Industrialism in Industrialism in AmericaAmerica

Building the American Building the American PowerhousePowerhouse

The Brooklyn Bridge - The Brooklyn Bridge - 18831883

•Significance: a symbol of America’s transition from a rural to an industrial nation.

Impact of IndustryImpact of Industry

On different regions:On different regions: Between 1865 and 1910, impact was Between 1865 and 1910, impact was

unevenuneven Most common in Northeast & MidwestMost common in Northeast & Midwest

On people:On people: A few businessmen made vast fortunesA few businessmen made vast fortunes Hundreds of thousands worked in Hundreds of thousands worked in

dangerous conditions for little pay dangerous conditions for little pay

Steel Workers Pouring Steel Workers Pouring Molten SteelMolten Steel

Significance of Bessemer Process: large quantities of steel made cheap and easy

Steel ProductionSteel Production

Increase in Increase in production of production of steel:steel: 2,000 tons in 2,000 tons in

18671867 More than 7 More than 7

million tons by million tons by 19001900

Steel was Steel was stronger & more stronger & more durable than durable than ironiron

Made possible Made possible stronger train stronger train tracks, taller tracks, taller buildings, buildings, longer bridges, longer bridges, etc.etc.

Skyscraper in New YorkSkyscraper in New York

Pictured at right is the Flatiron Building in NYC, built in 1901•Possible because of steel girders •Steel industry helped fuel growth of construction industry•Because space in cities was so valuable, tall buildings were constructed for more office space

Andrew Andrew CarnegieCarnegie

By 1900, there were over 4,000 millionaires in America•Carnegie was a Scotch immigrant•As a boy, he worked in a textile mill for $1.20 per week•Used savings to purchase a steel mill in PA•Became one of worlds wealthiest men by controlling steel industry•Donated millions to Universities, churches, charities

The millionaire should The millionaire should be “a trustee for his be “a trustee for his

poorer brethren, poorer brethren, bringing to their service bringing to their service

his superior wisdom, his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to experience, and ability to

administer, doing for administer, doing for them better than they them better than they would or could do for would or could do for

themselves.”themselves.”- - Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie

Pennsylvania Oil FieldPennsylvania Oil Field

First successful well First successful well drilled in Titusville, drilled in Titusville, PA 1859PA 1859

Oil originally used Oil originally used for lubrication for lubrication purposespurposes

Will come to be used Will come to be used in automobiles when in automobiles when internal combustion internal combustion engine is inventedengine is invented

John D. RockefellerJohn D. Rockefeller Held virtual control over oil Held virtual control over oil

business with Standard Oil business with Standard Oil Co.Co.

Eliminated competition by Eliminated competition by lowering prices to run them lowering prices to run them out of biz, then raised prices out of biz, then raised prices when competitors were gonewhen competitors were gone

Controlled over 90% of Controlled over 90% of American oil refining by 1879American oil refining by 1879

In a In a TrustTrust shareholders of shareholders of smaller companies give up smaller companies give up control to larger firm which control to larger firm which shares profits with themshares profits with them

Controlling an entire industry Controlling an entire industry is called a is called a monopolymonopoly

RailroadRailroad

Transportation was key to Transportation was key to industrializationindustrialization

In 1860, most track was in the EastIn 1860, most track was in the East Because there were few Because there were few

interconnected rail lines, moving interconnected rail lines, moving freight long distances by rail was freight long distances by rail was costly and took too much timecostly and took too much time because you had to load and unload because you had to load and unload freight several times.freight several times.

Cornelius VanderbiltCornelius Vanderbilt

VanderbiltVanderbilt Powerful in Powerful in

Railroad industryRailroad industry Consolidated and Consolidated and

combined smaller combined smaller rail lines to make rail lines to make them more efficient them more efficient & economical& economical

Drove smaller Drove smaller companies out of companies out of biz by refusing to biz by refusing to allow transfers onto allow transfers onto his lineshis lines

Controlled 4,500 Controlled 4,500 miles of rail by miles of rail by time of his deathtime of his death

Consolidation led Consolidation led to inexpensive and to inexpensive and fast shipping of fast shipping of freightfreight

Establishment of Establishment of time zones created time zones created uniform time in uniform time in each zoneeach zone

Positives & Negatives of Positives & Negatives of Big BizBig Biz

NegativesNegatives Drove small Drove small

companies out of companies out of bizbiz

Exploited workersExploited workers ““Cut corners”Cut corners” Bribed officialsBribed officials OverchargedOvercharged PollutedPolluted Wasted ResourcesWasted Resources

PositivesPositives Invented & Invented &

perfected new perfected new technologytechnology

Lowered cost of Lowered cost of productsproducts

Improved overall Improved overall quality of lifequality of life

Gave generously to Gave generously to charitiescharities

““Bosses of the Senate”Bosses of the Senate”

Cartoon of Large Cartoon of Large Trusts…Trusts…

Reformers argued Reformers argued that Trusts went that Trusts went against idea of free against idea of free enterpriseenterprise

Large companies Large companies used power to used power to influence influence government officialsgovernment officials

Influenced votes Influenced votes through bribesthrough bribes

Interstate Interstate Commerce Commerce Commission formed Commission formed in 1887 to control in 1887 to control railroadsrailroads

Sherman Anti-trust Sherman Anti-trust Act of 1890 passed Act of 1890 passed to regulate truststo regulate trusts

Little significant Little significant enforcement took enforcement took place until 1900splace until 1900s

Company TownCompany Town

The company owned the town The company owned the town and rented homes to workersand rented homes to workers

Workers paid with scrip – Workers paid with scrip – company “money”company “money”

The workforceThe workforce

Women tended to work in textile Women tended to work in textile mills, garment factories, tobacco mills, garment factories, tobacco factoriesfactories Usually paid less than half the wages of Usually paid less than half the wages of

men in the same jobsmen in the same jobs By 1870, 1/3 of factory workers By 1870, 1/3 of factory workers

foreign bornforeign born Hired because they would work for Hired because they would work for

much less $much less $

Steel WorkersSteel Workers

Worked long hours for low pay Worked long hours for low pay 12 hours a day, 6 days a week12 hours a day, 6 days a week

““Breaker Boys” of the Breaker Boys” of the Coal MinesCoal Mines

Coal MinersCoal Miners

Working conditions often dangerous Working conditions often dangerous because owners refused to pay for because owners refused to pay for expensive safety featuresexpensive safety features

Coal miners worked deep Coal miners worked deep underground and faced the perils of underground and faced the perils of cave-ins and explosionscave-ins and explosions

Children often worked to help pay Children often worked to help pay bills & support familybills & support family

By 1900, 2 million American children By 1900, 2 million American children between 10 and 15 were workingbetween 10 and 15 were working

Textile Workers on Textile Workers on StrikeStrike

Workers formed unions to try to improve Workers formed unions to try to improve working conditionsworking conditions

Samuel Gompers founded the American Samuel Gompers founded the American Federation of LaborFederation of Labor Goals included 8-hour work day, right to Goals included 8-hour work day, right to

collective bargainingcollective bargaining

The IWWThe IWW

IWW = Industrial Workers of the IWW = Industrial Workers of the WorldWorld

Most radical of the unionsMost radical of the unions Led by Bill HaywoodLed by Bill Haywood Organized the most ignored Organized the most ignored

workers, including migrant workersworkers, including migrant workers Believed in strikes and work slow-Believed in strikes and work slow-

downsdowns

Violent StrikesViolent Strikes

Violent StrikesViolent Strikes The Government often supported The Government often supported

management in strikesmanagement in strikes Employers publicized violence during Employers publicized violence during

strikes to turn public opinion against the strikes to turn public opinion against the labor movementlabor movement

In the 1892 strike at the Homestead Steel In the 1892 strike at the Homestead Steel plant, striking workers were arrestedplant, striking workers were arrested Many lost their jobsMany lost their jobs Returning strikers had their pay cut by 50%Returning strikers had their pay cut by 50%

President Cleveland sent federal troops to President Cleveland sent federal troops to break up a railway workers strike against break up a railway workers strike against the Pullman Railway Car Company in 1894the Pullman Railway Car Company in 1894