

Brooklyn Bridge, 2006

Bessemer Process: 1859

Henry Bessemer and William Kelly invented the “Bessemer Steel Process” Made steel production

faster Used hotter

temperatures to reduce impurities

Stole the idea from British inventors

Steel production increased from 2,000 tons (1865) to 7 million tons (1900)

Idealized picture of Bessemer Process

Bessemer Process

Used to make a stronger, lighter and more durable material for construction

Used for bridges, skyscrapers, machines, tools, railroads, military equipment

Allowed for the creation and growth of other industries: construction, railroads, etc.

Skyscraper: 1901

Over 20 stories, this building would have collapsed under its own weight, if built by iron

Allowed people to “build up”, instead of “out”

Saved space and used available space in congested cities

Used for office space, retail space, manufacturing space, and living space The Flat Iron Building, NYC. Shaped as a

triangle, or a flat iron for clothes, this is considered the first modern skyscraper. There are similar buildings, by the same architect in San Francisco and Chicago

Skyscrapers

The United States was the first country to build multi-level (20 + story) skyscrapers

Became a visible symbol of the U.S. reaching “toward the heavens”

The taller the building, the more it could hold=more profit for developer

Resulted in the rapid urbanization of the American Northeast and Midwest Areas closest to construction materials Greatest need for space (overpopulation)

The Flat Iron Building, NYC 2006

Andrew Carnegie Represented a new class

of “self-made” wealthy men

Through entrepreneurship, invention, ruthlessness, and luck earned millions

Carnegie sunk his small savings into early steel company, becoming one of the richest men in the world

Andrew Carnegie, center, with French nobility (to his right). Millionaires would

often travel with a coterie of advisors, lackeys, servants, and hangers-on. They

would also serve as de facto heads of state to visiting dignitaries.

Andrew Carnegie Number of millionaires increased to over 4,000 by 1900 Wealthy businessmen allowed for the increased

availability of cheap mass produced goods, a wide variety of quality products, jobs, investment opportunities, libraries, etc

Wealthy businessmen also exploited labor, prevented unionization, bribed government officials, and controlled most (sometimes all) of the social and political power

Carnegie believed in the importance of social responsibility with wealth

The Gospel of Wealth, Carnegie’s book, describes the importance of charity and community leadership

Pennsylvania: 1859

By 1859, oil prospecting and speculation was as popular as gold mining

Crude oil, previously a nuisance, could be refined creating petroleum products, fuel, and synthetic materials “Pioneer Run”, Titusville, PA (1859)

Pennsylvania Petroleum products supplied fuel for factory

machines, fuel for automobiles, fabrics, and electricity and municipal power

Oil extraction and refining caused massive environmental degradation

Politics of oil (acquisition, control, use, and sale) is one of the most important aspects of American politics Foreign Policy: Diplomacy with OPEC, Iran, Iraq,

Kuwait, the Gulf Wars (criticized as wars for oil) Domestic Policy: Environmental protection, SPR

(Strategic Petroleum Reserves), the auto industry, drilling in Alaska, Gulf Coast

Disasters: Exxon Valdez

John D. Rockefeller

Sole owner and titan over Standard Oil

By 1879, Rockefeller controlled over 90% of the oil refining process

Organized trusts, a collection of support companies and investors, to strangle competition

Rockefeller, due to a stress related illness which caused

balding, purchased 3 different sized wigs (S, M, L) indicating

successful hair growth

Rockefeller

Rockefeller expanded the oil business to encompass the entire U.S., providing fuel and power to much of the U.S.

Believed in “Social Darwinism”: the survival of the fittest

Often used bribery and ruthless tactics to acquire businesses

Strangled competition and forced “Ma and Pa” companies out of business

Formed monopolies

The Railroads

Transportation was the key to industrialization

Success as an industrialized nation depended on the rapid extension of the rail system

Existing rail, only 30,000 miles of track by 1860, remained in the North

Railroad yard outside Chicago, IL (1860) Built by the Irish and Chinese, the railroads connected the east coast to the west, the north with the south. It conquered all physical barriers: the Great Plains, the Rockies and Sierras, and the great southwestern deserts.

Railroads

Rail system benefited the Northeastern industrial system

Most rails, by 1860, were often disconnected, disjointed, and in poor repair

Shippers of product had to load and unload their goods many times before it reached destination

Rail transportation time was significantly faster than foot, carriage, or ship

***The only faster mechanism for travel would be through a Central American canal

Vanderbilt

National railroad systems bought, organized, and managed by people such as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Fiske, and Jay Gould

Provided rebates to favorite customers

Prevented rail use to disliked customers

Rail monopolies resulted in faster shipping and transportation, as well as corruption “The Colossus of Roads” A modern colossus

over the rail lines, Vanderbilt is seen as holding the reins over lesser men and the rail system. Note the lecherous posture, the pollution, and

the emphasis of his height.

Vanderbilt

Railroad titans revolutionized the industry: Provided consistent and connected rail lines Standardized rail gauge Standardized safety features: the air brake and

the telegraph Bi-directional track (to and fro) to increase

transport speed Organized shipping zones by time zone:

Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific

Industrialists: Pros and Cons Ruthlessly drove out

competition Stamped out small businesses Exploited workers Cut corners on quality Overcharged customers for

goods Polluted the environment Wasted natural resources Organized gigantic and

powerful monopolies Created large gap between the

rich and the poor Bribed government officials

and corrupted the government

Industrialization could not have occurred without industrialists

Provided examples of risk and success

Showed example of American Dream

Created the wealth and military might of a young superpower

Built cities and factories Provided employment Gave money to charities,

libraries, and endowments Provided cheap manufactured

goods for consumers Improved the quality of life for

most Americans

The U.S. Senate Big businesses formed

trusts: groups of smaller companies under the leadership of a large corporation Made investors more profit Allowed for lower

operational costs Lower “overhead” resulted

in lower consumer cost Forced smaller business

out, and gained control of larger portion of the market

“The Bosses of the Senate” Puck Magazine. This famous political cartoon refers to the

rampant political corruption of the Gilded Age. The influence of business (in campaign contributions and perks) was evident in

government’s laissez-faire approach, pro-business legislation, and federal support to

combat unionization.

The Senate Reformers attempted to control businesses, but often failed

due to: Continued bribes Lack of enforcement Local political bosses (and their machines) controlled local and party

politics Politicians afraid to act decisively because they wanted re-election

Congress attempted reform laws: Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883): reformed Civil Service by

requiring examinations and requirements for hiring Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC, est. 1887): controlled

railroads and transportation of goods between states (authorized by the Constitution)

Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890): regulated trusts, and when possible, forced the trusts to break up

Homestead, PA

Homestead became the model for factory towns Close proximity to job Safe community Libraries and stores available

Provided cheap housing for factory employees

Employees were often paid only in scrip, vouchers for money, good only at the factory storeFactory towns such as Homestead, helped

spread industry, jobs, and population across the Northeast. These towns later became the model for the modern suburb, developed during the late 1940s and 1950s.

Homestead Factory towns in the Northeast were often destinations

for immigrants Milwaukee became a center for German immigrants

(beer and brats) Chicago became a center for Italian immigrants

Factory towns were often dirty, polluted, and dangerous places to live

Any action taken against the factory would often result in beatings, vandalism, and murder by the “Coal and Iron Police”

An average steel worker would make $22/wk; an immigrant would receive less than $12/wk for the same job

Factory, Homestead

The Bessemer converters sprayed fire, sparks, and steam

Men were expected to work 12 hrs/day; 6 days/wk

Once a month, workers were expected to work a 24 hr. shift

Average wage in 1907, at the Homestead Plant, was 16 cents/hr

Representative of working conditions in the average factory, the floor of this steel mill was so hot, it could fry an egg on contact. Hobnailed boots were required to relieve the discomfort, but burns were common.

Factory, Homestead

Conditions at factories (manufacturing, steel, textile, auto, coal, etc.) were terrible: Dangerous working conditions Low pay No job security No benefits High rate of accident

The Mines, PA Working conditions in

factories resulted in numerous chronic conditions Black Lung:

Derived from working in coal mines

Inhaled dust would coat the lungs, resulting in emphysema, lung cancer, and death

White Lung: Derived from working in

textile factories Inhaled cotton fibers would

coat the lungs, resulting in emphysema, lung cancer, and death

Prized for their smaller size, their ability to get into tight working spaces, the inexhaustible supply, the lack of child labor laws, and the opportunity to pay less (thereby increasing profit) resulted in the widespread use of child labor. “Mother” Jones, a famous reformer, marched on Washington, D.C., forcing Congress to pass laws banning child labor.

The Mines

Over 2 million children were employed in factories at the turn of the century

The average age of these children ranged between 8-15 years

A “renewable” resource, children were paid significantly less than even an immigrant worker

A Strike: Lawrence

Unions: a collective group of workers acting to improve working conditions; reformers

Started in the late 1860s to respond to low wages, dangerous working conditions, and periodic unemploymentLawrence, a textile factory town in

Massachusetts, was considered a hotbed of labor dissent and rebellion. Unions, as a group, were typically considered un-American, because they worked against the interests of government and business, “All-American” values.

A Strike

The Knights of Labor (1869): Organized by Terence Powderly Campaigned for 8 hour workday, safer conditions, equal

pay for men and women, and compensation for work related injury

Focused on women, African-Americans, immigrants, and unskilled laborers

American Federation of Labor (1881): Organized by Samuel Gompers Advocated for 8 hour workday, improved working

conditions, and the right of the union to represent workers during contract negotiations

Focused on white, male, and skilled workers

A Strike

Anti-Union activity rose during the Industrial Age

Federal, state, and local governments acted against workers’ rights

Most laws favored wealthy industrialists and to maintain the status quo

In response to the “Bread or Revolution” slogan of the Wobblies, government and business owners feared a

revolution against the U.S. by the lower classes. This fear generated violence against unions. Not without guilt, the

mob mentality of union collective actions resulted in the violent suppression of union activity by police.

A Strike

Unions used several strategies to force change: Boycott of goods: refusing to purchase goods Strikes/Work stoppage: refusing to work Picket Lines: “information” lines explaining

cause for strikes and demands Collective Bargaining: group representation for

contract negotiations Work to Rule: working only under the “letter” of

contract

The Strike: Problems Violence between government/business owners

and workers resulted in numerous riots Chicago Riots (1886): 8,000 workers, represented by

the Knights of Labor, went on strike Several workers were killed by police Riot started after a bomb was thrown at police 7 police officers and 4 workers were killed Management used this as an example of mob mentality

Carnegie Homestead Riots (1892): Represented by the AFL, workers went on strike protesting a wage cut

Manager sent in 300 guards to protect factory Upon arrival, workers killed 16 guards National Guard was sent in to quell riot Workers surrendered, and upon their return, got a 50%

wage cut

A Strike Pullman Strike (1894): Workers protested wage cut after high

corporate profit Strikers paralyzed rail business throughout the West Management asked help from the government Pres. Cleveland sent in troops to clear out the workers, move

the trains and end the strike Anthracite Coal Strike (1902): Workers protested working

conditions in Pennsylvania coal mines and difficult working conditions

Coal strike threatened to paralyze the Northeast during the coldest winter--nobody had coal to heat homes, provide power, etc

Management refused to settle strike and meet worker demands Management asked help from government and Pres. Roosevelt Roosevelt changed tactics and supported worker rights

In Sum

Unions, using collective action, greatly improved working conditions in most industries

As part of the Progressive Reform Movement, led by Pres. Roosevelt, the government worked to improve the life, liberty, and property of the exploited worker masses

Unions, although sometimes criticized as Communists, became a mainstay in American business (AFL-CIO is one of the most powerful unions in the country)

Labor usually associated with Democratic Party; Management usually associated with Republican Party