Standard 11 The student will describe the growth

of big business and technological innovations after Reconstruction.

The Growth of the Railroad

The growth of railroads allowed for the growth of business. – The transportation of

goods became faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

Steel

Andrew Carnegie was the man who controlled almost all of the steel made.

Big business was able to use the rail system to quickly transport goods around the country and drive out competition.

Westward Expansion and Settlement

The construction of railways as far west as Kansas opened a booming market for beef and the requisite processing centers

This and other businesses led to increase migration to Western states.

The Transcontinental Railroad This was to be the first

railroad to stretch across the whole of the US.

The Central Pacific Railroad began laying track eastward out of Sacramento.

The Union Pacific Railroad began work toward the west in Omaha.

At Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869, a golden spike was driven to officially connect the two railroads.

Immigrant Labor

The Irish were used to build the Union Pacific line across the Great Plains.

The Chinese were used to build the Central Pacific line across the Sierra Nevada.

The mega corporations used many different tools to drive their

competition out of business and hurt consumers.

Monopolies – complete control of a product or service.

Trusts – a group of separate companies that are placed under the control of a single managing board.

The Standard Oil Trust In 1870 John D. Rockefeller

and several associates formed the Standard Oil Company.

In 1882 the owners of Standard Oil and other Oil companies turned over their assets to a board of nine trustees.

In return, they were promised a share of the profits of the new organization.

The Rise of Laissez-Faire Laissez Faire capitalism

advocated for a hands off approach to regulating business

Social Darwinism was thought to rule the world of business, those most able would rise to the top

Thomas Edison

Electric power became widely available because of Thomas Edison.

His work on the light bulb and alternating current changed daily life for all Americans.

Edison also invented the phonograph and motion pictures.

America the Story of US

I-respond NOW

Railroad workers laid some 150,000 miles of railroad track following the Civil War. The track linked cities and small towns across America. What was one effect of the growth of railroads in the United States? A. Greater use of the Oregon Trail

B. Reduced employment in industry

C. Increased migration west of the Mississippi River.

D. A decrease in the amount of farm goods sent to market

In what way did railroads and advances in communication affect geographic patterns in the United States?

A. They stalled the need for new inventions.

B. They assisted in maintaining cultural traditions in an area.

C. They changed the physical characteristics of a region.

D. They stalled migration.

Chinese and Irish immigrants are remembered for

A. Their contributions to the steel industry.

B. Their contributions to building the nation’s railroads.

C. Their refusal to work for giant’s of big business.

D. Working together to found the nation’s first trust.

In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railway Act to allow for construction of the transcontinental railroad. What was the impact of this legislation?

A. Regulation of the railroad industry

B. Rapid westward expansion

C. An end to Chinese immigration

D. A decline in big city growth

What was the effect of the growth of monopolies?

A. They increased competition among similar business.

B. They reduced the need for government intervention.

C. They spread equal wealth among the entire population.

D. They reduced the number of small businesses within an industry.

What was the purpose of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890?

A. To assist robber barons

B. To eliminate government intervention in business

C. To protect trade and the growth of monopolies

D. To eliminate big business monopolies

What effect did Thomas Edison’s work have on the 19th century?

A. It expanded the growth of government.

B. It encouraged the growth of industry and cities.

C. It stalled westward movement into California.

D. It encouraged the growth of mining towns.

Thomas Edison Choose 1

Write a customer review of one of the Thomas Edison’s inventions (At least 5 sentences)

Make a newspaper advertisement for one of his inventions. (must include visual and some type of draw for the customer)