Industrialization

Chapter 6, Sections 1 and 2

New Finds and Inventions

• In the 1860s, we began drilling for oil, mostly to create kerosene for lamps– First found in Pennsylvania & Ohio– Oil refining was a major industry in Cleveland

New Finds and Inventions

• Around 1850, two different scientists invented the Bessemer process, which made it much easier to create steel– Steel became big business for

Cleveland and Pittsburg– Largest use for steel was the RRs,

but also tools, bridges and later skyscrapers

New Finds and Inventions

• Edison invented the light bulb in 1880• By 1890, many offices and factories used

electricity because you could move the power to wherever you wanted by wire– Before this, had to set up near sources of power,

like rivers

New Finds and Inventions

• The typewriter (1867) and telephone (1876) paved the way for women in office jobs– Electrically-powered factories were filled with

women sewing clothes, etc.

The Age of Railroads

• Even though RRs spread all over the U.S., the Northeast and Midwest had the most tracks

• In 1883 the system of time zones was adopted to help make it easier to schedule trains traveling across the country.

The Age of Railroads• George Pullman’s sleeper car factory was

built next to a company town– Living conditions were slightly above average,

but he owned the apartments and stores– When he cut his employee’s pay (but didn’t

lower their rent) it led to a large strike in 1894.

The Age of Railroads

• Many RR owners turned to corruption to make even bigger profits

• In the Credit Mobilier scandal, A RR company charged the govt. too much to build a RR & bribed some members of Congress to keep their mouths shut.

The Grange v. Railroads• Review: The Grange was a organization of

farmers• The Grange was successful in getting

farmer-friendly politicians elected in many states– They passed a series of “Granger Laws” which

restricted RRs from taking advantage of farmers

The Grange v. Railroads

• 1877 Munn v. Illinois Supreme Court decision said states have the right to regulate RR companies in order to help farmers

• Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in 1886 to regulate companies that crossed state boarders– The ICC remained fairly weak, RRs continued to

abuse farmers and passengers